When combined, the peppery cress and tender, pleasingly bitter frisée creates a salad that's worlds away from the dull mesclun mixes we've become used to. These are salad greens that really taste like something—they don't act solely as a vehicle for other ingredients or a particularly intriguing dressing. It's a salad that's all about the lettuce, and this time of year, it's just right. More
This week we've been focusing on not only vegetarian dishes from The Vegetarian Option by Simon Hopkinson, but also warm weather meals. I thought I'd share a recipe that embodies one of my favorite ways to eat during the warmer months. Instead of spending an hour or two in a hot kitchen, chopping, sautéing, and roasting away, I prefer to make a meal out of what would normally be considered hors d'œuvres or snacks. More
The following recipe is from the May 5 edition of our weekly recipe newsletter. To receive this newsletter in your inbox, sign up here! While many dishes we enjoy eating in warm weather can be consumed year round, chilled soups... More
Asian Fried Turnip Paste might just be the most unappealing recipe title ever. Turnips? (Those pale root vegetables that have never won me over?) And paste, more of a minty glue substitute than a food. Honestly, it sounded horrible until I looked at the photo accompanying the recipe—a beautiful plate of perfectly fried turnip cakes garnished with fresh cilantro leaves and finished with soy sauce. More
This Scallion, Radish, and Cucumber Salad with Cashews and Vermicelli was just right labor- and flavor-wise, but I was concerned it would be too light to pass for an evening meal. I considered adding fish or chicken to serve alongside, but I decided that I'd take the leap and go it alone. It was the epitome of a quick, healthy, and almost vegetarian* meal. More
We can't sustain on brightly dressed young lettuces alone so my thoughts turned to the more substantial salads of summer. This Warm Salad of Asparagus and New Potatoes from The Vegetarian Option by Simon Hopkinson is a wonderful way to make a meal out of the best that your local farmers' market has to offer this time of year. More
If you've been following Erin Zimmer's search for the best hot chocolate in New York (here's a taste) you must be in the mood to make your own serious hot chocolate at home. I know I am, so I was thrilled to come across Simon Hopkinson's easy recipe for hot chocolate in his terrific new book Second Helpings of Roast Chicken. His recipe only made two servings, which is clearly not enough hot chocolate, so I've doubled it. More
Unlike apples and oranges, pears can be a frustrating fruit. It's hard to tell when exactly they should be eaten, and their window of perfect ripeness is small. Who hasn't bought a bowlful of slightly firm pears only to... More
Back in January our own Ed Levine, a self-professed "roast chicken freak," brought you Simon Hopkinson's version of the classic Sunday supper dish, excerpted from his first cookbook, Roast Chicken and Other Stories. In Simon's newest book, Second Helpings... More
Today, mussels are one of the easiest types of seafood to prepare. Most varieties are cultivated on environmentally responsible farms and can be purchased squeaky clean, without a dead one in the bunch. But Simon Hopkinson, author of this... More
