CHICKPEAS (aka GARBANZO BEANS)
Season: year-round, esp. summer (for fresh)
Flavor: slightly sweet, with earthy/starchy notes of nuts (e.g., chestnuts, walnuts), and a rich, creamy yet firm texture
Volume: quiet
Who says they’re healthful: The Center for Science in the Public Interest’s Nutrition Action lists garbanzo beans on its “10 Best Foods” list.
Nutritional profile: 68% carbs / 19% protein / 13% fat
Calories: 270 per 1-cup serving (boiled)
Protein: 15 grams
Techniques: boil, fry, pressure-cook, roast, simmer, smoke, sprout, stew
Tips: Presoak dried chickpeas overnight (or 6–8 hours) before cooking. Boil until tender and cooked thoroughly, about 1½–3 hours. Note that chickpeas require longer cooking than most legumes.
(North) African cuisine
almonds
apples, apple cider, or apple juice
apricots, dried
artichokes
avocados
basil and Thai basil
bay leaf
beans, green
bell peppers, e.g., roasted
Bragg Liquid Aminos
bread, e.g., pita, whole grain
bulgur
buttermilk
cabbage, e.g., napa
capers
cardamom
carrots
cashews
cauliflower
cayenne
celery
chana masala
chard, Swiss
cheese, e.g., cheddar, feta, goat, Parmesan
chiles, e.g., chipotle, jalapeño; and chili pepper flakes
chili, vegetarian
cilantro
cinnamon
citrus, e.g., lemon, lime, orange
cloves
coconut and coconut milk
coriander
couscous
cucumbers
CUMIN, e.g., toasted
currants
CURRIES, e.g., Indian, curry powder, curry spices
dill
dips, e.g., hummus
EGGPLANT
FALAFEL
fennel
GARLIC
ginger
grains, e.g., farro, millet, quinoa, rice, wheat berries
Greek cuisine
greens, bitter, e.g., amaranth, beet
greens, salad
herbs
*HUMMUS
INDIAN CUISINE
Italian cuisine
kale
LEMON, e.g., juice
lemons, preserved
lentils, e.g., green
lime
mangoes
mayonnaise
Mediterranean cuisines
Mexican cuisine
MIDDLE EASTERN CUISINES
mint
Moroccan cuisine
mushrooms, e.g., porcini, portobello
mustard seeds
OIL, e.g., OLIVE, sesame, sunflower, vegetable
olives, e.g., kalamata, niçoise
ONIONS, e.g., red, yellow
paprika, e.g., smoked, sweet
PARSLEY
pasta, e.g., whole grain
pepper, e.g., black, white
peppers, roasted red
pine nuts
pistachios
polenta
potatoes
pumpkin
quinoa
RICE, e.g., basmati, brown, wild
rosemary
saffron
sage
salad dressings
SALADS, e.g., bean, chopped, green, vegetable
salt, e.g., kosher, sea
scallions
seeds, e.g., pumpkin, sesame
SOUPS, e.g., minestrone, tomato, vegetable
SPINACH
spreads
squash, e.g., summer, yellow
STEWS, e.g., vegetable
stock, vegetable
sumac
sweet potatoes
tabbouleh
tagines
TAHINI
tamari, low-sodium
tamarind
tarragon
thyme
TOMATOES, TOMATO PASTE, and sun-dried tomatoes
tortillas, whole wheat
turmeric
veggie burgers
vinegar, e.g., balsamic, red wine, sherry
walnuts
yogurt
zucchini
Flavor Affinities
chickpeas + apricots + pistachios + tahini
chickpeas + basil + brown rice + curry
chickpeas + basil + cucumber + feta cheese + garlic + red onions
chickpeas + bay leaf + cinnamon + ginger
chickpeas + brown rice + mushrooms + veggie burgers
chickpeas + bulgur + eggplant + mint + quinoa
chickpeas + cayenne + feta cheese + garlic + spinach + tomatoes
chickpeas + cayenne + garlic + lemon + olive oil + tahini
chickpeas + chiles + cilantro + lime
chickpeas + cilantro + coriander + cumin + garlic + lemon + olive oil
chickpeas + coconut milk + cumin
chickpeas + coriander + cumin + mint + sesame seeds
chickpeas + cucumbers + tomatoes
chickpeas + cumin + eggplant
chickpeas + cumin + garlic + lemon + tahini
chickpeas + cumin + red onions + tomatoes + turmeric
chickpeas + currants + pine nuts + rice
chickpeas + curry powder + garlic + lime juice + onions
chickpeas + feta cheese + onions + tomatoes
CHICKPEAS + GARLIC + LEMON + TAHINI
chickpeas + garlic + mint
chickpeas + goat cheese + olives + tomatoes
chickpeas + kale + Parmesan cheese + soups
chickpeas + mint + onions + yogurt
chickpeas + potatoes + saffron + Thai basil
chickpeas + spinach + sweet potatoes
“Some of the dishes I come up with don’t sound as good on paper as they taste in your mouth. Some had doubts hearing about my smoked chickpea salad made with carrots, celery, and [vegan] mayonnaise, and served with veggies in a wrap—but everyone loved the taste of it!”
