Yakitori-Style Salmon With Scallions and Zucchini

Yakitori-Style Salmon With Scallions and Zucchini

Yakitori is a Japanese dish in which boneless chicken pieces seasoned with salt (shio) and a soy basting sauce (tare) are threaded onto bamboo skewers and grilled over a charcoal fire. This weeknight meal borrows the flavors of traditional yakitori and applies it to salmon and vegetables. A salty-sweet sauce of soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, garlic and ginger doubles as a glaze and serving sauce. Tossed with greens, the leftover salmon and vegetables make a nice salad the next day, and the sauce keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week. Brush it onto chicken or pork chops before roasting, or use it to season your next clean-out-the-fridge fried rice.

Yield: 4 servings

¼ cup canola oil, plus more for greasing

1 tablespoon minced garlic (from about 3 cloves)

1 tablespoon minced ginger (from a 1-inch piece)

⅔ cup low-sodium soy sauce

⅓ cup turbinado sugar

2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 pound small zucchini (about 3), trimmed and sliced ⅛-inch-thick

8 scallions, trimmed, halved lengthwise, if large, and cut into 2-inch pieces

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 pounds boneless, skinless salmon fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces

Lemon wedges, for serving

In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-low. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add ⅔ cup water, plus the soy sauce, sugar and vinegar, and bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, 1 to 2 minutes. Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and whisk into sauce. Simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of sauce for basting, and transfer remaining sauce to a small bowl, for serving.

Heat a grill, or a lightly greased cast-iron griddle or grill pan over medium. Season zucchini and scallions with salt and pepper and toss with 2 tablespoons oil. Thread onto wooden skewers that have been soaked in water or metal ones. Season salmon with salt and pepper and toss with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Thread onto skewers.

Grill, basting with sauce and turning every few minutes, until salmon and vegetables are caramelized and cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes for salmon and 12 to 15 minutes for vegetables. Serve with lemon wedges and reserved sauce for dipping.

TIP: I make yakitori on my Weber a lot and I use a trick from Steven Raichlens Barbeque Bible. Use two flat bricks (like pavers) on the grill with a 4 or 5 inch space between them. Lay skewers on them and they'll get direct heat but won't touch the grate and sticking problems will be greatly reduced.

I made this for dinner tonight, and I think I'm usually a good cook, but this was shockingly good - I felt like I was eating a restaurant quality meal. I did use brown sugar, and I cooked under the broiler (~12 min for the veg, ~8 for the salmon) because I didn't feel like getting the grill going and I don't have a grill pan or cast iron skillet. Made everything else as directed. The sauce in particular is amazing. Served with rice. Will definitely make again.

We made this a few days ago - this is delicious. We BBQ'd the salmon and veggies. The next time we make this, we will change:

-With 2 tbsp Cornstarch, the sauce was quite thick (hard to baste with). Will cut down to 1.5 tbsp

-We used Coho salmon, and BBQ time was 8 mins.

-The green onions on the edges of the skewers charred quite a bit (if you don't want this much charring, sandwich them in between the zucchini).

Try using two flat pavers on the grill with a space between them - about 4 or 5 inches. Lay skewers on pavers with the meat over the gap between them and exposed to direct heat. They'll cook nicely, the skewers won't turn to ash and the meat won't stick to the grate. I learned this from Steven Raichlens BBQ Bible.

Connecticut-Style Lobster Rolls

Connecticut-Style Lobster Rolls

Connecticut-style lobster rolls celebrate the pure flavor of lobster, simply warming the cooked meat in melted butter to bring out its inherent sweetness and preserve its plump texture. (Maine-style typically serve chilled lobster meat tossed with mayonnaise.) The approach is simple: Toast your buns in butter until golden, then heat the cooked lobster in the same skillet just until warmed. The use of salted butter seasons the meat, so no extra salt is required (though seasoning to taste is never discouraged). Although the optional celery seed is not traditional, its herbal brightness nicely highlights the seafood flavor. Serve these lobster rolls with potato chips and tangy coleslaw for a classic summer meal.

