1 (14- to 16-ounce) package extra-firm or firm tofu, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), plus more as needed
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved if large, kept whole if small
1 large red onion, cut into 1/4-inch wedges (about 2 cups)
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 ½ teaspoons balsamic vinegar, plus more for finishing
½ cup fresh cilantro or parsley leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
Heat oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Arrange tofu slices on a clean kitchen towel or on paper towels. Cover with another kitchen towel (or paper towels) and place a flat cutting board or baking pan on top. If your cutting board or pan is lightweight, stack a few cans or a skillet on top to weigh it down. Let tofu drain for at least 15 minutes, and up to 45 minutes.
Transfer tofu to a cutting board and cut slabs into 1-inch cubes. Pat them dry with paper towels and season both sides of the tofu with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon oil, cornstarch, garlic powder (if using) and 1/2 teaspoon of the oregano. Add tofu to cornstarch mixture and gently toss until tofu is evenly coated. Dump tofu onto one side of the prepared sheet pan.
In a large bowl, toss together tomatoes, onion, garlic, balsamic vinegar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil, tossing to combine.
Arrange vegetables on other side of the prepared sheet pan. Bake until tofu is crisp and golden brown, and tomatoes are condensed, 25 to 35 minutes. Halfway through baking, flip tofu and toss vegetables while keeping the tofu and veggies separate.
To serve, sprinkle cilantro on top and drizzle with balsamic and oil, if you’d like.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lay cod fillets in a baking dish and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Combine water and fish bouillon cube in a bowl. Stir to combine and pour over cod.
Mix bread crumbs, butter, parsley, dill, tarragon, salt, and pepper in a bowl with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over cod. Bake in the preheated oven until fish flakes easily with a fork and the crust is golden and crunchy, about 20 minutes.
¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
Black pepper
Torn basil leaves, for serving (optional)
Finely grated Parmesan, for serving
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
Meanwhile, using the large holes of a box grater, grate the cut ends of the tomato into a large bowl. Discard or compost skins. Grate the butter into the bowl as well. Using the small holes of the box grater, grate the garlic into the bowl. Add the red-pepper flakes, and season generously with salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Return the drained pasta to the pot, along with the bowl of grated tomato and butter. Set over medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and glosses the pasta, 2 to 3 minutes (the sauce will thicken as it sits). Add pasta water as needed to emulsify the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with more red-pepper flakes, black pepper, basil and Parmesan as desired.
Do not substitute hulled barley or hull-less barley in this recipe. If using quick-cooking or presteamed barley (read the ingredient list on the package to determine this), you will need to decrease the barley cooking time in step 1.
1½ cups pearl barley Salt and pepper 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground cumin ⅓ cup golden raisins ½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro ¼ cup shelled pistachios, toasted and chopped coarse 3 ounces feta cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes (¾ cup) 6 scallions, green parts only, sliced thin ½ cup pomegranate seeds
1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add barley and 1 tablespoon salt, return to boil, and cook until tender, 20 to 40 minutes. Drain barley, spread onto rimmed baking sheet, and let cool completely, about 15 minutes.
2. Whisk oil, molasses, cinnamon, cumin, and ½ teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add barley, raisins, cilantro, and pistachios and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread barley salad evenly on serving platter and arrange feta, scallions, and pomegranate seeds in separate diagonal rows on top. Drizzle with extra oil and serve Serves 6 to 8
Bring the vegetable stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Trim the cauliflower, then cut into “steaks” about ¾ inch/2cm thick. Lower these into the boiling stock, then decrease the heat so that the stock simmers. Partially cover the pan with a lid and let cook till the cauliflower is soft enough to pierce effortlessly with a skewer — a matter of fifteen minutes or so.
While the cauliflower cooks, warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a shallow pan, then add the breadcrumbs and cook till golden, constantly stirring and tossing so they color evenly. Roughly chop the parsley and pumpkin seeds, and fold into the breadcrumbs with the horseradish. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Blend half the cauliflower steaks to a smooth cream in a blender or food processor with approximately half the hot stock, seasoning as you go.
Warm a glug or two of olive oil in a frying pan, lower in the reserved, cooked cauliflower slices, carefully drained, and fry till golden. Gently turn and cook the other side till lightly crisp around the edges. They may fall apart a little, no matter. Divide the cauliflower purée between two plates, slip the fried cauliflower on top, then season with the crumbs and seeds.
Tips and tricks:
Keeping the slices of cauliflower on the thick side will help the slices hold together. The pieces that stand proud in the stock and cook in the steam are the ones to fry. Those that cook under the liquid are the ones to purée. They will absorb some of the flavors of your stock.
Snippets of crisp bacon, pancetta, or pork crackling could be introduced to the breadcrumb and parsley crumble. A trickle of cream and a handful of grated Pecorino would be a worthwhile addition to the cauliflower purée. The sauce, topped with a little grated Parmesan, could be spooned over the cauliflower and broiled, to create a toasted crust.
2 zucchini (about 12 ounces), washed and wiped free of any clinging grit
1 pint yellow Sungold cherry tomatoes
⅓ cup coarse bread crumbs
In a pot, boil 2 inches of water for blanching tomatoes. Place an 8- or 9-inch cast-iron skillet on a burner over low heat, and add butter to melt.
Peel the potatoes, and slice on a Japanese mandoline into 1/4-inch-thick disks, then arrange in a single layer circle covering the bottom of the cast-iron skillet with its melted butter, keeping the skillet on the burner and leaving the heat on while you start to build the tian.
Add a second layer of potato slices, and season with salt and pepper, add a drizzle of olive oil and cover with a lid to slightly steam while you slice the yellow onion.
