How you doin’? Do you know the difference between yellow, white and red onions? Different recipes call for different onions with distinct flavors and textures. The varieties of onion can be a bit confusing, but once you know the characteristics of each color of onion, decision making is pretty simple. In a pinch, you can do what I do most often—substitute different colors for each other. Afterall, choosing the “wrong” onion is not the end of the world! But don’t shed any tears over which is the best onion to use, just follow my lead below.
 
The Yellow Onion
Let's start with the most common variety of onion—the yellow onion. A yellow onion is a good jack-of-all-trades onion. You'll want to be careful using them raw, unless you like a really intense onion-y taste. They hold up wonderfully well to cooking, which mellows out the bold flavor while still maintaining their structural integrity. If you're looking to caramelize a bunch of onions for French onion soup, yellow onions are the best option.
 
The White Onion
White onions are milder than yellow onions… they are a kinder, gentler onion than their bolder cousins. The white onion is what you're usually going to reach for if you want something with onion-y flavor and raw crunch. These are great as a topping for burgers or as an ingredient in an uncooked salsa or pico de gallo. They provide plenty of flavor, just milder. They also make an ideal addition to dishes that require hot and fast cooking, like grilling and stir-frys. If you cook them too long, white onions are liable to fall apart.
 
Full disclosure—if you’re in a pinch, switching out a white onion for a yellow onion or vice versa, you won't notice too much of a difference. Both are well-suited for use in a stock, a stew, or as a side dish, whether caramelized or fried, as onion rings or strings.
 
The Red Onion
Red onions are much more intense than white or yellow onions. With their bright, reddish-purple color and glossy shine, they may fool you (they almost look as harmless as a candy apple), but they sure as hell don't taste like one. Easily the sharpest and most pungent and intense of the three main onion types. Red onions are the ones that will really get the tears flowing when you try to mince, dice, cut or slice them. Oddly enough, these sharply flavored onions are also often used raw. Like milder white onion, they add great texture to salads and sandwiches alike, but with a more pungent bite. Red onions are also especially tasty when pickled.
 
Although their brilliant red color will dull and darken when cooked, the flavor remains pleasing in this context. Chop them up and add them to a beef stew if you want something piquant to cut through the richness. Or better yet, put them on a skewer and place them on the grill, where their structural integrity will keep them pleasantly soft without going mushy on your kabob skewers.
 
                            The Best Fresh Red Onion & Tomato Salsa
My fresh salsa recipe is simple to make from scratch and tastes great. It gets even better if you have time to let the flavors blossom for an hour or two (or even overnight). They are perfect on top of chili or enchiladas or with your favorite chips as a dipper at any get-together!
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Bloom time: 2 hours-overnight
Yield:  5 cups
 
Ingredients 
3 cups freshly chopped ripe tomatoes
1 cup finely diced yellow onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeño pepper (seeds and seams removed)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
 
Directions

1. Stir all ingredients—tomatoes, yellow onion, green and red bell peppers, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeño pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper—together in a bowl until just combined.
2. Let the salsa blossom in a refrigerator for at least an hour or two or even overnight.
3. Serve and enjoy!

ChefSecret:  For a spicier salsa, do not remove the seeds or seams from the fresh jalapeño pepper. Yowee!!

Quip of the Day:  Chile peppers don’t gossip—they just let things simmer.
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.
 
#Appetizer #Ingredients #Onions #YellowOnions #RedOnions #WhiteOnions #Salsa #Tomato-OnionSalsas #Chips-Dips #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
 
                                                                            ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

How you doin’? Sheet Pan Mediterranean Crispy Chicken is a beloved Middle Eastern dish that combines a bold contrast of Mediterranean flavors thrills… bright with sumac and lemon, yet full of earthy, warming spices like cumin, cinnamon and allspice. It’s also one of those showstopping platters that, with just a little forethought, you can make on the average weeknight. It is the king of sheet-pan dinners.
 
It works best to start the marinade process early in the morning. The marinade is a simple combination of lemon juice (fresh is better), olive oil, garlic cloves and spices. There is no chopping, mincing and dicing or fussing. Six to eight hours in the marinade gives the chicken plenty of time to soak up all that flavor. When ready to cook, just toss it in the oven and then use the roasting time to prepare all the garnishes and pour a glass of wine.
 
