Latest posts
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grilled tuna; grilled Thai eggplant; cherry tomatoes; arugula
Categories: Meals at homenightshades, with a little fish on the side The meal ended up a great mix of flavors (and colors, clearly) but it was almost entirely fortuitous, to the extent that I feel my role was only to only to guide it into place. I had bought the tuna in the morning, and the red grape tomatoes in the picture,…
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cacio e pepe ravioli, garlic, heirloom tomato, oregano
Categories: Meals at homeThis can be put onto the table in half an hour; no exaggeration. Unable to give any more time than that to preparing dinner, I did just that two nights ago. You have to have all the ingredients, or similar ingredients, perhaps even more ingredients, already in your kitchen. Although it may not be really necessary, since the pasta cooks…
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grilled scallops on a bed of salsify, wreathed in arugula
Categories: Meals at homenot an Advent wreath, but it does look festive; probably tastes much better For years I had been trying very hard to find a way to use salsify. The vegetable had long fascinated me, at least partly for its homeliness. The fact that I could find almost nothing in the way of a recipe in any…
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spaghetti chitarra with smoked eel, garlic, chili, pangrattato
Categories: Meals at homeIt was the second time I had cooked this delicious simple dish, an adaptation of the one found on this site. The extraordinary complexity of flavors, considering the minimal list of ingredients, was still a surprise; it was just as good this time around, and just about impossible to be satisfied with just one serving. We didn’t have…
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bacon and eggs, toast, and then some
Categories: Meals at homeWe rarely have anything but a pretty basic breakfast, even on weekends, probably because we already get up so late that we don’t want to put off the day any more than we would already have by then. But sometimes a breakfast can’t really be thought of as ‘putting off the day’. This one, of bacon, eggs, toast,…
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shrimp sautéed with chipotle, saffron, cumin; yellow beans
Categories: Meals at homeseconds after the shrimp were placed in a seasoned 10-pound cast iron pan With the arrival of Eco Shrimp Garden to the Friday Union Square Greenmarket, I now can buy fish on a single day which can serve as meals for two consecutive days. The very fresh decapoda, pulled out of water the same day they are sold, can keep for the next (actually, and…
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tilefish with herbs; baby chaucha potatoes; collards
Categories: Meals at homecute spuds No, not all white fish tastes the same. Like us, the Tilefish loves crab and lobster, which may help to explain why we love Tilefish. But, contrary to what some people say or write about it, while the flesh is lean, tender and particularly sweet, no one will mistake it for crab or lobster; more…
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chorizo, chickpeas, garlic, pimenton, sherry, parlsey
Categories: Meals at homesomething to keep up one’s sleeve, for emergencies, whether or not the emergencies involve unexpected guests It’s always the same simple recipe, worked by the same cook, and in the same kitchen, but it turns out a little differently each time, and not just in its appearance. I have to assume the source of most, it…
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monkfish with potato, olives, bay, fennel; arugula, tomato
Categories: Meals at homeIt’s very hard for me to imagine anyone dreaming up this recipe for the first time. It wouldn’t seem to be a natural approach for preparing any fish, but its author, Mark Bittman, says, “The recipe can be finished with almost any firm fish fillet.” Here we have a piece, or pieces, of a familiar, undramatic white fish fillet, and…
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penne, fennel seed, garlic, red onion, tiny peppers, oregano
Categories: Meals at homeYes, it seem that this meal was genuinely vegan, but we only realized it after we had sat down to it (which tell us all something about our usual dining habits). In any event, it was really, really good, and also an excellent companion to a good bottle of wine, something I would worry about if I were…