The New Persian Kitchen (32 page)

Pomegranate Semifreddo with Blood Orange Compote

Lamb Kebabs in Pomegranate-Walnut Marinade (
Kebab-e Torsh
)

Saffron Rice (
Chelo
)

Fresh Herb Platter (
Sabzi Khordan
)

Salty Mint Yogurt Soda (
Doogh
)

Mixed Vegetable Pickle (
Torshi
)

Yogurt with Shallots (
Mast-o Musir
)

Turmeric Chicken with Sumac and Lime

Saffron Rice (
Chelo
)

Tomato and Cucumber Salad (
Salad Shirazi
)

T
he essence
of this book comes from my extended family, who taught me as much about generosity as they did about food. Mahin Shafieha and Hossein Taherizadegan took me home and taught me how to make
baghali polo
and
nan-e panjere’i.
Shirin Khamessi, Iraj, Sanam, and Samar Javid took me to Southern California’s best Persian markets, cooked me beautiful food, and unearthed family history for me. Ali Hajimiri and Roshanak Shafiiha prepared a New Year’s Day feast that felt like a homecoming, Reyhanak Shafiiha introduced me to
abgoosht
and the meaning of rose water, and Parvin Dabir shared with me her recipe for
Norooz
fish. With the wonderful feasts she prepared during my childhood, Meliheh Shafiiha helped provide the inspiration for this book.

I’m grateful for the help of Mehrnoush Soroush with Persian translation, and for connecting me with Somayeh Yousefi, Shokouh Pooraryan, and Mahyar Pooraryan, who spent long days teaching me about Persian cooking and culture and feeding me delectable homemade food. Thanks to Nini Ordoubadi and Anna Fahr for inspiration and support. I can’t thank my wonderful recipe testers Raquel Dorman, Rachel Hannon, Nellie Kurtzman, Aimee Martinez, Trey Popp, Joy Rotondi, and Michelle Warner enough for their honesty and insights.

I’m lucky to continue to work with the very wise Michael Psaltis. My great appreciation likewise goes to my editor, Sara Golski, for her smart questions and observations. Thanks to Sara Remington, Ethel Brennan, and Karen Shinto for crafting the luscious look of the photos, and to Toni Tajima for her unparalleled abilities in designing the book. I can’t imagine working with a better team.

Finally, I want to thank James Rotondi for his love and support throughout the writing of this book, from accompanying me on research trips to Turkey and Los Angeles, to enthusiastically sampling all fourteen versions of
koloocheh
, to embracing Persian culture and becoming a member of my family in spirit as well as on paper. I look forward to all of our adventures to come.

L
ouisa Shafia’s
first cookbook,
Lucid Food: Cooking for an Eco-Conscious Life
, was nominated for an IACP award. She has cooked at notable restaurants in New York and San Francisco, including Aquavit, Pure Food and Wine, and Millennium. Her recipes have appeared in
New York
magazine,
Yoga Journal
,
Food Network Magazine
, and
Every Day with Rachael Ray
. Look for Louisa on the Cooking Channel’s Taste in Translation series, and visit her at
www.lucidfood.com
.