Food52 A New Way to Dinner

TO DO TODAY An hour before your guests arrive, mix the sherry temple base and set out the vinaigrette. Slice and bake the pinwheels right before party time. Stir up sherry and shirley temples for your guests. Warm the stew and the mash and toss the salad. Serve leftover Prosecco from the sherry temples with dinner.

DINNER TWO

Pasta with Creamed Kale

Soft Chocolate Almond Cherry Cookies

TO DO TODAY Make a double batch of creamed kale and toss half with pasta, saving the rest for later in the week.

DINNER THREE

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Sherry

Crusty bread and good salted butter

Pears and sharp cheese (I like aged goat Gouda or cheddar) with honey

TO DO TODAY Warm the soup and slice the bread. Serve sliced pears with cheese and honey for dessert.

DINNER FOUR

Red Wine Beef Stew with Parsnips and Carrots

Creamed Kale

Mashed Potato and Parsnip Cakes

Peppermint Stick Ice Cream

TO DO TODAY Warm the stew and the kale. Make the potato cakes.

DINNER FIVE

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Sherry

Toast and good salted butter

Red leaf salad with The Best Red Wine Vinaigrette

Clementines and Soft Chocolate Almond Cherry Cookies

TO DO TODAY Warm the soup. Make toast using your leftover crusty bread and toss the salad.

BROWN BAG LUNCHES

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Sherry plus bread or crackers and cheese

Mashed Potato and Parsnip Cakes, medium-cooked egg, red leaf salad with The Best Red Wine Vinaigrette

GAME PLAN

TO MAKE OVER THE WEEKEND

Pinwheels with Pecorino and Horseradish

Red Wine Beef Stew with Parsnips and Carrots

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Sherry

Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips

The Best Red Wine Vinaigrette

Soft Chocolate Almond Cherry Cookies

Peppermint Stick Ice Cream

GET READY TO PARTY

This week you’ll need about 3½ hours of hands-on cooking time—it’ll be worth it, I promise.

• In the morning, move the puff pastry dough from the freezer to the fridge for the pinwheels. When you’re ready to start cooking, set out ½ cup plus 3 tablespoons (185g) unsalted butter to soften for the cookies. Set out the beef for the stew.

• Get chopping! Cut up the pancetta and vegetables for the stew, the butternut squash and leeks for the soup, and the parsnips and potatoes for the mash; put the potatoes and parsnips in a bowl of cold water to keep them from browning.

• Wash and dry the greens for the week and store them in zipper plastic bags in the fridge.

• Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Brown the beef in batches.

• While the beef is browning, get the butternut squash soup simmering, as well as the potatoes and parsnips for the mash. Get the stew in the oven.

• Make the dough for the cookies and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

• Mash the potatoes and parsnips and add the rest of the ingredients. Make the red wine vinaigrette. Put both in the fridge.

• Form the cookie dough into balls, roll in sugar, and bake alongside the stew. Or refrigerate them in a container and bake them later, as you need them.

• While the cookies are baking, puree the soup, transfer to containers, and refrigerate.

• Set out the vanilla ice cream to soften for the peppermint stick ice cream. Make the filling for the pinwheels and roll them up; wrap the log and put it in the fridge (or freezer).

• Once the beef is tender, remove it from the pot and reduce the liquid. Return the beef to the pot, cool slightly, and refrigerate the stew in the pot.

• Smash the peppermint sticks and mix them into the ice cream; put the ice cream back in the freezer (steal a bite for yourself first). Time to party!

Double-booked every night? Have holiday cards to write? Crank out 1½ batches of the stew and soup, make the mash and the vinaigrette, and skip the rest. You’re sure to get some decent holiday treats you can use to supplement. And with a pint of vanilla on hand, you can whip up the peppermint stick ice cream whenever you have 15 minutes to spare. With this shortened plan, your active cooking time will be less than 2 hours.

GROCERY LIST

PRODUCE

Broccoli rabe, 2 pounds (900g)

Butternut squash (whole), 7 to 8 pounds (3.2 to 3.6kg)

Carrots, 4 (about 12 ounces/340g)

Celery, 2 stalks

Clementines, for dessert

Garlic, 1 fat clove

Lacinato kale, 2 pounds (900g)

Leeks, 3

Lemons, 4

Navel oranges, 2

Parsnips, 2 pounds 9 ounces (1.2kg)

Red leaf lettuce, 3 heads

Ripe pears, for dessert

Yellow onion, 1 large

Yukon gold potatoes, 2 pounds (900g)

HERBS

Bay leaf, 1

Rosemary, 1 sprig (or ½ teaspoon dried)

Thyme, 4 to 5 sprigs

SPICES

Nutmeg, 1 whole

PANTRY

Beef stock, 2 cups (475ml)

Canned chopped tomatoes, 1 cup (240g)

Chicken or vegetable stock, 5 to 6 cups (1.2 to 1.4L)

Extra-virgin olive oil, about 2 cups (475ml)

Honey, for dessert

Panko or other bread crumbs, 1 cup (60g)

