Recipes with black pepper

Chicken breasts in cider cream sauce: pan-seared chicken paired with sauteed apple slices in a Dijon-spiked reduced apple cider cream. A bistro-style autumn dinner.

Chicken breasts in cider cream sauce: pan-seared chicken paired with sauteed apple slices in a Dijon-spiked reduced apple cider cream. A bistro-style autumn dinner.

Homemade hummus from dried chickpeas with tomato puree, garlic, lemon, cumin, and paprika. A tahini-free, tomato-tinged version with deeper bean-forward flavor.

Swiss cheese and mushroom quiche with sauteed onions, thyme, and dry mustard in a smooth egg custard. Baked in a pie crust and good hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Fettuccine alfredo made the Roman way, with handmade semolina pasta tossed in butter and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. No cream. Just butter, cheese, pasta water, and minutes of tossing.

Ethiopian-style mixed vegetable stew (atkilt alicha) built on berbere spice and ghee. Green beans, carrots and potatoes simmered in tomato broth, ready in 45 minutes. Vegetarian, deeply spiced.

Roasted vegetable sandwich on French baguette with eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, and red pepper. Lemon-basil yogurt spread, peppery watercress. Vegetarian lunch.

Melrose plates: chicken and pasta salad with mandarin oranges, water chestnuts and a honey-mustard poppy seed yogurt dressing. A lighter chicken-pasta luncheon salad served on lettuce.

Tourtiere is a classic French-Canadian pork pie with seasoned ground pork, mashed potatoes, nutmeg, and allspice baked in a flaky double crust.

Mom's German meatballs: hearty egg-sized meatballs seasoned with celery seed, mustard seed, and garlic water, rolled in flour and pan-browned. Old-world German-American home cooking.

Vegan eggplant lasagna with cornmeal-crusted oven-fried eggplant, tofu ricotta filling, and tomato sauce. No pasta, no dairy, all the layered comfort of classic lasagna.

Creamy tuna and mushroom pasta sauce made lighter with evaporated skim milk, Parmesan, shallots, and fresh herbs. A quick pantry-friendly dinner that tastes far richer than it is.

Vegetarian kale and potato soup builds a rich stock from kale stems and potato peels, then layers in olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and torn kale leaves. Rustic, zero-waste cooking.

Saffron-dusted veal scallops pan-seared and finished with a white wine lime cream sauce with green peppercorns. Served over blanched asparagus for an elegant spring dinner.

Creamy curried zucchini soup blended smooth with no cream needed. Curry powder and cinnamon spice up five cups of zucchini into a velvety, low-calorie soup.

Baked polenta grits triangles topped with a fresh cilantro and tomato sauce spiced with cumin and chili powder. A light vegetarian main dish or hearty brunch option.