stress-free appetizers to kick off the evening
prosciutto-wrapped figs with gorgonzola
warm marinated artichoke hearts and olives
baked goat cheese with olive oil and herbs
smoked salmon with herbed crème fraîche and potato chips
the art of making a good salad
a winning salad dressing (and more)
broccolini with browned butter
get organized
Before you start cooking, it’s a good idea to read your recipes through carefully so you understand the timing and can plan accordingly. There is nothing more aggravating than getting involved in a recipe and suddenly realizing you should have planned on marinating or chilling time. Prepping all your ingredients ahead (known as mise en place) is also a good practice and will help ensure everything goes smoothly.
keep it simple
Unless you’re the type of cook that likes to pull out all the stops for Sunday dinner, we suggest you put most of your energy into the main course of your choosing and rely on simple sides or a salad to round things out. Regardless of your cooking experience or style, you’ll find lots of options across this book, plus an array of starters and sides, to add to the mix.
welcome help
If friends or family want to pitch in, it’s a bonus and frees you up to concentrate on the main course. And in the process, you’ll have more time to enjoy your weekend. Make assignments if you can!
declutter your kitchen
No matter how many people you’re cooking for, it’s helpful to get your kitchen completely cleaned up and organized before you start. A messy kitchen just adds to your stress level, and you don’t want your guests walking in on any chaos. Starting with a clean sink and an empty dishwasher is super helpful, too.
If you like to think about categories of recipes when planning your Sunday dinners, then this fun matrix may inspire your selection whether you are looking for a homey casserole, a one-dish meal, or something that requires almost no effort to pull off.
hands-off recipes for the harried cook
• slow-roasted pork shoulder with peach sauce
• french chicken in a pot with red potatoes, carrots, and shallots
last-minute wonders
• mussels marinara with spaghetti
• seared scallops with squash puree and sage butter
just add bread and wine
• cod in saffron broth with chorizo and potatoes
• roasted pork chops and vegetables with parsley vinaigrette
crowd pleasers
italy’s greatest hits
sure to impress
• pomegranate-braised beef short ribs with prunes and sesame
• prosciutto-wrapped cod with lemon-caper butter
the mighty casserole
• mexican lasagna with pork, corn, and pinto beans
• baked ziti with broccoli rabe and sausage
• mediterranean-style shrimp and orzo casserole
set a nice table (it’s sunday, after all)
There’s no time for formality on busy weeknights, but come Sunday night, it’s always nice to slow down and carve out time for family and friends. Candles, a tablecloth, and your favorite dishes definitely signal that it’s a chance to slow down and unwind with a meal uniting everyone, even if for a short time.
have dinner on the early side
Weekends are precious, so the last thing you want to be doing late on a Sunday is scrubbing pots and washing wine glasses by hand. Plus, no one wants to be out late and face starting the work week with a sleep deficit. Do yourself a favor and eat early rather than fashionably late. You’ll be glad you did.
serve it family style
Many of the recipes in this book are well suited to serving family style, whether you’re putting a beautiful casserole right on the table or assembling the main course and sides on a single large platter to pass around. It’s a nice way to connect around the table; plus, it eliminates fussy in-kitchen plating and minimizes dealing with individual serving dishes later.
stress-free appetizers to kick off the evening
For a casual supper, we think appetizers are optional, but if you want to put out something for everyone to nibble on, here are some simple options that will satisfy but not push you over the limit in terms of time or energy.
prosciutto-wrapped figs with gorgonzola
serves 8 to 10
2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese
16 fresh figs, stemmed and halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon honey
16 thin slices prosciutto (8 ounces), cut in half lengthwise
Mound 1 teaspoon Gorgonzola into center of each fig half. Microwave honey in bowl to loosen, about 10 seconds, then drizzle over cheese. Wrap prosciutto securely around figs, leaving fig ends uncovered. Secure prosciutto with toothpicks and serve.
serves 4 to 5
3 ripe avocados
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1. Halve 1 avocado, remove pit, and scoop flesh into medium bowl. Add cilantro, jalapeño, onion, lime juice, garlic, ¾ teaspoon salt, and cumin and mash with potato masher (or fork) until mostly smooth.
