This is a great complement to Middle-Eastern, Indian, and Mediterranean-style dishes. I especially like it with lamb.

Whisk the juice of one small lemon wedge, a pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp of cumin (or to taste), and a little bit of olive oil (about 2-3 tsp, just enough to thin the yogurt a bit) into about 1 cup of Greek yogurt.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Bon appétit!

Wine pairing: If serving this sauce with Mediterranean fare, try a wine from the region – I’ve had interesting reds from Lebanon and Morocco. Greece produces some amazing reds and whites in both native and traditional European varietals. Try a wine from the Nemea region. Wines produced in India are becoming more common in the West as well. Cheers!

Whisk 1/2-1 cup plain or Greek yogurt with:

1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill

pinch salt

freshly cracked white or black pepper

juice of 1 lemon wedge (1-2 tsp)

olive oil to taste and desired consistency

Bon appétit!

Use a food processor for a quick paste, a motor and pestle for a more rustic preparation.

Combine basil leaves (no stems), olive oil, salt and freshly cracked pepper, a garlic clove, 1-2 Tbsp of toasted pine nuts, 1-2 Tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Alternatives/additions: Peccorino-Romano, walnuts, parsley, etc.

Bon Appetit!

Wine Pairing: Pesto’s bold flavors make for fun pairings. On pasta, pizza, bruschetta, etc., various whites, roses, and reds all work. I tend to gravitate towards the higher acid, lower alcohol (no 14%+ new world wines here) to cut the richness of the pesto.

We procure our seafood from a truck that parks on the street of a residential area on Thursdays, and makes stops in the neighboring towns over the next couple of days. The proprietors are locally known as the “fish ladies.”

To 1 lb of fresh crabmeat add:

finely chopped sweet onion, celery, red bell pepper – about 1/4 cup total

chopped fresh herbs – parsley, cilantro, dill, fennel

1 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs

1 Tbsp mustard (Dijon, horseradish, or whole grain)

2-3 Tbsp mayonaise

1-2 eggs

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning

freshly cracked pepper

Mix and form into cakes, pan-fry or deep-fry in vegetable oil (5 min per side at 375F).

Serve on salad greens with lemon wedges. Dress with dill yogurt dressing:

Whisk 1/2-1 cup plain or Greek yogurt with:

1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill

pinch salt

freshly cracked white or black pepper

juice of 1 lemon wedge (1-2 tsp)

olive oil to taste and desired consistency

We added blanched haricots verts from the garden in the salad. Delicious.

Bon appétit!

Wine pairing: We enjoyed a white Burgundy with our fried crabcakes and dill yogurt. Also consider other Chardonnay, Albarino, Viognier, Chenin blanc, and Sauvignon blanc. Cheers.

I adapted this method from my mother-in-law. Of course, should you not be at the end of the mustard container at any one time, proportionally mix the ingredients in a bowl, just be sure to add the oil in a slow stream while whisking to ensure an emulsion.

Add to an almost empty bottle (1-3 tsp) of Dijon mustard (this works with any good mustard – horseradish, whole-grain, etc.):

pinch of salt
freshly cracked black pepper
herbs (I use fresh when available – rosemary, tarragon, sage, thyme… or dried Herbes de Provence in winter)
vinegar (Balsamic, white wine, red wine, apple cider, etc.) – add to between 1/4 – 1/3 volume
mix thoroughly
now add oil – olive, walnut, grape seed, etc. to bring up the volume
shake thoroughly to mix
taste and correct seasonings
add a pinch of sugar (or drizzle of honey) if it is too acidic

Bon Appétit!