SESAME CRUSTED MUSHROOMS FROM RATATOUILLE Serves 4  Ingredients: 1/2 cup rice flour 1/2 cup unbleached pastry white flour 1/4 cup sesame seeds 1 tbsp. black sesame seeds 2 tsp. paprika powder 1 1/2 tsp. salt 16 or more seasonal mushrooms 1 cup milk or soy milk 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying Combine the flour, sesame seeds, chili powder and salt in a bowl and pour the soy milk into a different bowl. Have your oil ready in a pan over medium high heat, about 350 degrees. Put the mushrooms in the milk first, then in the flour mix, and fry them in small batches until crispy. You can serve these mushrooms with an aioli dip.     WINTER VEGETABLE TAGINE FROM IRAILA There are tons of different kinds of tagines — and the name actually refers to the dish you cook it in. A tagine is like a casserole dish used in north African cooking, most commonly in Morocco. It consists of two pieces: a plate-like bottom and a conical shaped lid. The bottom doubles as a serving dish, which comes in handy for nomads, and the conical lid allows the steam to collect and drip back into the dish, infusing it with flavor. We use a covered baking dish with a tight lid to achieve the same thing — you could also cover with parchment paper and then tinfoil (please don't let tinfoil touch food!). This is a great way to kick up your boring root veggies. 4-6 carrots, peeled and sliced in 1/4" rounds 6-8 garnet yams, peeled and cut in 1/3" thick 1" strips 4-6 parsnips, peeled and cut in 1/4" rounds 1/2 green cabbage, shredded (can use other 1/2 for garnish) Place in deep baking dish that has a tight lid and sprinkle with 1 tbsp. ground ginger and 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon. Peel 4 onions and dice. Sauté in 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil until translucent. While onions cook, heat a pan; once it's hot add the following: 1 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds, 1 1/2 tsp. coriander seeds 2 tsp. caraway seed Shake until seeds start to release their aroma, then grind in a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder. Add the ground seeds to onions along with 1 tsp. salt and pepper. Place onions on top of the vegetable mix and add 1 cup raisins. Gently toss mixture together and add enough water or vegetable stock to come almost halfway up the mixture. Bake in a 375 degree oven. Check after 25 minutes and keep checking until vegetables are cooked, but not mush. Immediately add: 1/3 cup lemon juice 2/3 cup diced apricots 3 tbsp. fresh mint in long slivers 1 1/2 cup chopped almonds Garnish with remaining cabbage and serve.     BAJA FISH TACOS FROM CABO GRILL Makes 6 tacos 12 6" soft corn tortillas 12 oz. mahi mahi, cut into 2 oz. portions vegetable oil for cooking fish salt and pepper 1/2 of a green cabbage, finely shredded pico de gallo Cabo's Baja white sauce (see recipe) Heat the tortillas in a well seasoned skillet or oiled sauté pan until soft, two tortillas per taco). Cook mahi mahi portions with a tablespoon or so of oil, about two minutes per side, and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle cabbage in tortillas, add one tbsp. pico de gallo, one 2-ounce mahi mahi portion and one tbsp. Baja white sauce. Serve hot. Cabo's Baja White Sauce 1 cup mayonnaise 1 dill pickle, finely diced 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced 1/2 tsp. minced garlic 1 tsp. white wine vinegar 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice dash cayenne dash Mexican paprika salt and pepper to taste Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.   GOLUBTSI FROM ZOLOTOY PETUSHOK Serves 4 Darya Sims, owner of Zolotoy Petushok, prepares each menu item herself in authentic Ukrainian tradition. She doesn't follow written recipes ("because I've been cooking since I was seven!") and stresses that the spices involved in this traditional dish of meat stuffed cabbage rolls are flexible based on personal tastes. She uses a big pinch of a Bulgarian spice mix called Vegeta (which she sells in her store), but a mixture of salt, pepper, sugar, nutmeg and paprika would suffice. Sims serves these generous rolls with sour cream and mashed potatoes, and sprinkles them with chopped parsley and chives. For the stuffing: 1 lb. ground beef 5 lb. ground turkey 5 lb. cooked rice 1 lb. sliced onion 2 tbsp. spice mix 2 eggs Sauté sliced onion and meats until onion is tender and meat is slightly brown. Remove to large bowl. Crack two eggs into the mix. For the cabbage: Boil large, whole leaves from one fresh cabbage for about two minutes, just enough to make them soft and flexible. To prepare the rolls: Combine 1 liter tomato juice and 3 tbsp. tomato paste. Set aside. Use a big spoon to measure out the stuffing. Put two spoonfuls into each leaf and wrap it as if you were folding an envelope, turning in the sides and rolling it into a package. Place rolls into a deep casserole dish and pour juice/paste mixture over the rolls. Place into a 400 degree preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes.   ITALIAN BAKED ZITI FROM WORLD FLAVORS Approximately 8 servings A classic Italian pasta dish in a marinara (tomato) sauce. Amounts depend on personal taste. 8 cups ziti noodles, cooked al dente 4 cups marinara sauce 4-6 oz. per layer fresh spinach leaves 4-6 oz. per layer ricotta cheese 1-2 oz. mizithra (Greek) cheese 6-8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese Layer 2 cups of the marinara sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9" x 12" baking dish. Add 4 cups ziti noodles, layered evenly. Layer fresh spinach leaves, dollops of ricotta and a sprinkle of mizithra. Pour in the other 2 cups of marinara sauce across the cheese and spinach layer. Add the other 4 cups of ziti noodles and spread evenly. Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove from oven, add shredded mozzarella cheese and bake five more minutes or until golden brown on top.