2. Halve and pit remaining 2 avocados. Carefully make ½-inch crosshatch incisions in flesh with butter knife, cutting down to but not through skin. Insert spoon between skin and flesh, gently scoop out avocado cubes, and add to mashed mixture. Gently mash until mixture is well combined but still coarse. Season with salt to taste. Serve.
serves 8 to 10
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound pecans, cashews, walnuts, or whole unblanched almonds
⅔ cup superfine sugar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 275 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk egg white, water, and salt together in medium bowl. Add nuts and toss to coat. Let nuts drain in colander for 5 minutes.
2. Mix sugar, cumin, cayenne, and paprika together in clean medium bowl. Add drained nuts and toss to coat. Spread nuts evenly over prepared baking sheets. Bake until nuts are dry and crisp, about 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Let nuts cool completely on baking sheets, about 30 minutes. Break nuts apart and serve. (Nuts can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week.)
variation
curry-spiced nuts
Reduce cumin to 1 teaspoon and substitute 1 teaspoon curry powder for cayenne.
warm marinated artichoke hearts and olives
serves 6 to 8
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups jarred whole artichoke hearts packed in water, halved and patted dry
Salt and pepper
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 (2-inch) strips lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
4 ounces feta cheese, cut into ½-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1. Heat 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon oil and heat until shimmering. Add artichoke hearts and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until spotty brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in thyme sprigs, lemon zest, garlic, fennel seeds, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Stir in olives and remaining oil. Reduce heat to low and cook until flavors meld and mixture is heated through, about 20 minutes.
3. Discard thyme sprigs and lemon zest, if desired. Gently stir in feta and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve.
baked goat cheese with olive oil and herbs
serves 8
12 ounces goat cheese
⅓ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
½ teaspoon orange or lemon zest, grated
½ teaspoon dried herbes de Provence
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Crackers or thinly sliced baguette
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Using dental floss, slice chilled 12-ounce log of goat cheese into ⅓-inch-thick rounds. Shingle cheese into small casserole dish or shallow ovensafe bowl. Combine olive oil, honey, orange zest, herbes de Provence, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes in small bowl, then pour mixture over cheese. Bake cheese until oil is bubbling and cheese begins to brown around edges, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm with crackers or thinly sliced baguette.
smoked salmon with herbed crème fraîche and potato chips
serves 8
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup crème fraîche
3 tablespoons minced fresh dill
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
Salt and pepper
12 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut into 1½-inch pieces
1 bag kettle-cooked potato chips
Microwave cream cheese in bowl until very soft, 20 to 25 seconds. Whisk in crème fraîche, dill, chives, and lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until flavors meld, at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days. Transfer dip to serving bowl with spoon or spreader and serve alongside salmon and potato chips.
the art of making a good salad
We’ve all experienced limp, over-dressed salads or a carelessly assembled bowl of mixed greens with bottled dressings on the side. We think there is an art to making a beautiful salad, and it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to make a complicated homemade salad dressing (the vinaigrette on the next page is a winner and easy to make). All you really need is fresh greens, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, and a large wooden salad bowl. Make this once and you’ll have it mastered forever.
rub bowl with garlic For just a hint of garlic flavor, rub inside of salad bowl with half clove of peeled garlic before adding lettuce.
add washed greens Add washed and dried salad greens to bowl. We suggest 2 lightly packed cups per person for a side salad.
drizzle with oil Slowly drizzle greens with extra-virgin olive oil. Toss greens gently and repeat drizzling and tossing as needed until greens are lightly coated.
season with vinegar, salt, and pepper Finally, sprinkle greens with small amounts of vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste while tossing gently until salad tastes just right.
how to measure salad greens
For a side salad we usually call for 2 cups lightly packed greens per person. To lightly pack greens, simply drop them by the handful into a measuring cup, then gently pat down, using your fingertips rather than the palm of your hand. We like to measure greens for a salad using a very large glass measuring cup.
washing and drying salad greens
To make a great salad, the only thing that is more critical than using crisp, fresh greens is using clean, dry greens. Trying to dress a salad while the greens are still wet is a losing battle—the dressing slides off, and the water from the greens will dilute the dressing. We believe that the only foolproof method for drying them is to use a salad spinner.
to wash greens Fill a salad spinner bowl with cool water, add cut greens, and gently swish them around. Do not run water directly over the greens, as the force can bruise them. Using your hands, gently move the greens to loosen grit, which will fall to the bottom of the bowl. Use the sink if you need to clean large amounts of greens.
to dry greens Dry greens in a salad spinner, stopping several times to dump out excess moisture. Keep spinning greens until no more moisture accumulates. After spinning them, we like to blot greens dry with paper towels; even the best salad spinners don’t dry greens completely.
