• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

serving & menu ideas

Serve on rice, bulghur, or couscous, or in a bowl with bread. A light spring meal like this one deserves Chocolate Ricotta Pudding for dessert.

saucy hungarian eggplant

A hearty stew with a robust taste, just right with the nutty flavor of bulghur wheat.

SERVES 4

TIME: 40 MINUTES

1 cup bulghur

¼ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons olive oil

1½ cups boiling water

1 large onion

3 garlic cloves

1 large eggplant (about 1 pound)

10 ounces cremini mushrooms

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes

plain yogurt

In a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, cook the bulghur and salt in the oil on medium heat, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes to lightly toast the bulghur. Add the boiling water, reduce the heat to low, and cook covered for 10 to 12 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. When the bulghur is done, turn off the heat and let it sit covered until ready to serve.

While the bulghur cooks, prepare the vegetables. Cut the onion into thin slices (about 2 cups). Mince or press the garlic. Cut the unpeeled eggplant into sticks about ½ inch thick and 2 inches long (about 6 cups). Rinse and slice the mushrooms (about 3 cups).

In a large covered pot on medium heat, cook the onion, garlic, paprika, oregano, and red pepper flakes in the oil, stirring often, until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add the eggplant, sprinkle with the salt, and cook, stirring constantly, for a minute or two. Add the mushrooms, increase the heat, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes, cover, and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

The dish should be saucy but not soupy, so if it’s very juicy, increase the heat to high and cook rapidly, stirring often, to reduce the liquid. Serve on the bulghur, topped with yogurt.

serving & menu ideas

This eggplant-mushroom stew is also good served on rice or egg noodles, or in a bowl with plenty of crusty bread. Cherry Shortbread Crumble would be the perfect Hungarian-style dessert.

hot & sour stir-fry

Coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots), one of our favorite simple suppers convenience foods, is available in the produce section of most supermarkets.

SERVES 4

TIME: 25 MINUTES

½ pound green beans

2 tomatoes

8 ounces coleslaw mix or 4 cups finely shredded cabbage

1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger root

1½ teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon Chinese chili paste

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon cider vinegar or white vinegar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Have everything prepared and close at hand before you begin to stir-fry. Trim the green beans and cut them in half (about 2 cups). Cut the tomatoes into chunks (about 2 cups). If you don’t have coleslaw mix, finely shred cabbage. In a small bowl, combine the ginger, sugar, chili paste, soy sauce, and vinegar, and then stir in the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water.

Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the green beans and stir-fry on high heat for a couple of minutes. Add the cabbage and continue to stir-fry for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and stir-fry until they soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the soy sauce-cornstarch mixture and stir-fry for a minute or two, until the sauce thickens and coats the vegetables.

serving & menu ideas

Serve on soba noodles, udon noodles, or rice, and top with Easy Baked Tofu or seasoned tofu, or toasted cashews or almonds. How about Lemon Coconut Tapioca Pudding or Mango Coconut Sorbet for dessert?

curried tofu with tomatoes

Tofu, ever the chameleon, lends itself to pairings with a multitude of sauces for nutritious and easily prepared meals. This is a favorite.

SERVES 4

TIME: 30 MINUTES

2 cups chopped onions

1 large red bell pepper, chopped