Recipes
“Fried” Catfish BLTs
The Husband tends to scorn the BLT as an “air sandwich.” Of course, it’s delicious—how can it not be as long as bacon is involved—but it’s hardly what you’d call filling. That’s why I’ve bulked up the traditional BLT with some “fried” fish. I’ve also tricked up the standard-issue mayo…
Pasta Pizza
I first learned about “pasta pizza” from Leslie Glover, one of Gourmet’s test cooks, who developed it for “In Short Order.” It is ridiculously simple and so tasty. Anytime you make angel hair pasta, just cook double the amount you need. The leftover pasta, recast as the star of this…
Two Melon, Prosciutto, and Feta Salad
This dish, from Sara’s Secrets for Weeknight Meals, is perfect for those warm summer nights when you don’t even want to switch on the stove. Melon and prosciutto is such a refreshing summertime appetizer that I wondered if there was a way to make it entrée-hearty without ruining its essential…
Carrot “Fettuccine” with Spicy Shrimp
This recipe from Sara Moulton Cooks at Home is the happy result of an unhappy incident. My friend and fellow chef Sandy Gluck was trying out for a job at a very fancy cutting-edge restaurant in New York City in the early eighties. One of the many reasons she decided…
Indian Scrambled Eggs with Pappadams
My favorite eggs are poached or fried (I love those runny yolks), but scrambled eggs are a close second, as long as they’re properly cooked. The right way to do it is slowly and at a very low temperature; this guarantees the eggs’ creaminess, but it also requires a measure…
Breakfast Strata
Although this recipe from Sara Moulton Cooks at Home is called Breakfast Strata and the dish was originally designed for a weekend brunch, it will solve your busy-night dinner problems as well. You set it up the night before and then just put it in the oven 60 minutes before…
Chocolate Caramel Peanut Truffles
Here is everything you want in one candy–chocolate, caramel, and nuts–and these truffles couldn’t be simpler to prepare. Make a big batch, box them attractively, and you have the perfect holiday gift. Makes about 40 truffles Ingredients 1 cup sugar 2/3 cup heavy cream 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped…
Poussin en Cocotte
The baby chickens called poussins by the French are often tastier than large supermarket chickens because they are not mass-produced. If you cannot find poussins for this recipe, use Cornish game hens, which are about the same size as poussins but more widely available. (Look for Cornish game hens in…
Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Truffle Vinaigrette
Posted with permission of author, from Girls at the Grill by Elizabeth Karmel The flavors of fresh lemon juice and white truffle oil are the perfect compliment to grilled asparagus. I didn’t think grilled asparagus could get any better until I created this “truffle lemonade” to dress up my favorite…
Avocado, Black Bean and Tomato Salad
A favorite from my friend and colleague Jean Anderson. Makes 4 servings Ingredients 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 large scallions, trimmed and finely chopped (include some green tops) 1 large garlic clove, minced 1 firm-ripe Haas avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced One 15 1/2-ounce…
Fried Clam Sandwich
This hearty sandwich from Sara’s Secrets for Weeknight Meals (page 94) will make a memorable meal any time of the year. It is featured on Episode 102 of my public television show, Sara’s Weeknight Meals. Go to Weeknight Meals to find preparation, equipment, and ingredient tips. I just love fried…
Det Burgers
Sandwiches are a perfect choice for weeknight meals and this generously-topped burger is one of my all-time favorites. My first official cooking job was in the mid-seventies at a bar in Ann Arbor, Michigan (where I went to college), called the Del Rio. They featured live jazz on weekends. It…
Balsamic Chicken
The balsamic vinegar in this recipe and you can use the regular old affordable supermarket variety provides a sweet and sour base and great depth of flavor to this very quick sauce. This sauce would go nicely on sautéed pork chops or a flavorful fish such as salmon or bluefish…
Eggs Jeannette
From The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen by Jacques Pépin (Houghton Mifflin, 2003) When we were kids, eggs were a staple on our table. Meat or poultry showed up there once a week at the most, and more often than not, our “meat” dinners consisted of a delicious ragout…
Watermelon Screwdriver
It’s summertime, the sun is blazing, and, if you’re lucky, you’re sitting on the beach or by the pool. But wherever you are, city or country, there’s one thing you want more than anything else: an ice-cold drink. This one fits the bill, especially if you take the trouble to…
Fresh Lemonade
This trio of summertime beverages can offer a time out from the latest heat wave. Try my Fresh Lemonade plain, with fresh berries, or crushed fresh mint. Special ice cubes intensify the flavor of my Watermelon Screwdriver and Frozen Café au Lait. The Fresh Lemonade recipe follows; you’ll find the…
Frozen Café au Lait
This is my homemade version of the frozen coffee drinks that have become hugely popular at the gourmet coffee franchises in the last few years. As lip-smackingly good as the commercial concoctions, mine is also much lower in calories because it doesn’t use cream or half-and-half and it isn’t loaded…
Ruthie's Chocolate French Toast with Raspberry Sauce
This recipe lives in the breakfast chapter of Sara Moulton Cooks at Home (page 308) and it would be a great choice for Christmas breakfast or brunch, but I think it would also be great served as a dessert at an elegant dinner. My daughter Ruthie loves French…
Braised Short Ribs
This is actually an adaptation of a recipe by a very talented New York chef named Tom Valenti. Who (no pun intended) is known for his stick to your ribs cooking. We ran the recipe in Gourmet many years ago when he was the chef at a place called Allison…
Quick Asparagus Lasagna
Even though you can buy asparagus from South America out of season, I think of this easy meatless entrée as a sign of spring. Asparagus is tastier if you buy it locally and in season. All the thicknesses are fine with me – from pencil-thin spears to thick stalks. However,…