a winning salad dressing (and more)
Most homemade salad dressings will keep only for a day or two in the fridge, but we developed this make-ahead vinaigrette, which is handy for busy home cooks. In addition to oil and vinegar, we made this vinaigrette foolproof with a combination of mayonnaise and molasses, which helped stabilize the emulsion. We used a 2:1 ratio of extra-virgin olive oil to vegetable oil, which prevented the oil molecules from solidifying in the refrigerator while still allowing the distinct flavor of the olive oil to come through.
make-ahead vinaigrette
makes about 1 cup
Regular or light mayonnaise can be used in this recipe. Do not use blackstrap molasses. You can substitute toasted hazelnut or walnut oil for the extra-virgin olive oil.
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup wine vinegar
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup vegetable oil
1. Combine mayonnaise, molasses, mustard, and salt in 2-cup jar with tight-fitting lid. Stir with fork until mixture is milky in appearance and no lumps of mayonnaise or molasses remain. Add vinegar, seal jar, and shake until smooth, about 10 seconds.
2. Add ¼ cup olive oil, seal jar, and shake vigorously until thoroughly combined, about 10 seconds. Repeat, adding remaining ¼ cup olive oil and vegetable oil in 2 additions, shaking vigorously until thoroughly combined after each addition. (After third addition, vinaigrette should be glossy and lightly thickened, with no pools of oil on its surface.) Refrigerate for up to 1 week. Shake briefly before using.
makes 4 cups
Homemade croutons are easy to make and they taste far better than those you can buy. You can make good croutons using nearly any type of bread, from stale pieces of baguette to the end slices of a sandwich loaf.
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon salt
4 cups (½-inch) bread cubes
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk oil, garlic, and salt together in large bowl, add bread, and toss to coat. Spread bread onto rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Let croutons cool before serving. (Store at room temperature in airtight container for up to 1 week.)
variation
parmesan croutons
Increase oil to 6 tablespoons and stir 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese into oil with garlic and salt.
how to store salad greens
For crisp lettuce, such as iceberg and romaine, core the lettuce, wrap it in moist paper towels, and refrigerate in a partially open plastic produce bag or zipper-lock bag. For leafy greens, such as arugula, baby spinach, and mesclun, store in the original plastic container or bag if prewashed. If not prewashed, wash and dry thoroughly in a salad spinner and store directly in the spinner between layers of paper towels, or lightly roll in paper towels and store in a zipper-lock bag left slightly open.
For tender lettuce, such as Boston and Bibb, if the lettuce comes with the roots attached, leave the lettuce portion attached to the roots and store in the original plastic container, a plastic produce bag, or a zipper-lock bag left slightly open. If the lettuce is without roots, wrap it in moist paper towels and refrigerate in a plastic produce bag or a zipper-lock bag left slightly open.
Some of the recipes in this book cry out for mashed potatoes or creamy polenta. And it’s always handy to have a simple and foolproof recipe for rice to accompany a stir-fry or round out a meal. So here are some tried and true favorites for starches, along with a couple of welcome green vegetables that work well with recipes from across the book.
serves 8
Do not use pencil-thin asparagus here. For quick asparagus trimming, cut off all of the tough ends at once while the bunch is still banded together.
3 pounds asparagus, trimmed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
½ lemon
Adjust oven rack 3 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Toss asparagus with oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Lay asparagus, in same direction, on rimmed baking sheet. Broil, shuffling asparagus from top to bottom every few minutes, until spears are tender and tips begin to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Squeeze lemon over spears and serve.
serves 6 to 8
Avoid instant and quick-cooking products, as well as whole-grain, stone-ground, and regular cornmeal. Do not omit the baking soda—it reduces the cooking time and makes for a creamier polenta.
7½ cups water
Salt and pepper
Pinch baking soda
1½ cups coarse-ground cornmeal
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (2 cups), plus extra for serving
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1. Bring water to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in 1½ teaspoons salt and baking soda. Slowly pour cornmeal into water in steady stream while stirring back and forth with wooden spoon. Bring mixture to boil, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to lowest setting and cover.
2. After 5 minutes, whisk polenta to smooth out any lumps that may have formed, about 15 seconds. (Make sure to scrape down sides and bottom of pan.) Cover and continue to cook, without stirring, until grains of polenta are tender but slightly al dente, about 25 minutes longer. (Polenta should be loose and should barely hold its shape but will continue to thicken as it cools.)