The chicken comes out of the oven unbelievably juicy with a deep golden brown color and crispy skin. Serve it on a platter of warm (grilled or toasted) crusty bread to sop up all the flavorful pan juices. To fully enjoy, pull off hunks of the bread and fold them around the deeply aromatic chicken, crunchy toasted pine nuts and pungent red onions. It is perfection in every single bite.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Marinate time:  6 to 8 hours (overnight is great)
Cook time:  40 to 45 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients 
2 to 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on whole chicken legs and thighs
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1-1/2 tablespoons crushed sumac
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground  black pepper
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 warm loaf crust French, sourdough or rustic bread
4 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, for garnish
2 fresh lemons cut into 8 lemon wedges, for serving
 
Directions

1. Using a chef’s knife, score the tops of the chicken legs and thighs diagonally, about 1-inch apart.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic cloves, sumac, cumin, cinnamon, salt, allspice, and black pepper.
3. Add in the chicken and mix to coat the chicken.
4. Add in the red onions, cover with plastic wrap, and marinate in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours or up to overnight.
5. About 30 minutes before cooking, remove the chicken from the refrigerator.
6. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
7. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and light coat with olive oil.
8. Transfer the chicken and onions to the sheet pan. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes or until the chicken is dark brown, the juices run clear, and the skin is crispy. Use an instant thermometer to check the finished internal temperature--165⁰ to 175⁰ F. on an instant-read thermometer.
9. Cut the bread into thick slices and coat with olive oil and minced garlic and toast or grill.
10. Spread the toasted bread on a serving platter, and place chicken legs and onions on top. Garnish with the pine nuts and parsley.
11. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

Store:  Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
ChefSecret:  I like to make this dish with cubed, roasted potatoes. Just place the potatoes right next to the chicken pieces and see how they absorb all the wonderful roasted jus.

Quip of the Day:  Q. What do you call a chicken who’s a little different? A. Eggs-centric!

Do you have a question or comment? Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to [email protected]. Recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Entrees #Chicken #SheetPanIQ #MediterraneanCrispyChicken #Potato #Lemon #SheetPanDinner #2025 #QuarantineKitchen #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse
                                                              ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

How you doin’? Allow your tastebuds to travel back to the fantasy of the Arabian Nights. Kabsa is a much-loved Saudi dish that combines a bold contrast of Mediterranean flavors: it’s bright with sumac and lemon and yet full of earthy, warming spices like cumin, cinnamon and allspice. It’s also one of those showstopping platters that, with just a little forethought, you can make on an average weeknight. It’s one of the best and easiest sheet-pan dinners.
 
I like to start the Kabsa chicken in the marinade in the morning. This is an easy approach because it’s just lemon juice, olive oil, garlic cloves, and the spices — no chopping or fussing. And that gives the chicken plenty of time to soak up all that flavor.
 
About 40 minutes before dinner, you can toss it in the oven and then use the roasting time to prep all the garnishes and pour a glass of wine.

The Kabsa comes out of the oven a burnished  deep mahogany brown, very crispy, and so unbelievably juicy. The thing to do is to serve it on a platter of warm bread, lentils or rice so they sop up all that juicy goodness. If your family and friends are like mine, they’ll pull off chunks of bread just as I did with one of the princes in Dammam, KSA and fold them around the deeply aromatic chicken, crunchy toasted pine nuts and pungent red onion creating the perfect bite.

Prep time:  10 minutes
Marinade time: 1 hour or up to overnight
Cook time:  40 minutes
Yield:  4-6 servings

Ingredients 
2 pounds bone-in, skin-on whole chicken legs (leg and thigh)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons crushed garlic cloves
1-1/2 tablespoons sumac
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
4 cups cooked rice
4 pieces naan or crusty bread, warmed
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley for garnish
6 grilled lemon wedges, for serving
 
