Elle Republic

I have been a long time fan of chili and my mind still races back to when I was 22 years old and first discovered and fell in love with vegetarian chili. It was one of my first "real" jobs and the cafe next door served the most fabulous chili ever. I can ever remember how the owner looked, she was plump, you know, plump in a great way....

On a recent trip to Aix de Provence, I had an amazing yet simple Provencal style salad consisting of Belgium endives in a lemony anchovy dressing. I know anchovies aren’t for everyone but if they are good quality and packed in a decent quality olive oil their taste positively stands out from the rest of the pack. Yes, they are salty, but they shouldn't be too salty. So trying...

Pasta with Lamb Merguez. Sometimes you just crave something comforting. Comforting as I know it, usually means pasta. With 30 minutes, there is plenty of time to make this tasty dinner recipe, which takes about 3% effort! Lamb merguez and porcini mushrooms pair beautifully together. With porcini mushrooms earthy and somewhat nutty flavor and merguez signature spice, this dish boasts simplicity and full flavor. Merguez -- a tasty lamb sausage Merguez,...

Roasted sweet, ripe summer corn with black beans makes for a richly satisfying soup. When fresh corn isn't in season just use thawed frozen corn. I also like to use dried black beans rather than convenient canned beans. Yes, they may take a surprising amount of time to cook, but they are little bombshells of flavor and are completely worth the effort. Seriously, big difference in flavor and texture....

I never knew what these strange flat peaches were called. I bought them and ate them, that was it. They are called Saturn peaches, or Donut (Doughnut) peaches. So how do they differ from regular peaches? Well first of all, they are flat. Okay not so flat, but not so circular either. Flattish. Their skin is yellow and red, and they are usually less fuzzy than ordinary peaches. Their flesh...

Have you ever heard about Padron peppers? Padron peppers or pimientos de padrón, are small, Spanish green peppers with a sweet mild taste. The "Spanish roulette"of peppers, have been know to go rogue and occasionally sport an unpredictably spicy kick. Though this only occurs in less than 10% of those harvested. They make for a delicious and quick snack. Just blister them quickly in a little olive oil and...