Penne or other pasta, 1 pound (450g)

Prepared horseradish, 2 tablespoons

Red wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons

Sherry vinegar, 1 tablespoon

BAKING AISLE

All-purpose flour, 6½ tablespoons (50g), plus more for rolling

Almond flour, 1 heaping cup plus 2 tablespoons (125g)

Baking soda, ½ teaspoon

Bittersweet chocolate, 5 ounces (140g)

Candy canes, 12

Dried cherries, ⅔ cup (135g)

Good peppermint extract (optional), 1 teaspoon

Light brown sugar, ⅔ cup (135g) firmly packed

Sugar, 1 cup (200g)

Unsweetened cocoa powder, ⅓ cup (30g)

Pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon

DAIRY AND EGGS

Good salted butter

Unsalted butter, 1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons (370g)

Cream cheese, 3 tablespoons

Crème fraîche, ⅔ cup (160ml), plus more to have on hand

Eggs, 2 dozen

Pecorino, ½ cup (50g) grated from a wedge

Heavy cream, ¾ cup (175ml)

Milk, 2 cups (475ml)

Sharp cheese (such as goat Gouda or cheddar), for dessert

Sour cream, heaping ¾ cup (175ml)

MEAT AND SEAFOOD

Beef chuck, 3 pounds (1.4kg) cut into 1 ½-inch (4cm) cubes (ask your butcher to do this)

Pancetta, 12 ounces (340g)

BOOZE AND SUCH

Dry red wine, 2 cups (475ml)

Dry sherry, about 1 cup (240ml)

Gin, ⅜ cup (90ml)

Ginger ale, for cocktails (or two 6-inch/15cm bulbs of ginger, 2 cups/400g of sugar, and club soda to make your own! See Ginger Syrup)

Grenadine, for drinks

Maraschino cherries, for drinks

Prosecco, 1 bottle

FREEZER

Frozen puff pastry, 1 sheet

Good vanilla ice cream, 1 quart (950ml)

BAKED GOODS

Baguette, 1

Crusty bread, 1 large loaf for dinner

It’s life changing when you finally have a back-pocket hors d’oeuvre to throw together at the last minute. I always keep frozen puff pastry sheets on hand so I can make some version of these crunchy, salty pinwheels on relatively short notice. (It is a miraculous day if I happen to have a log of them already made in the freezer.) They’re endlessly adaptable (see tips below), and they look like you spent more time on them than you did (see for yourself on this page).

Ready to Entertain With a log of these in the freezer, you’re always ready for guests. Double-wrap the rolled, unsliced log in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Some other fillings you might try: Dijon mustard and grated sharp cheddar, prosciutto and Parmesan, spinach and cream cheese, and finely chopped cooked mushrooms and Gruyère.

1 Thaw the puff pastry in the refrigerator until you can work with it, at least 6 hours.

2 Combine the cream cheese, horseradish, thyme, pepper, and lemon zest in a small bowl.

3 Lay the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a 10 by 14-inch (25 by 36cm) rectangle that’s about ⅛ inch (3mm) thick.

4 Working quickly, spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the pastry, leaving a ½-inch (1.3cm) border uncovered. Sprinkle the Pecorino evenly over the cream cheese mixture.

5 With a short side facing you, roll the pastry into a compact log. Wrap it tightly in parchment or waxed paper and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or freeze it (see tip).

6 The day of: If you froze the pinwheels, move the log from the freezer to the fridge first thing in the morning. About 30 minutes before serving, heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a very sharp knife, slice the log into ¼-inch (6mm) rounds and place them 1 inch (2.5cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through, until golden brown and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the pinwheels cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets before serving.

My sister and I learned early how to recognize a special occasion—if we were allowed to have a Shirley Temple, it was one. This is a grown-up version (shown on this page), made boozy for adult merriment. Like the original, it calls for a bit of grenadine. Use a light touch and taste as you go—it can turn from subtly to syrupy sweet in an instant.

Batch It Up For a large group, scale up the ingredients to make the number of cocktails you’ll need. Stir together everything except for the Prosecco and orange peel and keep in a pitcher in the fridge until you’re ready to serve, for up to 24 hours. Pour ½ cup (120ml) into each glass, top with Prosecco, and add an orange twist.

Twists If you can, make the citrus twists just before you serve your cocktails. Once the peel is cut, the oils begin to leach out and some of the flavor and fragrance is lost. Plus, the twists start to shrivel and don’t look as pretty.

2 Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Add the orange and lemon juices, gin, and sherry. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds and strain into 6 Champagne coupes or martini glasses.

3 Add a few drops of grenadine to each glass and top with ¼ cup (60ml) Prosecco. Add an orange twist and serve immediately.

For your smaller party guests, fill tumblers with ice and ginger ale (find a recipe for homemade ginger ale). Add about a teaspoon of grenadine to each glass (you want the drinks to be cherry red), stir gently, and plunk a maraschino cherry on top.