Yield: 2 lobster rolls

4 tablespoons salted butter

2 top-split hot dog buns

6 to 8 ounces cooked lobster meat (see Boiled Lobster recipe), coarsely chopped

Chopped chives, for garnish

A few pinches of celery seeds (optional)

In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium. Add buns and toast the two outer sides until lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. (Watch carefully, as the second side will toast faster than the first.) Transfer buns to two individual plates. Rinse skillet under cold water to cool off the pan.

Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter to the skillet and melt over low. Add lobster meat and gently warm it, tilting the skillet as needed to frequently baste the lobster until just warmed through, about 2 minutes.

Divide lobster between the toasted buns and drizzle on the butter sauce. Garnish with chives and celery seeds, if using. Serve immediately.

Chez Panisse’s Blueberry Cobbler

Chez Panisse’s Blueberry Cobbler

This cobbler, which comes from the kitchens of Chez Panisse, prizes the berries above all, using only ⅓ cup of sugar. The dough rounds for the top are placed so they don’t cover all the berries, and the juice from the berries bubbles up around the dough. 

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

THE BERRIES

4 ½ cups fresh blueberries

⅓ cup sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

THE DOUGH

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 ½ tablespoons sugar

2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

¾ cup heavy cream, plus additional for serving, if desired

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. To prepare the berries, place in a bowl and toss with the sugar and flour. Set aside.

To make the dough, mix the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder in a bowl. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the cream and mix lightly, just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Put the blueberries in a 1 ½-quart gratin or baking dish. Make patties out of the dough, 2 to 2 ½ inches in diameter and ½-inch thick. Arrange them over the top of the berries. Bake until the topping is brown and the juices bubble thickly around it, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Let cool slightly. Serve warm, with cream to pour on top, if desired.

TIP: Delicious and very easy! I added some lemon zest and lemon juice to the berry/sugar/flour mixture to bring out the taste of the blueberries and it was amazing!

4 1/2 cups = 27 oz = 765 grams fresh blueberries

About as easy as dessert gets, added a dash of cinnamon and replaced the cream with buttermilk because buttermilk makes everything better. Served it to my foodie pals with local vanilla ice cream, everyone loved it. I have about a dozen cobbler recipes, this one is now number one.

Jalapeño Grilled Pork Chops

Jalapeño Grilled Pork Chops 

Juicy jalapeños offer discernible heat, but they have a higher purpose beyond that: They provide welcome freshness with their distinct vegetal flavor. When blitzed with aromatic cilantro stems and plenty of garlic, jalapeños transform into a punchy marinade that flavors and tenderizes pork chops gloriously, and tinges them a bright Reptar-Bar green, too. That brilliant color, evidence of the chlorophyll in the peppers and herbs, stays vibrant even after a fiery kiss on the grill.

Yield: 4 servings

FOR THE PORK CHOPS

5 large jalapeños, stemmed

5 large garlic cloves, peeled

1 bunch cilantro stems, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 packed cup)

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

½ cup olive oil, plus more for cooking

1 tablespoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

8 thin-cut, bone-in pork loin chops (½-inch thick)

FOR THE RELISH

1 large jalapeño, thinly sliced into rings

1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rings

⅓ cup rice vinegar

1 teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Cilantro leaves and tender stems, for garnish

Cilantro rice or cooked white rice, for serving (optional)

Make the pork chops: In a food processor, blitz the jalapeños, garlic, cilantro stems, rice vinegar, olive oil, salt and sugar until smooth. Place the pork chops in a large bowl or resealable container and pour the marinade over them; turn the chops to evenly coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

While the chops marinate, prepare a charcoal grill for direct high-heat cooking, or heat a gas grill to medium-high.

Make the relish: In a small bowl, toss the jalapeño, red onion, rice vinegar, salt, sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Set aside to quick-pickle until ready to serve, or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Carefully grease the grill grate: Use tongs to grip a wadded paper towel dipped in oil and then rub the grates with the oiled towel. With the marinade clinging to them, place the pork chops on the hot greased grate. Grill until the chops are charred at the edges and no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 3 minutes per side. The meat is ready to flip when it releases easily from the grates. (If using a gas grill, close the lid between flips.) Alternatively, cook the chops on the stovetop in batches. Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high. Add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan, and heat until shimmering. Add the chops, with the marinade clinging to them, to the pan. Sear until browned and caramelized at the edges and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Discard any remaining marinade.

