“The appeal makes sense: These are familiar ingredients, and people equate ‘edible’ with ‘safe.’ But in reality what’s safe to eat isn’t always beneficial to the skin.

— Michael Strauss, owner of.MAKES ABOUT 2 1/2 CUPS.1 small white onion, coarsely chopped.

2 to 3 fresh serrano or jalapeño chilies, coarsely chopped.6 to 8 average-size tomatillos (about 1/ 2 pound), husked and quartered.1 ripe Mexican-type avocado (Hass or Fuerte), halved, pitted and peeled.

8 to 10 cilantro sprigs.In a food processor, blender or heavy mortar, process or pound the garlic and salt to a paste.

Add the onion, chilies and tomatillos; either pulse in the processor to a slightly chunky purée or pound and mash the ingredients together as fine as possible.

For a smooth machine-finished purée, add the avocado and the cilantro and process.The Oldest Restaurants in the World Where You Can Still Eat a Meal.

Dishes like the comforting and subtly spice-seamed harira soup (one of the best salves for jet-lag I’ve ever consumed) and an exciting array of salads (khizou makok, shredded carrots electrified with orange; and zaalouk, coriander- and lemon-kissed eggplant) preceded a range of mains – including a stunning lamb tagine with sesame and sugared eggplants – that showcased the brilliance of the concept at Sahbi Sahbi: celebrating the secret recipes that are traditionally passed down from one generation of women to another, but here, in the open kitchen, made public..Courtesy of Sahbi Sahbi.

On the total other side of the spectrum is., located on Avenue Ménara in what feels like the city’s equivalent of Rodeo Drive, from chef Richard Sandoval.