Less intensely indulgent than classic Baked Ziti and a lot less fussy than lasagna, in my old age this is sort of the only baked pasta I’m making these days. It’s got all the hits: pasta, cheese, sauce, but feels casual in a way that makes it seem possible to throw together for dinner to feed 6–8 of your closest friends tonight, if you wanted. The most time consuming part of this recipe is the whole chopping and slicing of onions and garlic, which, depending on your knife skills, can take a small eternity (it takes me a small eternity). After that, you can kind of close your eyes and p ..read more

  Bitter greens and citrus go together like peas and carrots or bitter greens and citrus. While the ingredients here are just that, you could certainly add whatever moves you– crushed olives, chopped capers, a shaving of pecorino or other cheese. Whatever your path, these types of casual salads are a good reminder that not every salad needs to be dressed in a bowl with a dressing– Sometimes it’s nice to just arrange leaves on a plate, layer with sliced citrus and onion and season casually with flaky salt, vinegar and oil. Be sure to adjust the seasoning depending on how sweet or acidic y ..read more

Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott for The New York Times   The benefits of cooking trout in its whole, butterflied form go beyond visual appeal — the large piece drastically reduces the risk of overcooking, and the longer roasting time gives other vegetables on the pan, like wispy broccolini (or smashed boiled potatoes, or halved cherry tomatoes), a chance to crisp up. Once the pan is out of the oven, spoon over a punchy dressing made from raw garlic, smoky Aleppo pepper and fresh lemon juice, and let the residual heat mellow and meld the flavors before serving. Most grocery stores s ..read more

  I don’t really make vinaigrettes, but I do occasionally make dressings, especially when making salad for large groups of people. This distinction is that a vinaigrette is emulsified with olive oil or occasionally diluted with water. A dressing is cutting to the chase, just the acid and alliums combined to evenly coat each leaf in your bowl. This one is pretty basic, but very good, with lots of whole grain mustard– the spicier the better for me– but Dijon works, too (just expect a creamier texture). As for the greens, peppery arugula, crisp romaine, and ruffly kale are all great contende ..read more

  Treated well, broccoli can be spectacular. Of course I love to roast it, sauté it, etc. But cut into elegant little spears and blanched (or steamed) in salted boiling water for about 60-90 seconds, they turn bright green and tender, perfect for dousing in lemon juice, adding some raw grated garlic and sprinkling with flaky salt and it's just...a wonderful experience. For reasons I myself do not fully understand, from time to time I like to add half a bag of frozen peas at the last minute to warm through (they're already cooked), but this is optional. This broccoli is best eat ..read more

  Cauliflower is an ideal candidate for a savory galette. It’s low in moisture, roasting to an evenly golden brown in sync with the crunchy, buttery crust. It never becomes soggy, is great at room temperature, and can handle a healthy amount of cheese without disappearing into the background. This is the galette you make when you need something substantial and comforting, don’t feel like eating meat, and have had too much pasta or are—god forbid—sick of beans. While this certainly could be served as your full dinner, I also like the idea of slicing it thin and enjoying it as a predinner ..read more

  While “lemon” and “pepper” are the two primary flavors here, this pasta really does taste enough like cacio e pepe to hit many of the same pleasure receptors as excellent boxed macaroni and cheese. Unfortunately, it does require a bit more technique here (the simplest things often do), in that the sauce is only created with some browned butter, finely grated parmesan, pasta water and not much else. If this isn’t something you’ve done before, wow, are you in for a treat– but also, be patient, the al dente pasta does take a bit of time in the skillet to fully cook and create a thick enou ..read more

  This soup started as split pea and eventually became this (if you look at the ingredient list, it’s not hard to see how I got here). More squash than lentil (vs. split pea, which is decidedly more split pea than anything else), this soup has a similar texture, smooth with visible bits of vegetables and legumes here and there, and while absolutely savory, it does have a lovely little sweetness and just enough cumin to remind me of eating soup from a co-op– a very specific, niche yet evocative reference. Like most of my soups, this one is also very flexible, but I do think acorn squash i ..read more

  The year is 2000. You’re inside a dark bar that calls itself a “speakeasy,” despite having an address on Google Maps. A mustachio’d person wearing suspenders asks if you’d like to try the “Hot Buttered Rum.” He laughs. Of course, this isn’t your typical Hot Buttered Rum, he says. There is—he glances sideways, then back to meet your gaze—a twist! Have I ever had a Hot Buttered Rum? No. But I imagine something that tastes of butterscotch, laced with rum, made with brown sugar and toasted vanilla. That sounds good, right? So if you’ve had Hot Buttered Rum, consider this my twist. If you h ..read more

  While this may not be a true pozole—it’s thicker and more stew-like, I’ve added tomatillos for body and acidity, and there’s cabbage braised alongside the pork—you can, and should, still garnish it like one, piling your bowl high with shredded cabbage, coins of thinly sliced radish, and tons and tons of fresh lime. Anything else should be an invitation to make it your own. If you’re looking for a more spiced version, I recommend tossing the pork with 2 teaspoons ground cumin before searing in the pot to allow the spices to toast in the pork fat. Swap the pork shoulder for chicken thigh ..read more