One of my favorite meals in the world is Leo Maya's Chicken with Green Sauce, a recipe Mario Batali shared with Serious Eaters a few years ago. It's simple, direct, and aggressive. Tomatillos are blended up with lime juice, cilantro, and serranos, then poured into a large pot with a chicken thighs. It's a perfect dish for those tired of bland chicken dishes. More

If there was every a good time to tackle a recipe requiring 5 pounds of asparagus, it's now. All those spears are grilled, pureed, and then topped with a gremolata to make a soup that's a pleasant break from my usual asparagus preparations. More

If you asked me ten years ago if I would ever consider becoming a vegetarian, my answer would have been, "Hell no," followed by a string of surprisingly vicious obscenities. You might have cried. And I wouldn't have felt bad about it afterward. But dishes like this West African Vegetable Stew are just as filling and flavorful as meaty ones. Healthy as hell and simple to make, it possesses a wonderful sweet heat and heartiness. More

[Photograph: JoePhoto] Homemade chicken stock and broth is an all-day affair—not very labor-intensive, but time-consuming. Once every month or two I chose a day when I am free from obligations and when my crisper drawer is brimming with vegetables that... More