SPICY CHICKEN SHAWARMA

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Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi and Cooking Light

spicy chicken shawarma recipe

My 16 year old son Paul spent the past month touring Israel with a large group of teenagers from his summer camp.  He had the time of his life, despite the fact that his itinerary had to be revised regularly, in order to stay clear of rocket-fire.  The week after Paul landed in Tel Aviv, three missing Israeli youths were found murdered, which ignited a spark between Hamas and Israel. More than 2,000 enemy rockets were fired into Israel during Paul’s visit. Over the course of the month I tried to remain calm but I occasionally lapsed into a state of anxiety about the situation, which was escalating by the day. I couldn’t wait for him to get home.  From Paul’s point of view, he felt totally safe.  The few times I Face-Timed with him – when he had WIFI – he reassured me that he was fine, and he wanted tell me all about the amazing stuff he was learning, seeing, and eating.  It turns out he was eating a lot of shawarma.  In fact when I asked him if he bought anything good with his spending money, he said that he’d spent most of it on shawarma. When Paul returned from Israel late Monday night, (after I gave him an enormous hug), we decided we would make shawarma together. Continue »

FRESH CHERRY TART from MAINE

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cherry tart recipe

This cherry tart is my friend Ingrid’s creation. (you may have noticed that I have a lot of friends who are talented cooks.) Ingrid served this when I visited her at her home in Camden, Maine. The weekend was so special, but I struggled to find the right words to describe it. I’m way better at writing about food than vacations. The funny thing is that I realized that my tart description was a good metaphor for my weekend in Maine: bursting with natural beauty, a perfect balance of sweet and savory, festive, healthy, delicious, fresh, rustic, colorful, and even better than I thought it would be (and I thought it would be great!) Continue »

MEXICAN SPICED GRILLED CHICKEN with NECTARINE SALSA

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mexican-spiced-grilled-chicken-nectarine-salsa

This recipe was given to me by my friend Rachel Reid. Rachel has an unmistakable flair for cooking – and she always offers to bring one of her amazing creations when someone is having a party. A few weeks ago, at my niece’s graduation party, I dipped a chip into the best pineapple salsa I’d ever tasted and I wasn’t surprised to learn that Rachel made it. I decided to ask her if she would be a guest blogger for Panning The Globe and she said “yes!”  I hope you enjoy her recipe for Mexican spiced grilled chicken with nectarine salsa.  I love it!  It’s the perfect summer dish. Continue »

GRILLED FIGS, PROSCIUTTO and BURRATA

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grilled fig bruschetta with burrata and prosciutto

When I tell you how good this appetizer is, you might say “of course it is! With those ingredients, how could it not be amazing?!?”  And you’d be right. This is a combo of some of my absolute favorite things in the world – prosciutto, grilled fresh figs, creamy burrata, arugula – all drizzled with good quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar… Continue »

LEMONY PASTA with SUMMER VEGETABLES

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lemony pasta primavera

This is the time of year when the vegetables in the store call out to me and dictate what I cook.  I came upon some beautiful ears of fresh corn last week – the first ones I’ve seen this season.  They practically jumped into my cart.  Then I wandered past some gorgeous green asparagus.  As I grabbed a couple of bunches I started imagining a pasta dish with lots of lemon and basil and fresh grated parmigiana cheese…. Continue »

FATHER’S DAY RECIPES

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panning-the-globe-flying-skillet

Do you ever wonder how father’s day came to be?  I always assumed it was a Hallmark Holiday – created by some marketers somewhere, trying to sell us stuff. That didn’t discourage me from celebrating it, but I was pleasantly surprised when I recently learned that father’s day was founded over 100 years ago by someone with very sincere intentions. Her name was Sonora Dodd. She lived in Spokane Washington with her 5 younger siblings. They were raised by a single widowed dad, and Sonora wanted to honor him. With the help of her church and the Spokane YMCA, word spread and the first father’s day was celebrated on June 19th, 1910. Continue »

CAPONATA: SICILIAN SWEET & SOUR EGGPLANT RELISH

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caponata-recipe-panning-the-globe