3. Off heat, stir in Parmesan and butter, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Serve with extra Parmesan.
broccolini with browned butter
serves 8
You will need at least a 6-quart Dutch oven for this recipe. Make sure to watch the butter closely as it browns in step 3; it can go from nutty brown to black and burnt in a matter of seconds.
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds broccolini, trimmed
Salt and pepper
¾ cup water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add broccolini and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to medium, add water, and cover. Cook broccolini, tossing often, until bright green but still crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, tossing often, until water has evaporated, and broccolini is tender, 5 to 7 minutes longer. Transfer to large bowl.
3. Add butter to now-empty pot and melt over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally, until butter is browned and has nutty aroma, 2 to 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in garlic, thyme, pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broccolini, toss to coat evenly with browned butter, and serve.
serves 4 to 6
Do not substitute large-grain couscous (also known as pearl or Israeli couscous) here; it requires a much different cooking method. To make this dish vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth. This recipe can be easily doubled.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups couscous
1 cup water
1 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper
Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add couscous and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add water, broth, and ½ teaspoon salt and stir briefly to combine. Cover, remove pan from heat, and let stand until grains are tender, about 7 minutes. Uncover, fluff grains with fork, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
variation
couscous with curry and mint
Stir 1½ teaspoons curry powder and 2 minced garlic cloves into toasted couscous and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds, before adding liquids and salt. Gently fold 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint into couscous before serving.
quinoa pilaf with herbs and lemon
serves 4 to 6
If you buy unwashed quinoa, rinse the grains in a fine-mesh strainer, drain them, and then spread them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a dish towel and let them dry for 15 minutes before proceeding with the recipe. Any soft herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, chives, mint, and tarragon, can be used.
1½ cups prewashed quinoa
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
1 small onion, chopped fine
¾ teaspoon salt
1¾ cups water
3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1. Toast quinoa in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until quinoa is very fragrant and makes continuous popping sound, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer quinoa to bowl and set aside.
2. Return now-empty pan to medium-low heat and melt butter. Add onion and salt; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and light golden, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Increase heat to medium-high, stir in water and quinoa, and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until grains are just tender and liquid is absorbed, 18 to 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking. Remove pan from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff quinoa with fork, stir in herbs and lemon juice, and serve.
serves 6 to 8
For an accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a full kettle of water to a boil and then measure out the desired amount. Basmati, jasmine, or Texmati rice can be substituted for the long-grain rice.
4½ cups boiling water
2⅔ cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine boiling water, rice, oil, and ¾ teaspoon salt in 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Cover dish tightly with double layer of aluminum foil. Bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove dish from oven, uncover, and fluff rice with fork, scraping up any rice that has stuck to bottom. Re-cover dish with foil and let rice sit for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
serves 8
Use a light-colored traditional skillet instead of a darker nonstick skillet for this recipe to easily monitor the butter’s browning.
⅓ cup sliced almonds
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 pounds green beans, trimmed
½ cup water
Salt
1. Toast almonds in large skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, until just golden, about 6 minutes. Add butter and cook, stirring constantly, until butter is golden brown and has nutty aroma, about 3 minutes. Transfer almond mixture to bowl and stir in lemon juice.
2. Add green beans, water, and ½ teaspoon salt to now-empty skillet. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until green beans are nearly tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook over medium-high heat until liquid evaporates, 3 to 5 minutes. Off heat, add reserved almond mixture to skillet and toss to combine. Season with salt to taste. Serve.
serves 8 to 10
Cutting the potatoes into ½-inch pieces ensures that maximum surface area is exposed to soak up garlicky flavor.
4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, quartered, and cut into ½-inch pieces
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
12 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1½ cups half-and-half
Salt and pepper
1. Place cut potatoes in colander. Rinse under cold running water until water runs clear. Drain thoroughly.
2. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and sugar and cook, stirring often, until sticky and straw-colored, 3 to 4 minutes. Add rinsed potatoes, 1¼ cups half-and-half, ½ cup water, and 1 teaspoon salt to pot and stir to combine. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and most of liquid is absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Off heat, add remaining 8 tablespoons butter to pot and mash with potato masher until smooth. Using rubber spatula, fold in remaining ¼ cup half-and-half until liquid is absorbed and potatoes are creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