Directions

1. Using a chef’s knife, score the tops of the chicken legs diagonally, about 1” apart. This allows the meat to contract during cooking to stay crispy and juicy.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, sumac, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper.
3. Add in the chicken pieces and mix until the chicken is well coated.
4. Add in the red onions, cover with plastic wrap, and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour or up to overnight.
5. Pull the chicken from the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 400⁰ F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
6. Transfer the chicken pieces and onions to the sheet pan. Roast for 40 minutes or until the chicken is dark brown, the juices run clear, and the internal temperature reads 170⁰ F on an instant-read thermometer.
7. Spread the cooked rice on the serving platter, and place chicken pieces and onions on top.
8. Add warm naan around the sides of the platter and garnish with the pine nuts and parsley.
9. Serve hot with grilled lemon wedges.
10. Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

ChefSecret:  I like to grill the lemon wedge garnish when I have the time; it improves the look of the plate and the flavor of the lemon. You can also serve Kabsa atop a bed of cooked rice. 

Quip of the Day:  What day of the week do chickens hate most? – Fry-day! 
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Do you have a question or comment?  Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

​#Entree #ChickenKabsa #RoastChicken #MedFlavors #Dinner #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
                                                                                  ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

How you doin’? It isn’t too often that I find a recipe on someone else’s blog that I feel I have to make immediately. That was the case with this recipe that I sourced from the National Peanut Board (NPB) LinkedIn site.
 
As many of you know, we have worked with the NPB for years and they always have great recipes that are home meal maker easy—we have created many of them.
 
Peanuts have so much going for them—they’re healthy, they’re versatile and they taste great in all their forms—from nut butters to roasted in the shell to dips and salsas and even salad dressing like the one included in this recipe. And oh, by the way, my favorite Butterfinger bars and Chocolate peanut butter cups are included in my personal favorites. It seems the peanut possibilities are endless.

The Peanut Butter Lime Dressing included in this recipe can be used “as is” or as a dressing on other salad styles or as a satay-style sauce for chicken wings, skewered pork or beef strips.  Make a little extra and keep it in the frig.
 
Prep time:  45 minutes
Cook time  15 minutes
Chill time:  30 minutes
Yield:  6 to 8 servings
 
Ingredients 
For the Peanut Butter Lime Dressing
1/2 cup smooth, natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon honey or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons ice water, plus extra
 
For the Charred Corn Slaw
3 ears of corn, husks and silks removed
1 small head green cabbage (about 2 ½ pounds), cored and finely shredded
1 large carrot, peeled into ribbons
1 red bell pepper, cored and finely sliced
4 finely sliced green onions
1/4 cup finely sliced fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup roughly chopped roasted and salted peanuts
 
Directions 
To make the Peanut Butter Lime Dressing

1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a sharp “S” blade, combine the peanut butter, garlic, ginger, lime zest, lime juice, honey, cumin, salt and pepper. Pulse the food processor a couple of times to combine.
2. With the motor running, pour the ice water in through the feed tube. The dressing should pale in color, resulting in a slightly fluid, but still creamy texture.
3. Add more water by the teaspoon, if necessary. Once it’s at the proper consistency, check the dressing for seasoning and adjust to taste. Set it aside.

To make the Charred Corn Slaw

1. Bring a medium-large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the corn to the water and place the lid on top.
2. Boil the corn until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Carefully remove the corn from the pot with tongs and place it on a paper towel lined plate.
3. Preheat the grill to high. Place the drained corn directly on the grates and grill, rotating the cobs until char marks appear on all sides, about 6-7 minutes.
4. Remove the corn from the grill and place it back on the plate, allowing it to cool a bit.

To assemble the slaw

1. In a large bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, carrot ribbons, red bell pepper, green onions and mint.
2. Carefully cut the charred corn kernels off the cobs and add them to the large bowl as well.
3. Pour the Peanut Butter Lime Dressing over the vegetables.
4. Add pinches of salt and pepper and lightly toss to combine the charred corn slaw.
5. Garnish the top of the slaw with the chopped roasted peanuts, green onions and mint.

ChefSecret:  You could prepare all of the ingredients up to 2 days in advance. Cut everything except for the mint, place it all in your serving bowl and cover the top. Place the dressing, mint, and chopped peanuts in separate containers. Then, just thoroughly toss everything with a good pinch of salt and pepper at your destination! If you don’t have a grill, you can char the corn in a grill pan or a cast iron skillet. My grill grates are well-seasoned cast iron, so I didn’t need to apply any oil to the corn before grilling. If you have regular steel grates, you may have to give them a spritz of oil.