Yesterday my day started out badly. I turned on my computer and got a white screen with a lightening bolt. I was panicked. I did a quick Google search and it didn’t look good – some implication that either I had been hacked or my operating system was corrupted. By the time I walked into the Apple Store for my genius bar appointment at 11am, there was a big dark cloud hanging over me – I was sure I had lost all my data and would need to buy a new computer…  As I was describing my whole sob story to the genius, he reached down and pulled a bell pepper seed out of my keyboard. It had wedged the “T” key in, which made the computer think it was the back-up drive for another computer….that was it! Problem fixed. Food blogging can be a risky business! Continue »

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

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chicken-tikka-masala-recipe

I just got back from a whirlwind weekend in New Orleans. I love it there – it’s such a fun, friendly city. Between the fantastic food and music and the festive atmosphere, a trip to New Orleans always feels like a celebration. But this visit was extra special because I was there for my son’s graduation from Tulane University. Hooray for Alex!!! After a weekend in The Big Easy I felt inspired to cook something super tasty and special.  Chicken Tikka Masala – with its spicy, creamy, colorful, tender, tangy, exciting deliciousness – definitely fits the bill!

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FLOURLESS BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE “WITH LOVE and QUICHES”

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flourless-chocolate-truffle-cake-panning-the-globe

With Love and Quiches is a new book – a business memoir – written by an extremely successful businesswoman and someone I’ve know for a long time – Susan Axelrod.  Susan was a good friend of my mom’s from the time they were in grade school.

Today Susan’s company, Love and Quiches, is one of the nation’s leading gourmet dessert and quiche manufacturers. Their baked goods can be found in some of the finest restaurants and retail stores around the world. But years ago, when Susan was just starting out, I can still remember my mother one day excitedly announcing: “Susie is moving into a factory and she bought a truck!”

As I grew up, it was always thrilling to hear about the ever-growing success of Susan’s business.  And just last week I had the thrill of reading Susan’s new book that chronicles her amazing journey from suburban housewife to seasoned entrepreneur and founder of a multi-million dollar global brand.  It’s an incredible success story and a really fun read!

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COLOMBIAN CHICKEN SOUP: AJIACO

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Adapted from Cooking Light Global Kitchen

colombian-ajiaco-chicken-soup

This is a hearty soup, verging on stew.  The broth is rich and creamy but without any cream!  It’s made from chicken stock, pureed corn and grated potatoes.  Once the soup has cooked down to a wonderfully thick consistency, more corn and potatoes are added, along with shredded chicken, carrots, cilantro, and lime juice.  The final tasty layer is a garnish of cubed avocado and salty capers. Continue »

SKILLET BRUSSELS SPROUTS with BACON & SHERRY and A LODGE SKILLET & COOKBOOK GIVEAWAY

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skillet-brussels-sprouts-panning-the-globe

I have a bunch of things tell you about: a delicious recipe, a giveaway, a great new cookbook, and why I love my cast iron skillet.  I’ll start with the recipe.  As I’ve said many times, I’m in awe of chefs that can make a vegetable into something crave-worthy.  This recipe for skillet brussels sprouts does just that.  The brussels are seared in a hot cast iron skillet with garlic, shallots, hickory-smoked bacon and fresh thyme – then dressed with a sweet and tangy sherry vinaigrette. The flavors meld so beautifully. It’s truly irresistible. The recipe is from the new cookbook Lodge Cast Iron Nation.  

In honor of the release of their new cookbook the folks at Lodge Cast Iron are giving away a copy of the book along with a 12-inch Lodge cast iron skillet with a tempered glass lid.  You’ll find an easy way to enter the giveaway at the end of this post – after the recipe.