Serve the chops with the relish and cilantro on top. If you’d like, serve rice alongside.

TIP: Best pork chop recipe on NYT recipes! Did scrap seeds from a few jalapenos but after cooking this, there is no need. Marinated for 7 hours. Relish is absolutely essential to this and just crazy good. Suggest fixing relish several hours ahead and refrigerating. Grilling thin chops is notorious for typically tuff meat. Not here. Used 1/2" as suggested but next time will probably up the chops to 3/4, but that's not a given. Fixed cilantro rice recipe also. Fabulous meal! Thanks Mr. Kim

I loved this recipe! The cilantro rice was addictive, with the juice of 5 limes, rather than what the recipe called for. With all the jalapenos, one would think the chops would be wildly spicy, but it was flavorful with practically no heat. (Not that I don't love heat!) The relish was refreshing and superb!

Despite the thinness of the chops, they were tender and far from dry. Another bonus--speedy cooking time!

Saladu Nebbe (Black-Eyed Pea Salad With Tomatoes and Cucumbers)

Saladu Nebbe (Black-Eyed Pea Salad With Tomatoes and Cucumbers)

Black-eyed peas are a common sight in West African cooking, stewed long until tender or turned into fritters like àkàrà. They’re also a staple ingredient in the American South, where they’re commonly eaten on New Year’s Day as a symbol of good luck for the year to come. The chef Isaiah Screetch’s saladu nebbe, based on the Senegalese dish of the same name, highlights the nuttiness of the beans in a fresh salad that has a bit of spice thanks to serrano chiles. Studded with juicy tomatoes, cucumbers and red bell pepper, the recipe calls for letting the salad meld its flavors together in a lime dressing for two hours, but it can also sit overnight, making it the perfect side dish for a barbecue or cookout.

Yield: 8 cups

1 cup finely chopped curly parsley

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 

¼ cup fresh lime juice (from 2 or 3 limes) 

2 (15-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed (about 3 cups) 

5 scallions, trimmed and roughly chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 cup cherry or Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 English cucumber, halved, seeded and finely chopped

1 medium shallot, finely chopped

2 serrano chiles, seeded and minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine parsley, olive oil and lime juice; whisk until emulsified.

Add the black-eyed peas, scallions, bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, shallot and serrano chiles to the bowl. Toss to thoroughly combine and coat in the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Stir the salad to ensure the dressing is evenly incorporated before serving.

TIP: When I prepare this again I will reverse the olive oil and lime juice measurements to 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup lime juice. Olive oil at 1/2 cup thickly coats everything and pools in the bottom of the bowl and lime juice is nearly imperceptible at the original measures.

You could also start with boiling dried black-eyed peas, since black-eyed peas cook really fast (no soaking required). A good way to control the amount of salt.

Given food restrictions, omitted lime juice and chiles but with a very light EVOO this was great with the other ingredients, a bit of juice from a few tomatoes and diced raw zucchini instead of red peppers (also restricted). For us, no need for s/p. Next time might throw in a second herb and red onion and would then let it sit longer. A great use of b.e.p., home cooked or canned, as a light supper with cornbread, corn or the cob or, to mix things up, grilled pita or a traditional flatbread.

Blueberry-Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Blueberry-Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Studded with bright, juicy blueberries, this spiced coffee cake has a hefty dose of cinnamon in the cake and the crumble, and a cinnamon ribbon running through the center. You can use blackberries or raspberries in place of the blueberries, or even chocolate chips for an extra-sweet treat. Serve warm slices of cake with a cup of coffee for the perfect weekend brunch or afternoon pick-me-up.