Peel the onion, then slice into even ¼-inch or thinner rounds. The Japanese mandoline is sometimes too narrow to use for this, so you may have to use a sharp knife and do it manually.
Layer abundantly half the onion rings evenly around the pan on top of the steamed potatoes, season with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil, and recover the pan with a lid while you slice the zucchini.
Slice the zucchini into ¼-inch-thick rounds, and layer half of them in concentric, just-overlapping shingled circles over the onions to create a neat layer. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with oil and recover with the lid while you blanch the tomatoes.
Season the now-boiling water with a few good pinches of salt, and drop the tomatoes into the boiling water. As soon as their skins split — about 30 seconds — retrieve the tomatoes and run under cold water to quickly cool enough to handle; set aside.
Build another ring of potato around the tian on top of the now-steaming zucchini, this time just a single layer. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper and recover with the lid to steam a bit while you slip the skins off the tomatoes.
Layer the other half of the onions as before, season and drizzle and replace the lid as before, while you split the tomatoes in half horizontally with a small sharp knife.
Add final layer of zucchini to the tian, and season with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Cover, and let steam while you heat the oven to 375 degrees.
Place the tomatoes around the top of the tian evenly, and sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top evenly. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper and place in the oven to bake for 30 minutes. (If your skillet threatens to bubble over, slip a sheet pan underneath to prevent any burned wreckage in the bottom of your oven.)
With a spoon, baste, and drizzle the pan juices that accumulate in the tian over the top when you remove it from the oven at the end. Allow the tian to cool, settle and kind of meld for an hour before eating.
1 ½ pounds baby zucchini or summer squash (or use regular zucchini on the smaller side), ends trimmed and halved lengthwise
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese
¼ cup torn basil or mint leaves, or a combination
Flaky sea salt (optional)
Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high for 2 minutes. (This will help you get a good sear.) Heat the oil, and when it shimmers, salt the zucchini and add it cut-side down in one layer (you will need to do this in two batches), and cook, undisturbed, until it begins to turn golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes more on the other side. Remove from the pan and set aside on a serving plate; repeat with remaining zucchini.
While the second batch cooks, add the pepper to a small saucepan and toast over medium heat until it becomes fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the butter (it will quickly foam), and stir until the butter melts and the foam subsides. Remove from heat. Quickly add the grated cheese and stir vigorously to prevent the cheese from sticking to the bottom of the pan. It will melt in spots, it will crisp in spots and it will form frico-like clumps.These are all good things!
Spoon the butter over the seared zucchini, making sure to catch all the black pepper and fried cheese bits, and shower with the herbs. Season with flaky salt, if you please.
4 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick planks
Fine sea salt
½ cup panko bread crumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan
4 anchovy fillets, minced
1 garlic clove, finely grated or mashed to a paste
½ teaspoon herbes de Provence or dried oregano
Pinch of red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
4 ounces mozzarella, grated (about 1 cup)
Black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped, pitted black or green olives
2 tablespoons torn basil or parsley leaves
Lemon wedges, for serving
Heat broiler. Brush a rimmed sheet pan with olive oil, then lay the zucchini out in an even layer. Brush zucchini with more oil and sprinkle generously with salt.
Broil until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip and broil until golden in spots, 4 to 6 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss together bread crumbs, Parmesan, anchovies, garlic, herbes de Provence or oregano, red-pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add 2 tablespoons oil and use your fingers to rub oil, garlic and anchovies into the crumbs.
When zucchini is browned on both sides, turn off broiler and set oven to 500 degrees. Sprinkle zucchini with mozzarella, then bread crumb mixture; generously drizzle with oil. Bake until cheese melts and bread crumbs turn golden, about 4 minutes.
Grind black pepper over top and drizzle with more oil, if needed. Top zucchini with olives, basil and additional red-pepper flakes, if desired, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.
8 scallions, dark green parts and white parts separated
1 Tbsp. finely grated peeled ginger (from about one 1” piece)
3 Tbsp. neutral oil, divided
1½ lb. skinless, boneless cod, cut into 2” pieces
1 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into piece
Rinse rice in several changes of cold water in a medium bowl until water runs clear. Drain well, then transfer to a small saucepan. Pour in 1¼ cups cold water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Give rice a stir so grains don’t stick to the bottom. Cover pot and reduce heat to lowest setting. Cook, undisturbed, until water is evaporated and rice is tender, 18–20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, still covered, 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, thinly slice dark green scallion parts into rounds. Thinly slice white parts on a steep diagonal. Keep separated.
Mix ginger and 2 Tbsp. oil in a medium bowl. Add cod; season with salt and plenty of pepper (about 2 tsp.). Toss to coat.
Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add cod and cook, undisturbed, until golden underneath, about 2 minutes. Turn fish pieces, then scatter white scallion parts over. Cook, shaking the pan a bit, until fish is cooked through and some scallions are caramelized and some are just slightly softened, about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.
Stir vinegar and sugar in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Stir into rice. Add butter and sliced scallion greens; gently stir until butter melts. Season with salt.
Transfer rice to a platter and top with fish; pour any pan juices over.
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped 2 avocados, chopped 1 small onion, chopped ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 lime, juiced 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 8 eaches corn tortillas 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 cup cooked white rice 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 1 dash green pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®), or to taste
Step 1 Mix tomatoes, avocados, onion, 1/4 cup cilantro, and garlic together in a bowl. Drizzle lime juice over tomato mixture; toss to coat.
Step 2 Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Arrange tortillas, 2 at a time, in hot oil; cook until crisp, about 1 minute per side. Remove tortillas using tongs and repeat with remaining tortillas.
Step 3 Spoon 2 tablespoons black beans and 2 tablespoons cooked rice onto each crisp tortilla; top with tomato mixture. Garnish tacos using remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro and green pepper sauce.