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TOASTED COCONUT QUINOA YOGURT PARFAIT with GINGERED MAPLE SYRUP

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toasted-coconut-quinoa-yogurt-parfait-by-panning-the-globe

Did you know you can toast quinoa?  I never thought of doing it until recently, when I noticed quinoa topping on pasta I had at a restaurant.  It was crunchy and great and I decided I had to try toasting some myself.  For this parfait I toast raw quinoa with sliced almonds and shredded coconut in a dry skillet.  The quinoa turns golden brown and gets a delicious nutty flavor. Continue »

REINA PEPIADA: AREPAS with CHICKEN & AVOCADO

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recipe for arepas with chicken & avocado by Panning The Globe

My good friend Sonia is from Venezuela. Last week we spent a really fun afternoon together cooking in her kitchen.  She taught me how to make one of her favorite authentic recipes from back home, Reina Pepiada: arepas with chicken and avocado. Arepas are english muffin-shaped cornmeal cakes that are eaten in place of bread in Venezuela.  They’re typically served warm from the oven, split open, and filled with a variety of savory stuffings such as shredded beef, grated cheese, scrambled eggs, or chicken and avocado. They have a mild corn flavor and are firm and crunchy on the outside, soft and tender inside. The filling is what sets them apart.  Reina Pepiada is Sonia’s family favorite – shredded white meat chicken tossed with tender avocado, mayonnaise, garlic, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno and cilantro.  It’s easy to imagine how delicious this chicken salad would be just from reading the ingredients, right?  Just wait until you try it sandwiched between an arepa that’s still warm from the oven! Continue »

FLOURLESS ALMOND COOKIES from SPAIN

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recipe for flourless almond cookies by panning the globe

Cooking Light has released a new cookbook called Global Kitchen and I just received two copies - one for me and one for you (more about the giveaway after the recipe).  The book is filled with healthy and delicious recipes from all around the world – a book after my own heart! As I paged through, these flourless almond cookies caught my eye. I have to admit that the first thing that attracted me to them was how healthy they are.  There’s no butter or flour – they’re made mostly  from almonds. They bake up crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, with a fresh nutty flavor and a hint of lemon. Continue »

CORNED BEEF HASH

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corned beef has recipe

I love the concept of hash: a big messy delicious jumble – heavy on the potatoes – bits of tasty onion & bell pepper strewn around, shreds of salty meat in every bite, the yolk of a soft cooked egg dripping down over a crispy brown hunk of potato…. mmmm.  Leftover corned beef  is my inspiration for this dish but there is no need to limit yourself to St. Patrick’s Day. Make this any time of year for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Use ham or bacon instead of corned beef for an equally delicious hash! Continue »

CHICKEN ADOBO from the PHILIPPINES

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Filipino-chicken-adobo-recipe-panning-the-globe

Have you ever eaten Filipino food?  I hadn’t until I started testing recipes for this post.  I tried googling Filipino restaurants in Massachusetts and there’s only one!  More research and it seems that there aren’t a lot of Filipino restaurants in America, yet according to the Census Bureau, Filipinos are the second-largest Asian group in the USA, totaling 3.4 million people (based on 2010 estimates). The Philippines is an archipelago of over 7,000 islands in southeast Asia, not far from Thailand, whose cuisine we all know well and love.  I can’t say why Filipino food isn’t more prominent in the culinary scene here, but I will tell you that If this adobo chicken is any indication, Filipino food rocks, and we should all be enjoying it! Continue »

PAIN AU CHOCOLAT

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recipe for pain au chocolat

I’m surprising myself lately – making French pastries and joining a gym (no cause and effect, by the way).  This winter I couldn’t live up to my longtime motto of “exercising outside with my dog – rain or shine.”  I needed a backup plan for when it was below 12 degrees – (Boston, MA) way too often! So I gave in and joined a gym. As for the pastry, I don’t do a lot of baking (as you’ve probably noticed by how few desserts there are on Panning The Globe).  My passion is more for savory dishes, but I needed something buttery and decadent for a Sunday brunch and I love pain au chocolat, so I made it for the first time…. I was thrilled with how good it turned out and how easy it was! Continue »

LAMB STEW with SPRING VEGETABLES

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lamb-stew-spring-vegetables

St. Patrick’s Day is a few weeks away and so is spring. I’m excited for both! I’m all for celebrating every possible occasion and St. Patrick’s Day is a particularly fun one: corned beef, potatoes, green beer, Irish stew!  According to my research lots of people agree – census stats show nearly 45% of people in the United States celebrate St. Patrick’s day. So here’s a great recipe in honor of St. Patrick’s Day and the coming of spring: lamb stew with spring vegetables. Continue »