INTERNATIONAL FOODS

  1 pound medium beets (without tops) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon fine salt 2 cups tomato juice 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill (loosely packed) 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish (not creamed horseradish) 3/4 teaspoon lemon pepper 1 medium garlic clove Hot sauce, to taste 24 ounces aquavit 6 ounces dill havarti cheese, cut into cubes 2 dill pickles, cut crosswise into 1-inch thick slices 8 pickled cocktail onions   Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Wrap each beet tightly in foil, adding a drizzle of the olive oil and a generous pinch of salt to each packet. Place beets on a baking sheet and bake until a paring knife can pierce easily through the beets, about 1 hour. Baked beets wrapped in foil on a baking sheet Unwrap beets and let them stand until cool enough to handle. Slip the skins off the beets with your fingers under cool running water. You can do th...

  1/4 cup tahini 1/4 cup soy sauce 4 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon dry sherry 2 tablespoons honey 1/4 teaspoon Sichuan pepper powder 2 teaspoons grapeseed oil 1/4 pound ground pork 2 scallions, sliced, white and greens divided 2 teaspoons grated ginger 12 ounces konjac (or shirataki) noodles 1/4 cup peanuts 1/2 teaspoon chili oil Gather the ingredients. Whisk together the sesame paste, soy sauce, half of the garlic, sherry, honey, and Sichuan pepper powder in a medium bowl until it is completely incorporated; set aside. Heat the grapeseed oil in a large saute pan. Add the ground pork, remaining garlic, scallion whites, and ginger to the pan. Cook, undisturbed, until the bottom of the pork is browned, then break up the pork and continue to cook, stirring until the pork is cooked through and no longer pink.. Transfer the pork to a plate, leaving any fat behind. Add half of the Sichuan sauce to the pan along with 1/4 cup water. Add the konjac noodles and cook, stirring frequently, ...

  FOR THE CAULIFLOWER   Caulilini (sprouting cauliflower) or organic cauliflower florets: 1 lb   Shawarma seasoning: 2-3 dashes   Extra virgin olive oil: 1 tbsp   Atlantic sea salt: 1-2 pinches   Black raisins: 2 tbsp   FOR THE SJUG SALSA VERDE   Mint: 1 bunch (chopped)   Parsley: 1 bunch   Garlic : 2 cloves (finely chopped)   Champagne vinegar: 3 tbsp   Serrano pepper: 1 (finely chopped)   Lemon: 1 (juiced)   Extra virgin olive oil: 1/2 cup   Salt: to taste   FOR THE TAHINI SAUCE   Raw tahini (preferably Har Bracha): 1/4 cup   Ice-cold water: 1/2 cup   Lemon: 1 (juiced)   Salt: to taste Prepare the Cauliflower Blanch the cauliflower florets in salted boiling water for 2 minutes, then immediately transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain and pat dry. Toss the cauliflower with shawarma seasoning and olive oil in a large bowl. Sp...

  FOR THE SALAD   Persimmons: 2 (thinly sliced)   Wild Arugula: 2 bunches (or substitute with regular arugula, mustard leaves, or any spicy greens)   Red onion: 1 (thinly sliced into rings)   Pomegranate seeds: 1/2 cup   Almonds: 1/2 cup (roasted, salted, and roughly chopped)   Cilantro: 1 bunch (stems removed)   FOR THE CILANTRO LIME VINAIGRETTE   Fresh lime juice: 1/4 cup   Cilantro: 1/4 cup   Thai chili: 1 (seedless)   Fish sauce: 2 tbsp   Agave syrup: 1/4 cup   Olive oil: 1/2 cup Prepare the Almonds and Greens Roast the almonds, roughly chop, and set aside. Separate the cilantro, arugula, and mint from their stems. Place the leaves in ice-cold water, then strain and pat dry with paper towels to keep them extra crunchy. Slice the Vegetables Slice the persimmons into thin slices. Thinly slice the onion into rings and soak in ice water for added crunch. Tip Soaking greens and onions in...

  FOR THE CATFISH   Chesapeake blue catfish: 2 lbs (bloodline removed, shaved on a bias into 12 pieces)   Water: 2 quarts   Kosher salt: 3 tbsp + 1 tsp   Rice flour: 2 cups   Anson Mills cornmeal: 2 cups   Buttermilk: 2 cups   Hot sauce: 1 splash (or more)   Lemon juice: 1/2 lemon   Canola oil: 2 cups   FOR THE SAUCE GRIBICHE   Eggs: 8   Cornichons: 1 1/2 cups (chopped)   Caper berries: 20 (sliced thin)   Parsley: 1 cup (roughly chopped) Prepare the Catfish Make the Brine: Heat 1 quart of water to a simmer, add salt, and whisk to dissolve. Add 1 quart of ice water and set aside. Prepare the Dredge: In a medium bowl, mix the rice flour and cornmeal. Transfer to a shallow pan. Set Up Breading Station: Pour buttermilk into a shallow pan and place next to the flour mixture. Set a third pan aside for the breaded catfish. Heat the Oil: In a deep cast-iron ...

  1 1/4 cups vegetable oil 6 tablespoons dried red chile pepper flakes (or ground cayenne)   Set out a clean, dry glass bowl or jar and add the chile pepper. In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat for a few minutes, just until it begins to smoke. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the oil to cool in the pan for a minute or two. Heat oil in saucepan Pour the oil slowly and carefully over the chili pepper, making sure that the oil completely covers the chile pepper. If necessary, use a spoon to stir so that all the chili is submerged. Pour oil over chili pepper Set the oil aside to cool for at least an hour or two. Once cooled, you can taste the oil. If it's to your liking, strain the oil to remove the crushed or ground chile pepper. If you'd like more heat and flavor, cover the oil and allow it to infuse overnight or for as long as desired before straining. Once strained, store the oil in a clean, airtight glass container. If you used whole d...