Quip of the Day:  The mama corn wasn’t worried about her chubby son. “He’s not fat,” she said, “he’s just a little husky.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Salad #Entree#CharredCornSlaw #PeanutButterLimeDressing #Peanuts #PeanutButter #NPB #NationalPeanutBoard #CoolSummerSalads #Summertime #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                                                   ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024

How you doin’? Perspectives developed SPOT, a Lebanese-style restaurant, for our Azerbaijan clients; it opened in Berlin, Germany. Got all that? Being that we didn’t feel all that safe in Beirut, we spent a couple of weeks in London where all the best Lebanese chefs immigrated to escape the Middle East turmoil. One of the dishes we came to love was Baba Ganoush for its bright, simple flavors and silky texture. After tasting the best that London had to offer, I updated this classic to appeal to European and American tastes.
 
The word bābā in Arabic is a term of endearment for 'father', while Ġannūj could be a personal name. The word combination is also interpreted as 'father of coquetry' or 'indulged/pampered/flirtatious daddy' or 'spoiled old daddy'. However, it is not certain whether the word bābā refers to an actual person indulged by the dish or to the eggplant (bāḏinjān or bātinjān in Arabic). Very old dish… very old history.
 
In my Baba Ganoush recipe, the eggplant is broiled until it is charred / blackened from end to end. After you scrape off all the char, the only thing left is the steamed lush, smoky flesh. I then purée with roasted garlic, lemon juice, tahini and cayenne. When served, I top it with a swirl of cumin-flavored olive oil, paprika, mint and fresh parsley.
 
I like to serve Baba Ganoush at summertime picnics and outdoor barbecues. It is a rustic spread full of smoke, garlicky piquancy, lemon and vegetable sweetness of the eggplant which complements grilled lamb and chicken. It tastes amazing on a soft triangle of homemade pita bread. Pita bread is pretty easy to make for home cooks and can even be made on the gates of a hot barbecue.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  10 to 15 minutes
Yield:  2 Cups
 
Ingredients 
2 pounds eggplant
1/4 cup tahini (sesame)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon  cumin seed, toasted until fragrant and coarsely ground
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon smoky paprika
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped mint
 
Homemade pita or chips for serving
 
Directions

1. Prepare a charcoal grill and bring to high heat or preheat the broiler.
2. Pierce the eggplants all around with the point of a paring knife.
3. Place the eggplant 2-inches from the heat source to roast. Allow the skins to blister and char, turning them with tongs until the entire surface is blackened and the eggplants are completely soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Set them aside until they’re cool enough to touch.
5. Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise and lay them skin side down on a cutting board. Carefully scrape out the flesh with a knife or spoon and put it in a strainer. Discard the burned skins.

Note: Do not rinse the eggplant flesh — it’s fine if a few bits of char remain.

1. Salt the eggplant flesh lightly and set it aside for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Using the back of a spoon, press out the excess water.
3. In a food processor, process the eggplant, the tahini, lemon juice, garlic and cayenne, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to obtain a creamy purée.
4. Taste the Baba Ganoush and adjust the salt and lemon juice to taste.
5. Transfer the Baba Ganoush to a shallow serving bowl.
6. Just before serving, stir together the cumin and olive oil and spoon it over the Baba Ganoush.
7. Sprinkle the Baba Ganoush with the paprika, parsley and mint.
8. Serve with warm pita cut into triangles if desired or use crisp pita chips.

ChefSecret:  You can personalize my Baba Ganoush recipe and make it yours. If you like it salty, top it with olives. If you like a ton of herbs, pile it up with mint, parsley and basil. If you live for the smoky flavor, sprinkle with a little more smoky paprika.

Quip of the Day:  Did you know that a Lebanese fortune teller reads the future in the swirls of Baba Ganoush?
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Do you have a question or comment?  Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Appetizer #Dip #SmokyBabaGanoush #BabaGanoush #LebaneseDips #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                                           ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2024