Amanda turned me on to Mario Batali’s recipe for beef in Barolo, which involves braising a whole brisket in an entire bottle of wine. I’ve never actually used Barolo (Dolcetto makes a fine—and more economical—substitute), and I prefer plain old stew meat to brisket because I’m not keen on the idea of wrestling a huge slab of meat into—and then out of—a pot of scalding liquid. Amanda’s version calls for short ribs, which work beautifully, too, but I like cubes of beef because there are no bones to deal with. I did take a nod from Amanda’s recipe when I bumped up the carrots, though, and I’ve added parsnips to make this more of a one-pot meal. That said, mashed potatoes are rarely unwelcome, so you’ll find a recipe for mashed potatoes and parsnips this week as well.

Pick Your Protein Just as you can use different cuts of beef for this stew, it also works with similar cuts of lamb, veal, and even pork. You can even make it with chicken legs for a modified coq au vin. Just decrease the cooking time to 40 to 45 minutes and then reduce the sauce on its own for a bit longer.

Instead of buying precut stew meat, choose a whole piece of meat (like chuck roast or boneless lamb shoulder) and ask the butcher to cut it for you. This way, you can specify the size of the cubes, and you’ll know the meat is all coming from the same cut.

3 medium (about 9 ounces/255g) parsnips, peeled and sliced into ½-inch (1.3cm) rounds

1 Set out the beef for 20 to 30 minutes to take off the chill. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Working in batches, add the beef, being careful not to crowd the pot. Cook the beef on all sides until browned, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the browned meat to a plate and keep warm while you brown the rest.

2 Pour off all but about a tablespoon of the fat in the pot, turn the heat down to medium-low, and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the pancetta. Cook until it starts to crisp, about 5 minutes.

3 Add the carrots, parsnips, onion, and celery, and cook until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more.

4 Add the wine, stock, tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, and 2 teaspoons salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the beef, submerging it in the liquid. Cover, slide the pot into the oven, and bake until the meat is very tender, about 2 hours.

5 With a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until it reduces and is thick enough to coat a wooden spoon. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then return the meat to the pot. Let the stew cool slightly, discard the herbs, then cover and refrigerate in the pot.

My father has a bowl of hot soup for lunch probably 350 days out of the year. I usually reserve soup for colder weather (though, in summer, don’t get in the way of me and my gazpacho!), and in the fall and winter I could easily eat it most days. I’ve been making the same basic butternut squash soup for years, with small tweaks here and there. It’s smooth as velvet, as a proper winter squash soup should be. When I have a batch in my fridge, I truly feel armed for the week ahead.

To Swap or Not to Swap If you don’t have sherry on hand, you can skip it or substitute brandy, Madeira, or Cognac. For a vegan version, use vegetable oil instead of butter and leave out the milk, cream, and crème fraîche. It will still be rich and delicious. I find that butternut squash makes a better soup than pumpkin (although cheese pumpkin behaves similarly to butternut squash), which can be watery and insipid.

A Peeling Trick for Butternut Squash One of my cooking pet peeves is the sticky orange film that coats my hands (and is impossible to scrub off) after handling peeled butternut squash. To minimize this, I hold onto the fat end of the squash, as close to the root end as I can without dropping it, and peel away from me and down the full length of the squash. Then I only have to touch the sticky part for a few seconds while I peel the last bits off the bigger end, and again briefly while I scoop out the seeds. A vegetable brush is an effective—and less painful—alternative to steel wool for removing any stubborn film from your hands.

7 to 8 pounds (3.2 to 3.6kg) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) cubes

1 Melt the butter in a 6- to 8-quart (5.5 to 7.5L) pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until softened, about 5 minutes (if they start to brown, add a few tablespoons of water).

2 Add the squash, 1 teaspoon salt, a few grinds of pepper, and the nutmeg and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes more.

3 Add the sherry and cook until it is mostly reduced, a minute or two, then add enough stock to cover the squash (if you need more liquid, add a little water).

4 Simmer, partially covered, until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the soup cool for at least 20 minutes.

5 If you plan to freeze the soup, blend it and freeze it without adding the milk and cream. This way, you’ll avoid a possibly grainy texture when you defrost it. Otherwise, working in batches, blend the soup with the milk until creamy, adding some water if it seems too thick. Stir in the cream, taste, and adjust the seasonings. Store in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

6 If you’ve frozen the soup, defrost it in the fridge the night before you plan to eat it. The day of: Reheat the soup in a pot over medium-low heat, just until it simmers. Stir in the milk and cream if you haven’t yet and return to a simmer. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Stir in another splash of sherry and add a dollop of crème fraîche to each bowl.

The first time I made mashed potatoes, my mother shared a vital piece of cooking wisdom: always add something with a little tang—sour cream, crème fraîche, buttermilk, Greek yogurt, what have you—to your mash. It gives it a gentle lift, rescuing it from the unrelenting heft of potatoes and butter, which can become tiresome on their own after a few bites. Ever since, I haven’t (willingly) ignored my mother’s mashed potato advice. This recipe calls for half parsnips and half potatoes, which makes for a mash that’s less dense, with a pleasant vegetal punch. Like Amanda, I’m an advocate of using starchy cooking water in place of milk for mashed potatoes. It enhances the other flavors rather than muffling them. (See the finished mash.)