Yield: 1 (8-inch-square) cake

FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING

½ cup/65 grams all-purpose flour

¼ packed cup/50 grams light brown sugar

¼ cup/26 grams rolled oats

1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup/57 grams unsalted butter, softened

FOR THE CINNAMON SWIRL

¼ cup/50 grams granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

FOR THE CAKE

Nonstick cooking spray

¾ cup/150 grams granulated sugar

½ cup/115 grams unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs, at room temperature

½ cup/120 grams sour cream

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

1 ½ cups plus 1 tablespoon/203 grams all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup/140 grams fresh blueberries (or blackberries or raspberries)

Heat oven to 350 degrees and set a rack in the center. Spray an 8-by-8-inch square pan with cooking spray and line the pan with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over two sides.

Make the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, light brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and salt. Add the butter and squish it together with your fingertips until it’s evenly moistened, and pebble-size crumbs form.

Make the cinnamon swirl: In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon; set aside.

Make the cake: In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing in one egg completely before adding the next. Add the sour cream, cinnamon, vanilla and salt, and beat to combine.

Stop the mixer and add the 1 ½ cups/195 grams flour, the baking powder and baking soda; mix on low speed until just combined. Toss the blueberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour, then gently fold them into the batter.

Assemble the cake: Spoon half the batter into the pan and smooth it to cover the bottom of the pan in an even layer. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the top of the batter. Spoon the remaining cake batter over the top and gently smooth it to cover the cinnamon sugar. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the top.

Bake the cake for 45 to 55 minutes until puffed and golden, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store the cake loosely wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days.

TIP: Lovely recipe! Made it with peaches and blueberries and substituted whole-wheat flour and 2% Greek yogurt for the all-purpose and the sour cream. Fantastic with coffee this morning!

Chile Oil Dumplings With Noodles

Chile Oil Dumplings With Noodles

Inspired by the Sichuan dish red oil wontons, which features bite size dumplings smothered in a numbing, spicy sauce, this weeknight-friendly take uses easy freezer and pantry staples. Frozen dumplings (for best results, use a brand you know and love), dried noodles and baby bok choy are all perfect carriers for a fiery crimson chile oil that’s sweet, sour and savory. Since chile crisp is the foundation of the sauce, choose one that you love. There’s room to adapt, too: baby bok choy can be replaced with broccoli or spinach and any noodles are fine to use, even instant ones. If you don’t like a lot of spice, you can replace some of the chile crisp with sesame or neutral oil, or simply use a brand of chile crisp that’s less spicy.

Yield: 4 servings

Salt 

8 ounces dried wheat or egg noodles 

3 medium baby bok choy (about 9 ounces), trimmed and halved 

4 tablespoons neutral oil, such as vegetable 

1 pound frozen potstickers (not thawed)

1 small handful cilantro leaves, to serve

For the chile oil sauce

2 garlic cloves, finely grated 

⅓ cup chile crisp (stirred well before measuring) or chile oil, preferably a brand 

containing Sichuan peppercorns 

¼ cup soy sauce 

4 teaspoons rice or black vinegar 

2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon sugar

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook according to package instructions, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Just before the noodles are tender, add the baby bok choy. Blanch until bright green and crisp tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the noodles and greens and refresh them under cold water. 

Meanwhile, make the sauce: To a medium bowl, add the garlic, chile crisp, soy sauce, rice vinegar, water and sugar and whisk to combine. Taste and if the sauce is too spicy, you can add another 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or oil to tame the heat. 

Heat a large (12-inch) nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons oil and, working in batches, add the dumplings, flat-side down, and cook until the bottoms of the dumplings are lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately add about ¼ cup of water to the pan, just enough to cover the base of the dumplings, then cover and cook until the water has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. (If your dumplings contain meat, cook for an extra 1 to 2 minutes, or according to package instructions.) Transfer the cooked dumplings to a plate and repeat with the remaining dumplings, making sure the pan is dry before adding additional oil. (If you prefer to steam the dumplings, see Tip.)

Divide the noodles, bok choy and dumplings among four bowls. Drizzle the chile oil sauce over the top and gently toss to coat. Top with cilantro and serve.