—JORGE PINEDA, CANDLE 79 (NEW YORK CITY)
CHICORIES (see ENDIVE, ESCAROLE, and RADICCHIO)
CHICORY (see also RADICCHIO, aka RED CHICORY)
Season: autumn–spring
Flavor: bitter, with notes of broccoli rabe, and a hearty, crunchy texture
Volume: moderate–loud
Nutritional profile: 71% carbs / 18% protein / 11% fat
Calories: 10 per 1-cup serving (chopped, raw)
Techniques: braise, grill, raw, sauté (about 15–20 minutes.)
Botanical relatives: artichokes, chamomile, dandelion greens, endive, lettuces (e.g., Bibb, iceberg, romaine), radicchio, salsify, tarragon
almonds
apples, e.g., Fuji
artichokes, Jerusalem
arugula
beans, e.g., kidney
beets
bread crumbs
butter
capers
carrots
CHEESE, e.g., blue, cheddar, feta, Fontina, fresh, Gorgonzola, Gruyère, PARMESAN, Roquefort, Stilton, Swiss
chili pepper flakes
chives
cranberries, dried
cream
eggs, e.g., hard-boiled
fennel
figs
garlic
grapefruit
grapes
gratins
greens, other
hazelnuts
honey
lemon
lettuces, e.g., mesclun, mixed
mint
mustard, e.g., Dijon
nutmeg
nuts, e.g., hazelnuts, walnuts
oil, nut, e.g., hazelnut, walnut
oil, olive
olives, e.g., black, green
onions
oranges, e.g., blood
parsley
parsnips
pastas
pears
pecans
persimmons, e.g., fuyu
pine nuts
potatoes
raisins
rice
salads, e.g., bitter green, mixed green
scallions
shallots
sorrel
soufflés
soy sauce
sugar, e.g., brown
tomatoes
vegetables, root
vinegar, e.g., balsamic, red wine, sherry
walnuts
watercress
Worcestershire sauce, vegan
zucchini
Flavor Affinities
chicory + almonds + pears
chicory + apples + blue cheese + pecans
chicory + apples + figs + goat cheese
chicory + blue cheese + dried cranberries + pecans
chicory + blue cheese + hazelnuts + pears
chicory + blue cheese + walnut oil + walnuts
chicory + bread crumbs + garlic + onions + Parmesan cheese + rice
CHICORY + CHEESE (e.g., blue, goat, Parmesan) + FRUIT (e.g., apples, pears) + NUTS (e.g., hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts)
chicory + garlic + rice
chicory + grapefruit + sunchokes
chicory + lemon + olive oil + Parmesan cheese
chicory + Parmesan cheese + walnuts
CHILES—IN GENERAL, or MIXED
Season: summer–autumn
Flavor: hot (and sometimes sweet)
Volume: moderate–extremely loud
What they are: vegetables
Nutritional profile: 84% carbs / 12% protein / 4% fat
Protein: 1 gram
Techniques: raw, roast, sauté, toast
Tips: Opt for organic chiles. Toast dry chiles to bring out their flavor. Add at the end of the cooking process.
Botanical relatives: bell peppers, eggplant, gooseberries, potatoes, tomatillos, tomatoes
Asian cuisines
avocados
basil, e.g., Thai
BEANS, e.g., black, pinto
bell peppers
Cajun cuisine
caraway seeds
Caribbean cuisines
cheese, e.g., cheddar, Fontina, goat, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Parmesan, queso fresco
Chinese cuisine
chocolate, e.g., bitter, dark
CILANTRO
cinnamon
coconut and coconut milk
coriander
corn
corn bread
cucumbers
cumin
curries
eggplant
eggs, e.g., omelets
galangal
GARLIC
GINGER
greens
guacamole
Indian cuisine, e.g., South
Latin American cuisines
lemon, e.g., juice
lemongrass
lentils
LIME, e.g., juice
mangoes
marjoram
*MEXICAN CUISINE
moles
mushrooms
noodles
nuts
oil, e.g., olive, sesame, sunflower
olives
onions, e.g., red
oregano, e.g., Mexican
parsley
pasta
peanuts, esp. in Asian dishes
peas
pineapple
potatoes
relishes
rice
salads, e.g., bean, Thai
SALSAS
sauces, e.g., fruit, moles, salsas
seeds, e.g., pumpkin
sesame, e.g., oil, seeds, esp. in Asian cuisines
shallots
soups
sour cream
South American cuisines
Southeast Asian cuisines
Southwestern (U.S.) cuisine
soy sauce
stews
stuffed chiles
sugar, e.g., palm
tamarind
Tex-Mex cuisine
*THAI CUISINE
thyme
tomatillos
TOMATOES and TOMATO SAUCE
tortillas and tortilla chips
turmeric
vegetables, sweet, e.g., beets, carrots, corn
vinegar, e.g., balsamic, red wine, rice wine, sherry
yogurt
Flavor Affinities
chiles + chocolate + garlic + nuts + onions + seeds
chiles + cilantro + garlic + red onions + tomatoes + vinegar + salsas
“I use Fresno chiles a lot. They look like red jalapeños but are sweeter. If a red bell pepper and a jalapeño got together and produced offspring, this is what it would taste like.”
—CHARLEEN BADMAN, FNB (SCOTTSDALE, AZ)