proche-orient

the foods of the near east: this was today's theme in no-name. there were slim filets of swordfish, hashmarked from the grill and marinated in a turkish mix of paprika, parsley powder, and lemon juice. i don't really understand the appeal of swordfish. on the side, a salad of fingerling potatoes, boiled, then grilled and tossed with olive oil, roasted tomatoes, garlic, and wine vinegar. the real winners were oven-roasted kale (crunchy, light, slightly smoky -- they have enough internal structure to not wilt in the oven, and a low enough water content that they dry out quickly enough to not scorch) and adas bil siq. this last was a lebanese soup of green lentils, chard, cilantro, onions. warm, slightly grainy, comforting, and full of soft shreds of chard, and with a bright note of lemon.