Spanish Saffron Arroz Con Pollo

Rachel’s Family Arroz Con Pollo Recipe 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided1 3 1/2-4lb chicken, cut into 8 pieces1 large onion, diced2 garlic cloves, finely diced1 cup finely sliced celery2 medium carrots, diced1 medium zucchini, diced1 red or yellow bell pepper, sliced1 cup long grain rice, rinsed and drained1 1/2 cups saffron water (or 1 teaspoon…

The Power of Soup: Iraqi Chicken Shorba

Iraqi Chicken Shorba 5 tablespoons olive oil1 large onion, diced6 tomatoes, diced10 cardamom pods, gently crushed1 teaspoon sweet paprika1 teaspoon turmeric1 teaspoon allspice2 large chicken breasts with bones8 cloves of garlic, chopped2 medium potatoes, diced6 tablespoons tomato paste2 cups of jasmine rice, rinsed and soaked for one hour8 cups waterSea SaltFresh ground black pepper Fry…

Everyone Loves Shakshuka

Everyone Loves Shakshuka

It was late June and one of those perfect Israeli Summer days, with clear blue skies. My friend Judy and I were strolling through the old and beautifully restored Sarona Market. The old stone buildings built by the German Templars in the late 19th century and early 20th century were bathed in a gorgeous golden…

Mi Casa Es Su Casa: The Mexican Magic of Lenny’s Casita

Mi Casa Es Su Casa: The Mexican Magic of Lenny’s Casita

Every good food story starts with a grandmother: one of Leonardo Nourafchan’s earliest memories is standing on a chair, stirring a huge pot of polenta in the kitchen of his Italian grandmother. Nowadays, you’ll find Chef Lenny in his own industrial kitchen, overseeing a dozen busy cooks chopping and grilling for Lenny’s Casita and Lenny’s…

Crispy Creamy Iraqi Aruk

Crispy Creamy Iraqi Aruk

Every Friday afternoon, the entire student body of Vaucluse Primary School would walk up the hill to Christison Park, a huge green reserve high atop a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. We would play cricket or softball or run around the grass, under the shadow of the splendid white Macquarie Lighthouse, Australia’s first and oldest…

The Joy of Hanukkah Cooking

The Joy of Hanukkah Cooking

Sharon’s Turn: Hanukkah commemorates the miracle of the little crucible oil that lasted eight days and nights in the rededicated Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Hanukkah is a celebration of our continued faith in G-d and our dedication to Judaism. Hanukkah lights up our life when the days are short and the nights are darkest. There…

Bright Winter Salads

Bright Winter Salads

Sharon’s Turn: I started reading Seventeen Magazine as a young girl in Sydney, Australia. I was fascinated by the glimpse into American culture, American products, American marketing, American celebrity and American fashion. I learned that it was chic to wear pearls with a basic white t-shirt and to pair grey clothing with a pop of…

Glorious Gobbling: Whiskey and Oranges Make for a Juicy Bird

Glorious Gobbling: Whiskey and Oranges Make for a Juicy Bird

My best friend’s wedding was a joyous celebration. Friends and family were thrilled that two such amazing people had found each other. The bride was beautiful in her stunning white lace gown and the groom was handsome in his bow tie and tuxedo, the bridesmaids wore lavender, matched by the pretty pinks and purples of…

Rice Is Nice With Everything

Rice Is Nice With Everything

Someone once said that rice is the food equivalent of khaki pants—it goes with anything. Anthropologists are divided over whether the popular Asian rice we consume today originated in China or India. Archaeologists working in East and Southeast Asia argue that the cultivation of rice began along the Yangtze River and spread from there to…

The Shepherd’s Pie Tradition

The Shepherd’s Pie Tradition

Every Friday morning, my phone would ring. “Boker Tov!” my grandmother would greet me. “You’re coming for dinner?” “Of course,” I would reply. “You’re making Shepherd’s Pie?” She would ask, knowing the answer. And every Friday night, I would have the honor of going to my grandparents home with my husband, my son Ariel, my…

The Robust and Zesty Soup You Will Fall In Love With

The Robust and Zesty Soup You Will Fall In Love With

Recently, when Rachel and I did a Zoom cooking demonstration for the young women of the Jewish Federation’s Emerging Philanthropists group, I was really embarrassed. Not because of how we performed on the Zoom: that was great and fun. But because my husband and kids couldn’t stop eating the soup that Rachel had made for…