4 deliciously diverse recipes from one of the most influential cookbook author you've never heard of

At the height of her career, Paula Wolfert, the author of nine influential cookbooks, had a memory that her peers could only envy. She would notice an unusual salt used in the water to cook pasta. She could re-create a complex recipe from two lines scribbled in her notebook. But in 2010, at age 72, she struggled to remember simple things - even, one day, how to make an omelet. Three years later, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

It was a devastating moment not just for Wolfert but also for Emily Kaiser Thelin, a young food writer who had befriended Wolfert and was mulling writing her biography. Time was now short to record the grand adventures of Wolfert's life - from her beatnik days in Tangier and her explorations of Morocco, southwest France and the eastern Mediterranean. But when Thelin, who first wrote about Wolfert's diagnosis on assignment for The Washington Post in 2013, floated a book proposal, 10 publishers turned her down: Wolfert's books had never sold well, they said. Her time had passed.

Thelin disagreed. Wolfert, she writes in her new self-published bio-cookbook, "may be the most influential cookbook author you've never heard of." She introduced Americans to couscous and tagines; she evangelized regional cuisines long before they were a culinary trend; in 1998, when kale was anything but an "it" vegetable, Wolfert dedicated a whole book to the delicious possibilities of leafy greens and whole grains. True, her books didn't sell well - her most popular sold 25,000 copies - but she apparently maintained a dedicated fan base. A 2015 Kickstarter campaign to fund Thelin's "Unforgettable: The Bold Flavors of Paula Wolfert's Renegade Life" reached its goal in four days and ultimately raised $91,000 from more than 1,100 contributors.

Wolfert was born in Brooklyn to Jewish parents who served up a typical postwar diet of "boiled and broiled" everything. It was her grandparents, immigrants from the Balkans, who first inspired her to love food and to equate food with love. As a child, Wolfert was "highly unconventional and doggedly curious." At 11, she befriended several Catholic girls who lived nearby and was baptized, confirmed and took first communion before her mother found her out. When her parents decided to move to the Connecticut suburbs, Wolfert took enough summer classes to graduate early and, at 16, moved to Manhattan to attend Columbia University.

Either the world was a much smaller place in the 1950s or Wolfert had an uncanny knack for finding people who were making history. In college, she fell in with the Beats, including Allen Ginsberg and Peter Orlovsky, "kindred spirits in their quest for authentic sensory experiences." After she married, she decided, on the advice of her mother, to take a cooking class and ended up learning from and then working for Dione Lucas, the first woman to have her own TV cooking show, and then later James Beard. In 1959, when she and her husband moved to Tangier, they fell in with the writers Paul Bowles, Tennessee Williams and William S. Burroughs, as you do.

It would be so easy to romanticize Wolfert's life. (Born a few decades earlier, she probably would have been hanging out with Hemingway in Paris.) But Thelin does not buff away Wolfert's darker moments, including her first husband's multiple affairs and their eventual divorce, which sent her back to New York alone with two young children to support. For me, and I'd imagine many readers, this makes Wolfert all the more compelling. Moxie, not luck, begets a renegade life.

Back in New York, through more illustrious connections - Frederick Vreeland, Vogue editor Diana's son, and CBS Chairman William Paley - Wolfert was hired by Columbia Records to create so-called party boxes that shipped recipes and exotic ingredients to subscribers. With the emphasis on authenticity, her job was as much about sourcing - imagine finding tiger lily buds and lime leaves in the 1960s! - as the recipes themselves. And when that gig came to an end, her friend, the legendary Mexican culinary scholar Diana Kennedy, helped her land her first cookbook deal for "Couscous and Other Good Foods From Morocco."

The great yarns continue, as Wolfert ferrets out recipes, first in Morocco - she wrote the seminal "Couscous" in just 18 months - and then in Gascony, Turkey, the republic of Georgia and so on. In each place, Wolfert was relentless in her search for the best cooks (she often studied their language so she could better communicate) and in her methods for recording their ways. Once, to gauge the precise amount of salt sprinkled on duck breasts before searing, she slipped a piece of paper between cook Ariane Daguin's fingers and the meat to measure how much fell.