1 Put the parsnips and potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough cold water to cover. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.

2 Reserve 2 cups (475ml) of the cooking water, then drain the parsnips and potatoes and return them to the pot over low heat. Mash them, adding the sour cream, butter, olive oil, and a few splashes of the cooking water. Using a wooden spoon, stir the mash vigorously until it’s smooth and creamy. If it seems dry, stir in more of the cooking liquid until you have a velvety consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Cool and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

3 The day of: Reheat the mash in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, adding a little hot water to loosen it up. Don’t forget to save some for the cakes (below)!

To make the cakes, beat 1 large egg per 8 ounces (225g) of leftover mash and stir them together. Form the mixture into 3-inch (7.5cm) cakes (don’t worry if they’re loose—they’ll firm up as they cook), coat them in panko or other dry bread crumbs seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and fry in extra-virgin olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve right away.

This was my entry for the Holiday Cookie Truck bake-off of 2015, where I eked out a victory against Amanda’s chewy vanilla spice cookies with chocolate chunks. I was inspired by Pierre Hermé and Dorie Greenspan’s World Peace Cookies, but I wanted a softer cookie, so I swapped most of the all-purpose flour for almond flour, and added some chopped dried cherries. The cookies are almost brownielike in texture, so they’re still good on day five. I developed the recipe using weights for precise results, so if you’re not using a scale, the measurements may seem a bit awkward. It will all pay off, though.

Not Overbaking Cookies It took me a while to absorb the importance of removing chewy or soft cookies (and cakes) from the oven before they look completely done. Like meat, they continue to cook out of the oven, so unless you’re going for crunchiness (like in Crispy Crunchy Oatmeal Cookies), resist the urge to leave them in for “just one more minute.”

5 ounces (140g) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (⅓ inch/8mm or smaller pieces)

1 Whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

2 Add the brown sugar, ¼ cup (50g) of the sugar, the salt, and vanilla and beat for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the dry ingredients, drape a kitchen towel over the mixer, and pulse on low speed for 2 seconds at a time about 5 times. Remove the towel and beat at low speed until everything is just combined. Scrape down the bowl again.

3 Add the chocolate and cherries and mix, just to incorporate. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4 Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Pour the remaining ¾ cup (150g) sugar onto a large plate. Form the dough into 1½-inch (4cm) balls. Roll the balls in the sugar and place them about 2 inches (5cm) apart on the baking sheets. (Or refrigerate them in a sealed container and bake the cookies as you need them.)

5 Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies should look dry on the surface but still be soft to the touch. Do not overbake. Cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to racks.

6 The cookies will keep for a week in a tin on the counter. If you don’t think you’ll eat them within that time, freeze the baked cookies in a freezer-friendly zipper plastic bag for up to a month; thaw them at room temperature.

Leftover candy canes are inevitable at Christmas. To use them up, soften 1 quart (950ml) of vanilla ice cream at room temperature. Meanwhile, unwrap 12 candy canes, put them inside two zipper plastic bags, and go at them with a mallet. Scoop the ice cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the crushed candy canes and a teaspoon of good peppermint extract if you have it. Mix on low speed until just combined, then refreeze.

THE WEEK AHEAD

THE RECIPES

Cabbage and Jicama Slaw

Fish Baked in Foil

Fish Salpicon

Noodle Soup with Fish, Ginger, Cilantro, Chiles, and Lime

Slow-Cooked Pork Tacos

Brothy, Garlicky Beans

Broiled Grapefruits with Lime

Ginger Syrup

Pickled Onions

HOW THEY COME TOGETHER

DINNER ONE

Fish Baked in Foil

Green Rice

Watercress with lime juice, olive oil, and cilantro

Lime Ice Cream

TO DO TODAY Reheat the fish and rice. Toss the watercress with fresh cilantro leaves, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

DINNER TWO

Slow-Cooked Pork Tacos with avocado, Pickled Onions, and sour cream

Cabbage and Jicama Slaw

Broiled Grapefruits with Lime

TO DO TODAY Warm the tortillas and pork and prepare the toppings for the tacos. Dress the slaw. Prepare the grapefruits, then broil them right before dessert.

DINNER THREE

Fish Salpicon

Cabbage and Jicama Slaw

Lime Ginger Floats

TO DO TODAY Make the fish salpicon. Dress the slaw. Make the floats for dessert.

DINNER FOUR

Pasta e Fagioli

Cured meats

Country bread

Lime Pie Ice Cream

TO DO TODAY Make the lime pie ice cream and keep it in the freezer. Make the pasta e fagioli and set out the cured meats and bread. Whip the cream for the lime pie ice cream before serving.

