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.
3 tablespoons granulated sugar 3 tablespoons all purpose flour 1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder Pinch salt 2 tablespoons chocolate chips, plus more for topping 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil, melted coconut oil or melted butter 3 tablespoons milk ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract Ice cream, whipped cream, powdered sugar, berries for garnish Instructions Place sugar, flour, cocoa powder and salt in a mug. Use a small whisk or fork, and stir until combined, and free of lumps. Stir in chocolate chips. Add oil, milk and vanilla, stir with a spoon or small rubber spatula until just combined (try not to over mix it).
Sprinkle a few additional chocolate chips over the top and cook in the microwave for about 90 seconds (microwave times may vary). Eat immediately with ice cream, whipped cream, powdered sugar, or berries.
Notes I have a used a 12oz and 16oz mug for this recipe. Although this is a single serving dessert, you can easily split this between 2 adults.
8 ounces button mushrooms(the smaller the better) 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 4 cups water 1 1/2 teaspoons light soy sauce salt (to taste) 2 tablespoons cornstarch (combined into a slurry with 2 tablespoons water, optional) 1/2 cup cilantro (finely chopped) 1 scallion (chopped)
Wash the mushrooms clean of any dirt, and dry them thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel. Detach the stems (you will add them to the soup also).
Place a medium soup pot over medium high heat. When the pan is very hot, add the oil and mushrooms cup-side up in a single layer. (Add the stems in too to avoid waste.)
Reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the mushroom caps are browned, and each cup fills with liquid (that’s the juices in the mushroom seeping out!). Also check the stems for browning. Avoid stirring during this pan-frying process as it’s the key step to developing flavor for this soup. (You also want to keep the mushroom juices in the caps.)
When the mushrooms are nicely browned, add the water and light soy sauce. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes over medium low heat.
Add salt to taste, and stir in the cornstarch slurry (if using). Simmer the soup for 30 seconds until thickened. Just before serving, add the cilantro and scallions. If you like cilantro (like me) this soup can take a lot of cilantro!
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.
Put a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the center rack of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
Put the flour and yogurt in a large bowl and mix with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. (The dough may appear dry and crumbly at first, but it will come together as you mix it.) Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until the dough is smooth and slightly elastic, about 8 minutes, dusting with more flour if necessary. If the dough feels too dry, add water, a tablespoon at a time and continue kneading until it is soft and pliable.
Divide the dough in half, roll into two balls, and then use a rolling pin to roll the balls out into two 10-inch pizza crusts. Dust the back of another inverted baking sheet or pizza peel with more flour, semolina or coarse cornmeal and place a circle of dough on top.
Top the dough round with sauce and shredded cheese as desired, leaving a half-inch bare border around the edge. Slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or baking sheet in the oven. (Alternatively, roll out the dough on a baking sheet, top as desired and put the sheet in the oven to bake.) Cook until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a large spatula, transfer the pizza to a cutting board and let sit 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough round.
1/2 cup (45 grams) grated gruyere, comte, or gouda cheese
1/4 cup (30 grams) grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
Red pepper flakes or freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 large egg or egg yolk (optional, for shine)
Make the crust: Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Sprinkle butter over dough and using a pastry blender or your fingertips, work it into the flour until the mixture resembles small peas. Sprinkle sour cream and 3 tablespoons of water over the mixture and stir/mash it together to combine; it should form large clumps; add last tablespoon water if it does not. Use your hands to bring it together into a single mass. Transfer dough to a large square of parchment paper, patting it into a flatter packet, and wrap it tightly. Chilling it in the fridge until firm, 1 to 2 hours or up to 4 days. You can hasten the firming process along in the freezer, for about 20 minutes.
Make the filling: Hold the asparagus by the tough end (no need to snap it off) and cut the tips into 1-inch segments and the rest of the spears into very thin slices on a sharp angle. In a large bowl, toss with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and set aside for 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine ricotta, gruyere, parmesan, garlic, a pinch of salt, and pepper to taste and set aside.