Wolfert's exactitude can be infuriating for home cooks, and perhaps this is why, despite being first to so many trends, she never achieved the same national celebrity as some of her friends, such as Jacques Pepin or Craig Claiborne. There's a reason that, good as it probably is, rolling your own couscous never caught on because, well, it's a pain. In several recipes I tested, there were steps that didn't seem to make sense. (While cooking, I must have said, "Really, Paula? Really?" a dozen times out loud.) But in almost every case, Wolfert has her reasons. Why in a simple recipe for Turkish Yogurt Sauce do you have to drain the yogurt, then add water back in? It softens the tang and opens the yogurt up for the flavors, according to Thelin. "It's like priming a canvas," she said. "It's so Paula; [it] doesn't seem worth it, but it is." (Indeed, we tested it once following Wolfert's instructions and once doing it the way that seemed to make more sense, and, yes, Wolfert is right.)

It would be wrong, though, to complain too much about the recipes. "Unforgettable" brought me Megadarra, a one-pot dish of lentils and rice spiked with pepper and fried onions, which may be the first time I've ever enthusiastically eaten lentils. Many dishes, like her fluffy Mint and Egg Salad and the Mussels Saganaki, cooked with powdered mustard and feta, are brilliant in their simplicity. For cooks who fear eggplant, her Moroccan Eggplant Zaalouk is an inspiration. There's no salting or draining; the spread, brightened by lemon and cilantro, is ready in well under an hour.

(Buy the book at a 32% discount by clicking here or order in KINDLE edition at a 51% discount by clicking here. Sales help fund JWR.)

EGGPLANT ZAALOUK

This smoky eggplant and tomato spread is among Paula Wolfert's favorite Moroccan salads.

Make Ahead: The salad can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Adapted from "Unforgettable."

MAKES: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 eggplants (about 12 ounces each)

• 2 or 3 cloves garlic

• 1 teaspoon flaked sea salt, or more as needed

• 5 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 12 ounces peeled, seeded and finely chopped tomatoes (fresh or no-salt-added canned)

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin, toasted (see NOTE)

• 1/2 teaspoon sweet Spanish smoked paprika (dulce pimenton)

• Pinch ground cayenne pepper

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Steps

Position an oven rack 6 inches from the broiling element; preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then lightly grease with cooking oil spray.

Cut the eggplants in half and place them cut sides down on the baking sheet. Broil for about 20 minutes or until blackened and collapsed. Transfer the eggplants to a colander to cool slightly, then scoop out the flesh and let it drain in the colander, discarding any large pockets of seeds. Squeeze gently to extract more juices.

Use the flat side of a chef's knife to crush the garlic (to taste). Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and mash to form a paste.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in an enameled cast-iron pan, over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the tomatoes, salted garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have thickened into a sauce and most of the moisture in the pot has evaporated.

Add the eggplant flesh, using the back of a spoon or fork to crush any big lumps. Stir in the cilantro and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, to form a mixture that is thick yet not dry. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Fold in the lemon juice and the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons oil. Taste and add more salt, as needed.

NOTE: Toast the cumin in a small, dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned. Cool completely before using.

MINT AND EGG SALAD

MAKES: 4 appetizer or side-dish servings

INGRIEDIENTS

• 4 large eggs, hard-cooked (see NOTE)

• 1 to 2 cups packed slivered mint leaves

• 2 bunches scallions (white and light-green parts), thinly sliced (at least 1 cup)

• 2 teaspoons mild red pepper flakes, such as Aleppo

• 2 tablespoons fruity extra-virgin olive oil

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• Flaked sea salt

Steps

Use the large-holed side of a box grater to grate the eggs over a large mixing bowl. Add the mint, scallions and red pepper flakes, tossing to incorporate.

Whisk together the oil and lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup, until well blended. Drizzle this over the egg mixture and toss to coat evenly. Season lightly with the salt. Serve right away, or refrigerate briefly until lightly chilled before serving.

NOTE: To hard-cook the eggs, place them in a steamer basket over a small saucepan with a few inches of water in it. Bring to barely a boil over medium heat; cover and steam for 12 or 13 minutes, then transfer the eggs to an ice-water bath to sit for at least 6 minutes. Drain and peel.

NUTRITION: Per serving: 150 calories, 7 g protein, 4 g carbohydrates, 12 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 185 mg cholesterol, 140 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 0 g sugar

MEGADARRA

This winning dish of lentils, rice and fried onions has all the richness and aroma of steak au poivre, thanks to a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper and oniony oil.

Be advised that the fried onions may not crisp up when they're made on a humid day. But they will still taste terrific.

Serve with Turkish Yogurt Sauce.