DINNER FIVE

Slow-Cooked Pork and Brothy, Garlicky Beans with Pickled Onions

Green Rice

Watercress and celery with parsley and lime dressing

Vanilla ice cream with Ginger Syrup

TO DO TODAY Reheat the rice and warm some leftover pork taco filling and brothy beans together. Combine the watercress with thinly sliced celery and some chopped parsley, then dress with leftover lime dressing from the cabbage and jicama slaw. Drizzle the ginger syrup over the ice cream for dessert.

BROWN BAG LUNCHES

Noodle Soup with Fish, Ginger, Cilantro, Chiles, and Lime

Pork, Pickled Onions, and sliced avocado on a soft roll

Brothy, Garlicky Beans with a fried or medium-cooked egg

GAME PLAN

TO MAKE OVER THE WEEKEND

Fish Baked in Foil

Cabbage and Jicama Slaw

Slow-Cooked Pork Tacos

Pickled Onions

Brothy, Garlicky Beans

Green Rice

Lime Ice Cream

Ginger Syrup

AND AWAY. YOU. GO!

Your active cooking time this weekend will be about 3 hours.

• Start soaking the beans.

• Get the pork taco filling on the stove.

• Wash and spin dry all the herbs and salad greens for the week and store them in the fridge.

• Make the ice cream base and chill it in the fridge for at least an hour.

• Get the ginger syrup on the stove.

• Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Assemble the green rice and put it in the oven.

• Drain the beans and get them simmering with the rest of the ingredients.

• Freeze the lime ice cream, stirring every 20 minutes.

• Make the pickled onions for the pork tacos, and slice the onion for the slaw. Refrigerate them both.

• Slice the cabbage and jicama for the slaw and store in the fridge.

• Make the dressing for the slaw and refrigerate it.

• Once the rice is done, lower the oven temperature to 325°F (165°C). Prepare the fish baked in foil, then bake it.

• Strain the ginger syrup. Put everything in the fridge.

• Have a cup of tea and a cookie. You’ve earned it.

Don’t have time for lots of cooking this weekend? Make baked rice in place of green rice. Skip the lime ice cream, ginger syrup, and slaw and supplement with your favorite store-bought ice cream and simple green salads. With these modifications, you’ll shave off about half of your weekend cooking time.

GROCERY LIST

PRODUCE

Avocados, 4

Cabbage, 1 pound (450g)

Carrots, 3 large

Celery stalks, 1 bunch

Garlic, 18 cloves

Ginger, 2 (6-inch/15cm) bulbs

Grapefruits, 2

Jicama, 1 medium, about 1 pound (450g)

Limes, 25

Red onions, 2½ (2 large and ½ small)

Yellow onions, 4 (2 medium and 2 large)

Poblano chiles, 2

Scallions, 10

Serrano chiles, 4

Shallots, 4

Watercress, 2 bunches

HERBS

Cilantro, 3 bunches

Flat-leaf parsley, 1 bunch

Mint, 1 bunch

Rosemary, 1 sprig (or ½ teaspoon dried)

Thyme, 2 sprigs

SPICES

Bay leaf, 1

Black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon

Coriander seeds, 2 teaspoons

Cumin seeds, 4 teaspoons

Dried oregano, 1 teaspoon

Ground ancho chile, 4 teaspoons

Ground chipotle, 2 teaspoons

PANTRY

Basmati rice, 4 cups (740g)

Canned chopped tomatoes (preferably Pomi), 4 cups (960g)

Cider vinegar, 1½ cups (355ml)

Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons

Dried white beans (such as cannellini or navy), 2 pounds (900g)

Extra-virgin olive oil, 1 cup (240ml), plus more to have on hand

Homemade or low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock, 11 cups (2.6L)

Honey, 2 tablespoons

Hot sauce, for serving

Mayonnaise, for lunch

Red wine vinegar, 4 teaspoons

Rice vermicelli, 2 ounces (55g)

Short pasta, 4 ounces (115g)

Soy sauce, ⅛ teaspoon

Vegetable oil, 1 cup (240ml)

BAKING AISLE

Graham crackers, 3

Demerara sugar, ¼ cup (50g)

Sugar, 3½ cups plus 2 tablespoons (725g)

DAIRY AND EGGS

Unsalted butter, 6 tablespoons (85g)

Heavy cream, 3½ cups (830ml)

Parmesan, for serving

Parmesan rind (optional)

Sour cream, for serving

MEAT AND SEAFOOD

Boneless pork shoulder (not too lean), 4 pounds (1.8kg)

Fish fillets (such as striped bass, snapper, branzino, etc.), 3 pounds (1.4kg)

Selection of cured meats

BOOZE AND SUCH

Club soda, 1 (1L) bottle

FREEZER

Vanilla ice cream, for dessert

BAKED GOODS

Corn tortillas, 32 small

Country bread, 1 loaf

Soft rolls, 4

Every stew or braise calls out for something crisp and fresh to balance it. This slaw is dead simple, and uses jicama, which is one of the best least-known vegetables there is. Jicama is bracing and just a little bit sweet. I find its natural crunch sort of addicting.

