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Original recipe Serves 6-8 Ingredients 1 cup dried black beans 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, chopped into ½-inch pieces 1 small green pepper, chopped into ½-inch pieces 5 or 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 1 teaspoon kosher salt Freshly ground pepper 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, roughly chopped ¼ teaspoon dried dill 2 small bay leaves 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 1 tablespoon dry red wine, or vino seco 1½ cups long-grain rice, rinsed Directions Rinse the beans and pick them over for any small stones. Put the beans and 8 cups water in a medium-size pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, partly cover and cook until tender, about 1 to 2 hours. (Time will vary depending on the bean.) Meanwhile, make the sofrito: Put the oil in a medium-size pot (large enough to hold the rice as well) over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, green pepper and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are limp. Stir in the oregano, dill and bay leaves and remove from heat. Drain the beans, reserving the broth and being careful to not break the beans. In a large measuring cup, add the vinegar and wine, 1 cup of the reserved bean broth and enough water for all the liquid to measure 2¼ cups. Put the sofrito back on medium heat, add the rice and stir to combine. Cook the rice for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the seasoned bean broth/water mixture and the salt. Bring to a boil, stir, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 17 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and return cover to pot for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves and put rice mixture into a mixing bowl. Gently mix in the beans, being careful not to break them. Season well with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot.

Original recipe Serves 6 Ingredients 1/2 large chopped onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tomato, chopped 1/2 bell pepper, finely chopped 2 tbsp cilantro 500 g lean ground beef 40 ml tomato sauce, 1/2 can kosher salt fresh ground pepper 1 tsp ground cumin 1-2 dried bay leaves 2 tbsp pitted green olives or capers Directions Brown meat on high heat in large sauté pan and season with salt and pepper. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up into small pieces. When meat is no longer pink, drain all juice from pan. Meanwhile, while meat is cooking, chop onion, garlic, pepper, tomato and cilantro. Add to the meat and continue cooking on a low heat. Add olives or capers and about 2 to 4 tbsp of the brine (the juice from the olives, this adds great flavor) cumin, bay leaf, and more salt if needed. Add tomato sauce and 1/4 cup of water and mix well. Reduce heat and simmer covered about 20 minutes.

Original recipe Serves 6 Ingredients ½ cup couscous 1 cup diced cucumber (1 small-to-medium) 1 cup diced tomato (1 large) 1 teaspoon fine salt, divided 3 medium bunches parsley ⅓ cup chopped fresh mint ⅓ cup thinly sliced green onion ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste 1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced Directions Cook or soak the couscous until tender according to package directions. Drain off any excess water, and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, combine the diced cucumber and tomato in a medium bowl with ½ teaspoon of the salt. Stir, and let the mixture rest for at least 10 minutes, or until you’re ready to mix the salad. To prepare the parsley, cut off the thick stems. Then, finely chop the parsley and remaining stems—you can do this by hand, but it’s much easier in a food processor with the standard “S” blade. Process 1 bunch at a time (it should yield about 1 cup chopped), transferring the chopped parsley to a large serving bowl before proceeding with the next. Add the cooled couscous, chopped fresh mint (if using) and green onion to the bowl of parsley. Strain off and discard the cucumber and tomato juice that has accumulated in the bottom of the bowl (this ensures that your tabbouleh isn’t too watery). Add the strained cucumber and tomato to the bowl. In a small measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, garlic, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Pour it into the salad and stir to combine. Taste, and adjust if necessary—add another tablespoon of lemon juice for zing, or salt for more overall flavor. If you have the time, let the salad rest for 15 minutes before serving to let the flavors mingle. Otherwise, you can serve it immediately or chill it for later. Tabbouleh will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.

Original recipe makes 5 Ingredients 1 cup lukewarm water 1 Tbsp sugar 2 tsp active dry yeast 7 grams (or 25% less instant yeast powder) 3 cups plain all-purpose flour 1 tsp salt 1/3 cup plain yogurt or oil Directions Add the water, sugar, and yeast to a small bowl, mix well and then allow it to stand for between 5-10 minutes for the yeast to activate. It should froth up and become quite bubbly during this time. Combine the sifted flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture and yogurt to the bowl, mix into a rough dough, and then knead for around 10 minutes until you have a smooth, elastic dough. When poked with a finger, the dough should bounce back again – if it doesn’t, knead it a little longer. Form the dough into a rough ball and cover lightly with oil, then place back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or cling film and place it in a warm place to prove for between 45 minutes to an hour. During this time, it should double in size. Preheat the oven as hot as it will go. Divide the dough into 5 pieces, shape each piece into a ball, and roll flat. Dimple the dough all over with your fingers to make more space for topping and to prevent the dough from puffing up too much. Top the dough with your toppings and transfer to the over for 5–6 minutes. Notes Feel free to season the dough as preferred depending on the recipe; Italian seasoning, za’atar, garlic, and onion powder, etc. To use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast, reduce the amount by 25%