Recipes for Rascals in Michigan

At least you two still believe in democracy—defined here as giving people and things the chance to work together for new strengths in combination. I have had your shakshuka.

The key, as in all things, is balance. Roasting different vegetables on a shared baking sheet, for example, requires some sensitivity and planning. How dense, how hydrated, how sweet, how easily burned is each one? Which one has an aggressive nature; which is mild? How much time does each require to become the best version of itself?

The project is constitutional: chickpeas are best roasted whole, which sets the basis for everything going into a 400-degree oven for 25 minutes. If onions will be included, they should be cut in large sections, so they do not char in that time. A sweet potato must be cubed, even diced, in order to get soft. Broccoli and cauliflower are cut into florets like sprigs of real flowers.

Mix all in a bowl with your spices for shakshuka—cumin, paprika, chili powder or flakes, salt, pepper—and good olive oil. Spread on parchment paper on a tray and bake.

It helps to have a common foundation for our endeavors, so make a sauce to underlie it: some tahini, the juice of a lemon, mustard, honey, Greek yogurt, salt, pepper, minced raw garlic, more good oil. Use whatever proportions taste good to you. It is still a free country, for some.

Spread the sauce on a platter and put the roasted vegetables on it. Serve with something unexpected, even incoherent, such as black pepper chicken with mushrooms. We live in a melting pot and should be more delicious as a result. If the experiment fails, I will meet you in Italy for Caprese salad, and prosciutto and melon.