Make It Ahead Once you add the dressing, the slaw will start to lose its structure pretty quickly. I suggest that you mix it each time you serve it, using only what you plan to eat and storing the rest of the vegetables, herbs, and dressing separately in the fridge.

1 Soak the onion in a bowl of cold water for about 20 minutes to remove some of the sting. Drain the onion and store it in a container or bag lined with paper towels in the fridge.

2 Slice the cabbage thinly (you should have about 12 loosely packed cups/450g) and peel and julienne the jicama (you should have about 6 cups/450g). Keep them in a container or bag lined with paper towels in the fridge.

3 Combine the lime juice and zest, honey, vegetable oil, salt, and a few grinds of pepper in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Screw on the lid and shake vigorously until emulsified. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then store in the fridge for up to 5 days. You’ll be using this for salad as well as the slaw this week.

4 The day of: Combine half of the sliced cabbage, jicama, and onion in a large bowl. Coarsely chop ¼ cup (10g) each cilantro and parsley. Pour in about 3 tablespoons of the lime dressing and toss gently to combine. Taste and add more dressing if needed. Serve immediately. Repeat the second night you serve the slaw.

This is an adaptation of a dish my husband and I had at a beachside resort in Kenya during our honeymoon. We were completely spoiled by impeccable seafood, fresh off the boat, every day. With a little cajoling, the chef agreed to give me a couple of his recipes. In this one, fish fillets get friendly with lime juice, olive oil, and cilantro before they’re blanketed in onion and lime slices and then baked in foil packets. It works best with thinner fillets of fish, like striped bass, snapper, and branzino. I’ve also included a tip for preparing it with whole fish.

Foil Is Your Friend Baking in foil is a great way to capitalize on the even heat of the oven without falling victim to its dryness. The packet traps the moisture of whatever is inside it, which is especially handy for delicate, quick-cooking proteins like fish fillets or chicken breasts. To make the recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, form individual packets for each breast instead of stacking them and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 to 30 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).

2 Whisk together the lime juice and zest, cilantro, and olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

3 Stack 2 long pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil, with the nonshiny sides facing each other. Make a ½-inch (1.3cm) pleat along one of the long sides, then fold the foil over twice more so that you join the two sheets securely together into one big sheet. Unfold and place the foil shiny side down on a flat surface. Repeat to create 2 more large foil sheets. Arrange several of the onion and lime slices down the center of each sheet, along the crease, creating beds roughly the same size as a fish fillet.

4 Lay a fish fillet on top of a bed of onion and lime and brush lightly with mustard. Place a couple of onion and lime slices on top of the fillet, followed by another fillet and a little more mustard. Repeat until you’ve used up one-third of the fish, finishing with a last layer of onion and lime. Do the same with the remaining 2 pounds (900g) fish on the other 2 foil sheets.

5 Start to fold up the edges of the foil, then drizzle one-third of the marinade over the top of each stack of fillets and dot with the butter. Fold and crease the foil into neat packages, leaving a little air between the foil and the fish. Place the packets on a rimmed baking sheet.

6 Bake until the fish is just cooked through, about 30 minutes. Serve half of the fish right away, storing the rest (minus the juices that collect in the packets) in the fridge for up to 3 days.

One Fish, Two Fish For a more dramatic dinner, try this with whole fish. Look for 2 fish that are the same size, about 1¼ pounds (570g) each. Ask your butcher to gut and scale them. Spread the insides of the cavities with mustard and stuff them with the extra onion and lime and the butter after creating the beds. Wrap them up and bake them as you would the fillets. Whole fish take a little longer to cook, 45 to 55 minutes.

This is a great way to breathe new life into leftover seafood. Like a cooked ceviche wrapped in soft corn tortillas, it’s a dish my husband and I first ate at Fonda, one of our favorite neighborhood restaurants in Brooklyn. I love how quickly it comes together on a weeknight, and the self-assembly component is another plus—especially for the cook! I typically use a white, flaky fish, but something heartier like tuna would also be nice.

½ to 1 small hot chile (such as serrano or bird’s eye), depending on your heat preference, seeded and finely chopped

1 Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Wrap the tortillas tightly in aluminum foil and put in the oven to warm for 5 to 10 minutes.

2 Meanwhile, flake the fish with two forks, leaving some larger chunks, and put in a large bowl.

3 Add the cilantro, scallions, chile, and a few pinches of salt. Squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the top. Fold gently to combine everything. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

4 To serve, peel, pit, and slice the avocados and cut the remaining lime into wedges. Let everyone assemble their own tacos at the table, passing the hot sauce.

I got this great idea from Sophie Missing and Caroline Craig, the authors of The Little Book of Lunch. Put 2 ounces (55g) of rice vermicelli in a 10- to 12-ounce (295 to 355ml) jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, 2 thinly sliced scallions, ½ carrot, julienned, a few chopped fresh mint and cilantro leaves, and ⅛ teaspoon soy sauce (or more to taste). Add ¼ cup (50g) leftover fish in bite-size chunks. When you’re ready to eat, pour in enough boiling water to cover the other ingredients and let sit for 3 minutes. Squeeze in the juice of half a lime, stir, and eat.

