I made a Low-Carb and delicious meal yesterday for my co-author Anne Mendelson, and my bosom buddies, Bob Harned and Arthur Schwartz:. I put this piece up on Facebook  but there have been many comments and requests for the recipes that I decided to share it with you even if the recipes are not Mexican.  Most lovers of Mexican food and culture also like the food and culture of other parts of the world. Besides, there has been great response to my mostly not-Mexican low-carb  recipes that I have posted in FB so I’ll add a section on this kind of dishes, most of which are easy to prepare, delicious, and have helped me keep fit and healthy.

Fish steamed in grape leaves.

Lay down two large jarred grape leaves on a counter or sheet pan; place a sea or black bass fillet or other fish in the  middle, leaving enough room on all sides to fold over. Season with salt, Brush with olive oil (I chop garlic and let it sit in the oil for a while before using it); season with salt, place a large sprig of dill in the center and top with a slice of lemon. Fold the grape leaves over. Repeat with remaining fish. Place in a steamer, cover tightly, and steam 5 -7 minutes. No more!

Broiled Yellow or Zucchini Squash
Cut the squash lengthwise into 1/8-inch slices. Lay on a baking sheet.
Have ready some extra-virgin olive oil marinated with finely chopped garlic. Season with salt. Brush the squash with oil and sprinkle with powdered sumac, chile limon, or any preferred seasoning.
Cook under the broiler until lightly golden. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Anne’s Stir-Fried Cucumbers

Cut 2 medium-large cucumbers (peeled and seeded) into chunks, sprinkle with salt and let sit for half an hour. Drain, rinse off the salt, pat dry. Meanwhile, get a wok ready for stir-frying. Heat the wok, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of peanut oil, and briefly stir-fry several small dried red Chinese-style chiles with 4 – 5 scallions cut in sections and 1 – 2 whole garlic cloves. Scoop them out and set aside while you stir-fry the cucumbers ONLY for about 10 seconds. Quickly scoop the cukes into a bowl and toss with the scallions and 2 – 3 teaspoons of Chinese or Japanese sesame oil. I also sliced the garlic cloves thin and added them to the dish.

This kale salad is inspired by the one featured on the menu at Chef Jonathan Waxman’s Barbuto restaurant in the West Village.  I substituted the toasted bread crumbs with  toasted walnuts.

Thoroughly wash and dry one  bunch kale, preferably Tuscan.   With a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, cut off the thick ribs off the leaves. when all are done, pile them one on top  of the other,  according to size, form them into a tight roll and slice very thinly with a very sharp knife. Combine with 1 cup shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, and 1/2 cup toasted coarsely ground walnuts.

Dress with anchovy vinaigrette:

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Process 2 garlic cloves with freshly ground pepper and  1 teaspoon salt, or to taste,.  Add 4 anchovy fillets, whirling and 1/4 cup lemon  juice, process until combined,.  With the machine running, slowly drip in 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, whisking until well-combined. I like to put the dressing on the bottom of the salad bowl, a la Martha Stewart, then arrange the kale, cheese, and walnuts on top, and toss when ready to serve.

There was a time when I used to make lots of dishes with Italian Salsa verde but I had not don so