Appetizers
8 recipes
Tortilla Espanola
The Spanish potato omelette: potatoes and onion poached soft in olive oil, drained, then bound in beaten egg and set in a skillet into a thick round with a barely creamy center.
Saltfish Fritters
Caribbean fritters of desalted salt cod flaked into a peppery batter with scallion, thyme and hot pepper, fried in spoonfuls until crisp at the edges and tender in the middle.
Pimento Cheese Dip
The Southern spread: sharp cheddar grated by hand so it stays in strands, bound with mayonnaise and pimentos and seasoned with mustard and cayenne. Ready in the time it takes to grate the cheese.
Papa a la Huancaina
A Peruvian starter of cold sliced yellow potatoes under a smooth, gently hot sauce of aji amarillo, fresh cheese and evaporated milk thickened with soda crackers, served with egg and olives.
Pajeon Scallion Pancake
A Korean scallion pancake built on whole lengths of scallion in a thin flour-and-cornstarch batter, fried until the edges shatter, with a sharp soy and vinegar dipping sauce.
Haydari Yogurt Dip
A thick Turkish meze of strained yogurt whipped with raw garlic, dill and mint, finished with a spoonful of warm chile butter poured over the top.
Azifa Green Lentil Salad
An Ethiopian cold lentil salad: green lentils simmered just to tender, then dressed while warm with mustard, lemon, green chile and red onion so the flavor soaks in as it chills.
Akara Black-Eyed Pea Fritters
West African fritters of black-eyed peas soaked and skinned, blended to a smooth paste and beaten until light, then spooned into hot oil so they puff crisp outside and stay fluffy within.