These tacos were inspired by a recipe I came across in Fine Cooking for chili con carne. I decided to make them with pork shoulder instead of beef, and I reduced the liquid and axed the beans to make more of a thick stew. Then, another thought: Wouldn’t this be good wrapped in tortillas? And I might as well make some quick-pickled onions while I was at it. At this point it looked nothing like the original, but all recipes come from somewhere, right? Like most slow-cooked dishes, this is even better after a day or two.

Spice The taco filling calls for several types of chiles and chili powders. In a pinch, you can leave out what you don’t have, but if you stock up on all of the ingredients you’ll be rewarded with complex layers of flavor and heat. Feel free to adjust the amounts to match your tolerance for spice. Use 1 serrano instead of 2 and only 1 teaspoon of ground chipotle if you’re feeling gun-shy.

4 pounds (1.8kg) boneless pork shoulder, cut into ¾-inch (2cm) cubes (see tip about buying pork)

1 Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a small pan for a minute or two over medium heat, shaking the pan, until fragrant. (Be careful not to scorch them.) Finely grind the spices using a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle. Stir in both ground chiles and the oregano and set aside.

2 Warm 1 tablespoon of oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the pork with salt. Working in batches so you don’t crowd the meat, cook the pork until well browned on all sides, about 4 minutes total (add more oil as needed). Transfer the browned pork to a clean plate.

3 Lower the heat to medium-low and add another tablespoon of oil, the onions, chiles, and a few pinches of salt. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the spice mixture and cook for another minute.

4 Return the pork with any juices to the pot, along with the chicken stock and tomatoes. The pork should be covered in liquid; if it’s not, add a little water. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring the liquid to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover the pot, and simmer very gently for 1 hour.

5 Uncover the pot and continue to cook until the pork is tender and the sauce thickens, 30 to 60 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Let the pork cool and store in the pot in the fridge for up to 5 days.

6 The day of: Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Wrap the tortillas tightly in aluminum foil and warm in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Gently reheat the pork over medium heat for about 10 minutes and squeeze in some more lime juice. Peel, pit, and slice the avocados and cut 2 limes into wedges. Set out the pork with the avocados, lime wedges, a heap of cilantro, a small bowl of sour cream, and the pickled onions. Let everyone assemble their own tacos at the table.

One day when my pantry and fridge were looking particularly sad, I decided to throw all of my vegetable and herb scraps into a pot of beans, along with a Parmesan rind that had been skulking around for weeks. As the beans softened and plumped, they absorbed the flavors of this motley crew of aromatics. They were savory and mellow, leaving all of my previous bean efforts in the dust. Now I always make my beans this way. There’s no need to feel wedded to the specifics: You can use onions instead of shallots, leeks instead of scallions, sage or parsley in place of thyme and rosemary, Pecorino rind rather than Parmesan, and so on.

Freezer-Friendly These beans freeze nicely. Keep them frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. The morning you plan to eat them for dinner, move them to the fridge to defrost.

2 pounds (900g) dried white beans (such as cannellini or navy), picked over and rinsed

2 celery stalks, with their leaves if you have them, cut into 3-inch (7.5cm) lengths

1 To quick-soak the beans, put them in a large heavy pot and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch (2.5cm). Bring them to a boil over high heat. Boil for 1 minute, then turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let the beans soak for an hour.

2 Drain the beans and return them to the pot. Add the stock and, if the beans aren’t covered by at least 2 inches (5cm) of liquid, some water. Add the carrots, celery, shallots, scallions, garlic, thyme, rosemary, parsley, Parmesan rind, olive oil, and 3 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and simmer partially covered until the beans are nearly tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Add more water if the beans aren’t covered at any time. Add the tomatoes and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more.

3 Remove the aromatics and vegetables (cook’s treat!), taste the beans, and adjust the seasoning. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

This is a simple shortcut to a classic dish. Cook an ounce of short pasta (I like trofie) per person, until just al dente. Warm leftover beans with chicken stock or water to make a thick soup, allowing about 1½ cups (355ml) of soup per person. Taste, adjust the seasonings, and add the pasta. Serve with a drizzle of good olive oil and grated Parmesan.

In the early days of Food52, one of our community members, Amreen Karmali, posted a recipe for shrimp biryani. I’ve made her bright, aromatic dish many times. First, you whir up a vibrant paste of chiles, garlic, and herbs that serves as a base for an amped-up pilaf. The same paste does double duty as a marinade for the shrimp that rest on top of the rice. Here, I’ve left out the shrimp and switched up some of the herbs and spices to make it a side dish (Amanda’s take, includes shrimp). Try experimenting with the flavors. Dill and mint would be a nice alternative, and you could add a few cardamom pods or coriander seeds in place of the bay leaf.

Play with the Heat This recipe calls for black peppercorns, which are not removed before serving. If you like, you can substitute ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or tie the peppercorns into a small cheesecloth bundle for easy removal at the end.