Make Ahead: The thinly sliced raw onion needs to dry out for 1 hour. The fried onions need to rest at room temperature for 1 hour before using.

Adapted from "Unforgettable."

MAKES: 6-8 servings
Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion

• 1 1/2 cups dried brown or green lentils, picked over, rinsed and drained

• 4 cups water, plus hot water as needed

• 1 cup long-grain white rice (uncooked)

• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

• Flaked sea salt

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• Crumbled dried mint leaves, for garnish (optional)

• Mild red pepper flakes, such as Aleppo, for garnish (optional)

Steps

Line a baking sheet with a clean dish towel.

Use a sharp knife to cut the onion from top to bottom into 1/8-inch slices. Gather them in a separate clean dish towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Spread them in a single layer on the lined baking sheet. Let sit for 1 hour, at room temperature.

Meanwhile, combine the lentils and water in a saute pan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes; at this point the lentils should still be slightly firm.

Place the rice in a colander and rinse under cool running water, until the draining water runs clear. Shake to drain well.

Add the rinsed rice to the lentils, along with the black pepper and a pinch of salt. If the liquid level in the pan doesn't cover the rice-lentil mixture, add just enough hot water to make that happen. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for about 20 minutes, until the rice and lentils are tender. Remove from the heat and let cool for a bit.

Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with several layers of paper towels. Set a wire cooling rack on top of it.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add an onion slice to test the temperature; if the onion sizzles on contact, add the rest of the slices and fry for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat so that the onion doesn't burn. They should become a rich golden brown.

Use a slotted spoon or Chinese spider to transfer them to the wire rack; season right away with a pinch of salt. Let stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour, so the fried onions can drain and dry/crisp up.

Use a long fork or chopsticks to fluff the rice-lentil mixture, cover partially and let stand till the onion is ready.

Add half the fried onions and their cooking oil to the rice-lentil mixture. Stir gently to incorporate. Let stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

To serve, use the chopsticks to fluff that mixture once more, then transfer to a large platter, mounding it. Scatter the remaining fried onions on top, along with the dried mint, if using, a sprinkling of the salt and the red pepper flakes.

TURKISH YOGURT SAUCE

Cookbook author Paula Wolfert learned to make this sauce in Turkey, designed for drizzling on grilled vegetables and meats as well as grain dishes and Wolfert's Megadarra (see related recipe). It is truly a cut above your typical quick yogurt sauce, and it is not difficult to do, but it does require time for draining and flavor infusion.

You'll notice that water is added later to the drained yogurt; this will make it creamy and help it accept the other flavors. Cheesecloth is needed here.

Make Ahead: The plain yogurt needs to drain for either 10 to 20 minutes (Greek) or 1 to 2 hours (regular, full-fat). The yogurt with garlic mixture needs to mellow for 1 hour at room temperature. The assembled yogurt sauce needs to be refrigerated for at least 20 minutes or up to overnight.

Adapted from "Unforgettable."

MAKES: 12-16 servings; makes about 1 1/2 cups from Greek yogurt and 2 cups from regular yogurt

Ingredients

• 2 cups plain Greek yogurt or 1 quart regular plain yogurt

• 3 cloves garlic

• Flaked sea salt

• Up to 1/2 cup water

• Pinch sugar (optional)

• Up to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (optional)

• Pinch mild red pepper flakes, such as Aleppo

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon crumbled dried mint leaves, plus a few fresh mint leaves, for optional garnish

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, for garnish

Steps

Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Spoon the yogurt into it and let drain (see headnote); it should reduce to the consistency of a thick sour cream. Transfer to a shallow bowl.

Use the flat side of a chef's knife to crush the garlic. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and mash to form a paste.

Whisk the water into the drained yogurt a few tablespoons at a time, until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Whisk in the salted garlic 1/4 teaspoon at a time, tasting along the way. If the mixture becomes acrid, stir in the optional pinch of sugar. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

Add the lemon juice (to taste) and the red pepper flakes, then season lightly with salt and black pepper. Whisk in the dried mint. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, or up to overnight.

Just before serving, drizzle the oil over the yogurt and garnish with fresh mint, if desired.

ENJOYED THESE RECIPES? There are many more in "Unforgettable: The Bold Flavors of Paula Wolfert's Renegade Life". Buy the book at a 32% discount by clicking here or order in KINDLE edition at a 51% discount by clicking here. Sales help fund JWR.