Tip: To steam, arrange the dumplings in a steaming basket lined with baking paper or cabbage leaves, place over a pan of boiling water and steam for 10 to 15 minutes.

Dijonnaise Grilled Chicken Breasts

Dijonnaise Grilled Chicken Breasts

The grilled chicken we dream of — juicy meat, bronzed crust, a hint of smoke — can be a reality when slathered with mayonnaise and Dijon mustard before cooking. While you won’t necessarily taste the condiments, they work in tandem to ensure that the boneless chicken has an easier time on the grill: The mayonnaise insulates and prevents sticking, and the mustard tenderizes and caramelizes. Serve with a spoonful of the Dijonnaise any way you like simply grilled chicken: atop a Caesar salad, alongside grilled corn or tucked into a sandwich with pickles, shredded lettuce and the Dijonnaise.

Yield: 4 servings

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup Dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

Salt and black pepper

1 teaspoon thyme leaves or dried thyme

1½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, patted dry

Heat a grill to medium-high. (You can also cook the chicken on the stovetop over medium-high heat, following the same timing.) Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard and garlic, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer half to a small bowl and refrigerate until serving.

To the medium bowl with the reserved Dijonnaise, stir in the thyme leaves. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper, then transfer to the medium bowl and toss to coat. Let sit at least 15 minutes, or refrigerate up to overnight. (Let it come to room temperature before cooking.)

Clean the grill grates. (No need to grease; the mayonnaise keeps the chicken from sticking.) Scrape excess marinade off the chicken, then grill over direct heat until the chicken unsticks from the grates and is deep golden and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per side. If using a gas grill, cover grill between flips. Discard the chicken marinade. Serve with the small bowl of reserved Dijonnaise alongside.

TIP: This is the first part of an old recipe...slather the chicken breasts in the mayonnaise and mustard , then roll in seasoned breadcrumbs or Panko. Put them on a cookie rack or something similar and then put the rack on another sheet pan, and cook in the oven at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. It's been a go-to recipe of mine for 40 years.

This is a superb and simple recipe. I just made it in an indoor grill pan because it was just me and my husband and I didn't feel like going downstairs and outside--and it worked fine. I've grilled boneless skinless chicken breasts for years with olive oil, lots of lemon, herbs, and garlic. This goes together twice as fast and I think it tastes and works better. Going into solid rotation.

This is one of the best shortcut recipes ever! A perfect marinade. My husband won’t eat dark meat chicken (sigh) so I’m always on them prowl for this sort of thing. Works well with thin-cut chicken and a grill pan if it gets late and you don’t want to crash around in the darkness.

Orzo Salad

Orzo Salad

This colorful, Mediterranean-inspired orzo salad is a crowd-pleasing side dish for a picnic or potluck, and can be a satisfying, vegetable-packed lunch. The trick to a flavorful pasta salad is adding the dressing while the pasta is hot, so it can soak up plenty of flavor as it cools. This recipe takes that method a step further by tossing the hot orzo and dressing with the chickpeas, tomatoes and olives, giving the ingredients ample time to marinate. If olives aren’t your thing, try adding diced roasted red peppers or marinated artichokes for a burst of briny flavor in each bite. If preparing for a larger gathering, this recipe doubles easily, and leftovers keep well in the refrigerator, making it a good choice for meal prepping. 

Yield: 8 servings

Salt

1 ½ cups orzo

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

¼ cup finely chopped red onion

1 medium garlic clove, grated or minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Black pepper

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed

½ cup pitted Kalamata olives

6 ounces feta, crumbled or diced ½-inch (about 1 ½ cups)

½ English cucumber, diced ½-inch (about 1 ½ cups)

⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley, dill or mint (or a combination)

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl.

While the orzo cooks, make the dressing: In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, red onion, garlic, oregano, ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper; whisk vigorously until smooth.

Pour about half the dressing over the hot orzo, then add the tomatoes, chickpeas and olives; toss well. Set aside to bring to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Add the feta, cucumbers and herbs along with the remaining dressing. Toss, taste for seasoning and serve.