Serrano chiles vary in size and heat. If your chiles are particularly large (or spicy), you may not want to add all of the paste to your rice.

2 Put the leaves and stems of the cilantro in the bowl of a food processor with the parsley, mint, garlic, and chiles. Pulse until you have a thick paste, adding a little water if you need to help things along, and scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times.

3 Warm the vegetable oil in an 8-quart (7.5L) oven-safe dish. Add the peppercorns and bay leaf and cook until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

4 Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they soften and start to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add half of the chile-herb paste and cook for 1 minute more.

5 Add 6 cups (1.4L) water and 1 tablespoon salt and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice and butter and return to a boil. Cover tightly with aluminum foil or a lid and bake for exactly 20 minutes.

6 Let the rice sit for 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork, and remove the bay leaf. Gently stir the vinegar, olive oil, and a few more spoonfuls of the chile-herb paste into the rice with the fork, tasting as you go. Adjust the seasoning. Let cool and store in the baking dish in the fridge for up to 5 days. Keep leftover paste in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

7 The day of: Cover the dish in aluminum foil and reheat in a 300°F to 325°F (150°C to 165°C) oven for about 15 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Pour 1½ tablespoons of vegetable oil into a large well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, nonstick pan, or wok with a lid, and place over high heat. Add 4 cups (515g) green rice and spread it to the edges of the skillet, pressing it down lightly with a cooking spoon. Don’t stir. When the rice is toasted and brown, after about 5 minutes, stir it, then spread and press it again. Rinse and repeat until the rice is good and crisp, adjusting the heat as needed. Transfer the fried rice to shallow bowls or a serving platter. Pour another tablespoon of oil into the pan and warm over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, crack 4 eggs into the pan and season with salt and pepper. Let the eggs crisp on the bottom, then put a lid on the pan and steam just until the whites are cooked through, about 2 minutes. Place the eggs on top of the rice and pass hot sauce at the table.

Cook the green rice, doubling the cilantro and leaving out the mint. Put the cooked rice in a small baking dish, covered with foil, into the fridge. The day of: Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Place the foil-covered baking dish in the oven and cook, stirring once or twice, until warmed through, about 20 minutes. When the rice is hot, remove it from the oven. Toss 1 pound (450g) medium shrimp with extra-virgin olive oil and salt, then grill or broil them. Serve the shrimp over the rice.

I was six years old when my family went to the Bahamas on vacation, and we had the most delicious lime ice cream at dinner one night. It was intensely tart, with green threads of lime zest throughout. I plucked up the courage to ask for the recipe, which I transcribed onto a small slip of paper. The best part? You don’t even need an ice cream machine to make it.

1 Combine the cream, sugar, and lime zest and juice in a large bowl, whisking until the sugar is dissolved. Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least an hour.

2 Freeze the mixture in a wide, shallow container, stirring every 20 minutes, until creamy and frozen, about 2 hours. Cover the container. Don’t be dismayed if the ice cream never gets really hard in your freezer—the texture should be airy and light.

“My family makes a very similar recipe, using lemon zest and juice, and milk instead of cream. Or try Lime Pie Ice Cream: Scoop 2 cups (475ml) of lime ice cream into a bowl. Mash 3 graham crackers into the ice cream. Mix well, then put the bowl in the freezer to firm up the ice cream while you eat. Whip ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream until it just starts to hold soft peaks. Serve scoops of ice cream crowned with dollops of whipped cream. Or Lime Ginger Floats: Scoop lime ice cream into tall glasses. Top with ginger ale.”

Broiled grapefruit is a Southern tradition—one I stand firmly behind. The crisp, sugary crust shatters beneath your spoon like a good crème brûlée, but instead of the cloying richness of custard, juicy, slightly bitter citrus lies underneath. Traditionally eaten for breakfast, broiled grapefruit also makes a great finish to a meal, especially with a scoop of ice cream. To make grapefruit for 4, heat the broiler and position the rack 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13cm) from the flame. Cut 2 grapefruits in half horizontally and slice a bit off the bottoms to allow them to sit flat on a baking sheet. Loosen the segments by cutting around the membranes and pith with a sharp knife. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of demerara sugar and a few grains of salt over each grapefruit half. Broil until deeply caramelized, 8 to 12 minutes. (Watch them carefully so they don’t burn!) Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, squeeze a little lime juice over them, and serve right away, with lime ice cream if you like.

In a perfect world, I would have this simple, versatile syrup in the fridge at all times. To make 2 cups (475ml), thinly slice 2 (6-inch/15cm) bulbs of ginger (don’t worry about peeling it). Combine the ginger with 2 cups (475ml) cold water and 2 cups (400g) sugar in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Let the syrup cool, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

You can use this syrup to make homemade ginger ale (stir 2 tablespoons ginger syrup into 8 ounces/240ml of club soda), or drizzle it over ice cream. Add it to cocktails or to boiling water for a soothing tea. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to spoon some over your morning yogurt.