Stuffed zucchini

Got too much zucchini? If you’re a better gardener than I am, there may come a point in July or August where you have more zucchini than you know what to do with. This is a delicious way to use up a lot of zucchini. And it makes a great main dish for company. You …

Stuffed cabbage

Grandma’s Scientific Recipe You might think my grandma’s recipe for stuffed cabbage was probably ancient, handed down from her grandmother’s grandmother. Cabbage, right? It’s been around forever? Well, yes, but surely rice and tomatoes and green peppers weren’t actually so common in medieval Lithuania? And actually her recipe called for canned tomato paste, which wasn’t …

Greek string bean stew

Our Greek cook Vasiliki During summers years ago when we were excavating a Roman town (with a Stone Age village underneath it!) in Central Greece, we hired a cook whose main qualification was that she was used to cooking at home for a large family. Vasiliki was worried about cooking for Americans, because she didn’t …

Squash with fennel

A more sophisticated taste for squash Most squash recipes end up being pretty sweet, close to pumpkin pie. This is a more savory recipe, and it’s also gluten-free and vegan. It looks dramatic on a platter, and can take the place of a roast for a vegan holiday dinner. How to make squash with fennel: …

Squash risotto

Oh, Risotto’s not that hard! People avoid making risotto because you have to keep stirring it and stirring it, but it’s not really that bad if you’re hanging out in the kitchen anyway. This makes a good solid winter main dish, fancy enough for company. How to make leek and squash risotto: Set the oven …

Spicy Thai pork salad

Great for company This has a lot of ingredients, so it takes a while to make. But you can do it ahead and have it ready when your guests show up, and it’s very pretty to serve. Plus, it’s gluten and lactose free, if that’s an issue. This would be hard without a food processor, …

Sole and chive oil

Fresh chives In early spring, chives are one of the first fresh greens you may have growing in your garden. Chives are easy enough even for me to grow: plant them once, and they just come back every spring, and they spread too so there are more every year. You’ll need a couple of good …

Salade Niçoise

Salad for dinner? If it’s hot, sometimes a cold dinner is just what you want. This one can be served warm or cold. How to make salade Niçoise: Start by making homemade bread to serve on the side. While the bread is rising and the oven preheating, make three hard-boiled eggs: gently place three eggs in a …

Ratatouille

“Like a Braque still-life” I’ve always liked the description of ratatouille in the Joy of Cooking where she says that the bright colors all together look like “a Braque still-life”. It’s true that ratatouille is a beautiful thing to put in front of guests, and you can make it before they arrive and leave it …

Pulled pork

Everybody loves it, and it’s easy to do for guests Pulled pork has to be slow-cooked, but you can get it ready an hour before everyone shows up, and then just warm it up when it’s needed – and who doesn’t love pulled pork? Sweet, salty, sour – this has everything you want. How to …