Drain asparagus in a colander and pat it dry on paper towels. Return it to the empty bowl and toss with olive oil, lemon zest, and pepper to taste. (No need to salt because it will be well-seasoned from the salting step.)
Assemble galette: Heat oven to 400°F. Unwrap firm crust dough and line a large baking sheet with the parchment paper that it was wrapped in. On a floured counter, roll the dough out into a large round-ish shape, about 14 inches across. Gently transfer it to the parchment paper in the pan. Spread ricotta mixture over center, leaving a 3-inch border bare. Spoon asparagus over ricotta layer. Fold the border over the filling, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open.
For a darker, glossier crust, beat an egg or just a yolk with 1 teaspoon of water and brush it over the crust.
Bake galette: For 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden. Serve warm, in wedges.
Do ahead: This galette keeps in the fridge for up to one week. It’s good at room temperature but even better warm, so the cheese is all stretchy again.
Preheat oven to 375° and butter a 9×9-inch baking pan. In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. Add the egg and combine.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk, until well combined. Add the blueberries and fold a few times with a rubber spatula until just combined. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
For the topping:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add the butter and combine until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the top of the batter.
Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
2 pints (20 ounces) cherry tomatoes 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper One 8-ounce block feta cheese, drained 10 ounces mezze rigatoni 1 garlic clove, finely grated 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced Flaky sea salt, for servin lg pinch of thyme
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Toss the cherry tomatoes and olive oil with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and several grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl until combined. Pour into a 2 1/2 to 3-quart baking dish. Place the feta in the center of the tomatoes, then season with a pinch of black pepper, lg pinch of thyme and bury garlic under tomatoes. Bake until the tomatoes have burst and the feta has softened, about 30 minutes. Increase the heat to 425 degrees F, then continue to cook until the tomatoes and feta are golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 13 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water, then drain well.
Right as the tomatoes and feta come out of the oven, stir in the garlic. Use the back of a spoon to smash the tomatoes and feta into a smooth and creamy sauce (it’s OK if some of the oil isn’t fully integrated and combined). Toss in the pasta and half of the basil until evenly coated. Add some pasta water, a couple tablespoons at a time, if the sauce becomes too thick. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining basil and a pinch of flaky sea salt for serving.
Note: since I used a dutch oven my tomatoes did not brown as they were not spread out. Added thyme too.
12 oz. mixed mushrooms (such as maitake, oyster, shiitake, and/or crimini), trimmed, torn into 1″ pieces
1½ tsp. tsp. kosher salt, plus more
2 Tbsp. thyme leaves
1 large shallot, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2¾ cups whole milk
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon
⅓ cup crème fraîche or thinned sour cream
8 oz. regular lasagna noodles, broken in half
4 oz. mozzarella, thinly sliced
Finely grated Parmesan (for serving)
Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large high-sided ovenproof skillet or small Dutch oven over medium-high. Add mushrooms and cook, undisturbed, until starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; mix in thyme.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in skillet. Add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring, until starting to soften, about 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over and cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute.
Add milk, pepper, 1½ tsp. salt, and 1¾ cups water, then finely grate zest of ¼ lemon into pan. Stir to dissolve flour, increase heat to medium, and cook until gently bubbling. Reduce heat to low, whisk in crème fraîche, and stir to combine. Add about one third of noodles, pushing down into sauce to submerge, followed by a third of mushrooms. Repeat with half of remaining noodles and mushrooms. Top with another layer of noodles. Set remaining mushrooms aside. Cover with a lid or foil and cook 15 minutes. (If lasagna threatens to boil over, use very lowest heat and/or prop open the cover.) Uncover; cook, gently lifting and separating noodles occasionally with tongs or a spatula to let sauce flow around, until sauce is thickened and noodles are cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Mixture should be bubbling gently; adjust heat as necessary. Remove from heat.
Heat broiler. Top lasagna with mozzarella and reserved mushrooms. Broil until cheese is bubbling and browned in spots, about 2 minutes. Finely grate more lemon zest over. Sprinkle with Parmesan; season with pepper. Let sit 5–10 minutes. Cut lemon into wedges and serve with lasagna.