TIP: I make a variation of this often (weekly in the summer!) and it’s a crowd pleaser. To enhance the flavor, I either roast or burst the tomatoes with extra garlic than the recipe calls for. Mixing it in when the orzo is still hot infuses the flavor nicely. For a more Italian bend, I use fresh basil and mozzarella pearls (instead of feta). Yum!

Please don’t cook the orzo until it is soft. Make sure it is truly al dente, otherwise, adding the dressing to the hot pasta will just ensure that it is mushy with zero bite at all.

I sauté 1/2 C of the Orzo to a light brown color before cooking it with the rest of the Orzo. Gives a nice look and slightly nutty taste to the salad. I start out with 1/3 C of EVOO and add more as needed to the dressing. No other changes. Great other kind of pasta salad.

Frozen Strawberry Fluff

Frozen Strawberry Fluff

With a texture that lands somewhere between soft serve ice cream and freshly whipped mousse, this dairy-free, no-bake dessert is so much greater than the sum of its parts. Using three simple ingredients — egg whites, sugar and strawberries — frozen strawberry fluff is ideal for a hot summer day, an easy finish to a dinner party, or anytime you’re hankering for a sweet treat that’s free from gluten and dairy. Closely related to raspberry spuma, this recipe uses frozen berries to lower the egg whites’ temperature, making the consistency silkier and creating a perfectly cool and refreshing dessert.

Yield: 4 servings

3 large/100 grams egg whites

⅓ cup/70 grams granulated sugar

12 ounces/340 grams frozen strawberries  

Freeze-dried or fresh strawberries (or a combination), optional, for garnish

In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Reduce to medium to maintain a vigorous simmer.

In a medium heatproof bowl that can rest on the saucepan without the bottom touching the water, combine the egg whites and sugar. Set the bowl over the saucepan and whisk vigorously and constantly until most of the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is foamy and reaches 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the foamy egg whites to a food processor and blend for 3 to 4 minutes, until white and velvety, like a pourable meringue. While blending, gradually add the frozen strawberries through the feed tube, blending for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth. Its light, airy texture will land somewhere between soft serve and mousse. 

Serve immediately in chilled glasses or bowls. If desired, add a handful of freeze-dried strawberries to a fine-mesh sieve and press them against the sieve to sprinkle the dust on top. Top with a whole or halved fresh strawberry or two if you like. To make this ahead, see Tip.

Tip: To make this ahead, refrigerate the cooked egg white mixture (from Step 2) for up to 2 days. Right before serving, continue with Steps 3 and 4.

I've made this for many years, but my recipe was with raspberries. It's a perfect easy, quick summer dessert that's delicious and fluffy, and always a hit. My recipe called for combining the egg whites, frozen raspberries and sugar to taste in a KitchenAid mixer with a whisk, or a food processor. I've never cooked anything, just throw it all in the mixer. You can use any frozen berries. You need to serve it asap. If there are leftovers which hardly ever happens you can freeze it and then whip it again.

No, you need to melt the sugar and heat the egg whites or they won’t fluff up enough and won’t be stable enough to hold the berries. You can’t skip the heating.

Smoky Red Devil Eggs

Smoky Red Devil Eggs

Standard deviled eggs are undeniably good, but adding a touch of tomato paste and a generous pinch of smoked paprika makes them a bit more sophisticated. The flavor is gently sweet, forcefully spicy and perfectly smoky.

Yield: 24 deviled eggs

12 large eggs

1 fat garlic clove, minced

¼ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste\

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, more to taste

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon hot smoked paprika, more to taste and for garnish

Place eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a full boil, let cook for 1 minute, then turn off heat and cover pan. Allow eggs to stand for at least 15 minutes.

Once eggs are cool enough to handle, peel and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop yolks into a bowl; place whites on a serving platter.

Using a sharp knife or mortar and pestle, chop or smash garlic with salt to make a paste. Add paste to yolks and mash together with a fork. Add mayonnaise, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, pepper and paprika and continue to mash until mixture is smooth. Taste and add more vinegar, salt and paprika if desired.

Spoon yolk mixture into whites and dust with paprika.