House Dressing

 House Dressing

This perfect vinaigrette recipe comes from Via Carota, the charming West Village restaurant run by Jody Williams and Rita Sodi. Since I first wrote about this recipe, it’s become indispensable not only for me but also for my entire Culinary Brain Trust, who now simply call it House Dressing. This version comes from my book, “Good Things” (Random House, 2025). The warm water in this recipe might surprise you. “We add warm water to make it more palatable,” Ms. Williams said. “Pure vinegar is just too strong — it assaults the taste buds. We want a salad dressing so savory and delicious that you can eat spoonfuls of it. We want you to be able to drink it!” Drizzle this liberally over everything: boiled asparagus, farro salad, steak, fish or roast chicken. And if you don’t have both types of mustard on hand, just use twice as much of whichever you do have.

Yield: 1½ cups

1 large shallot, very finely diced

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon aged sherry vinegar, plus more as needed

1 tablespoon warm water

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 ½ teaspoons honey

1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 ½ teaspoons whole-grain mustard

2 thyme sprigs, washed leaves picked and finely chopped (about ½ teaspoon)

1 garlic clove, finely grated

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the shallot in a fine-mesh sieve and quickly rinse with cold water. Allow to drain, then place in a medium bowl. Add vinegar and warm water, and let the shallot mixture sit for 2 minutes

Whisk in oil, honey, both mustards, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the salt and vinegar as needed.

Cover and refrigerate remaining dressing for up to 1 week.

Tip: To make a crunchy and refreshing green salad, toss Little Gem lettuce (or your favorite variety of baby lettuce), thinly shaved fennel, tender dill fronds, whole cilantro and parsley leaves, 1-inch pieces of chives and dressing. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Delicately mound onto a serving platter and serve immediately.

Sticky Miso Salmon Bowl

Sticky Miso Salmon Bowl

Miso salmon is an easy meal for any night of the week but it gets taken to a whole other level here with the additions of grapefruit and honey. Combining the zest and juice from the grapefruit with honey, miso and a bit of ginger gives the fish a sticky-tangy finish when broiled. The sushi rice is mixed with a humble pat of butter and some sliced scallions, making it a comforting counterpart to this simple fish for an elegant weeknight dinner.

Yield: 4 servings 

2 cups sushi rice 

3 tablespoons white miso 

2 tablespoons honey 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger 

2 teaspoons fresh grapefruit zest plus 1 tablespoon juice

4 (6- to 8-ounce) skinless salmon fillets, patted dry 

Salt and pepper

4 scallions, thinly sliced 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cubed 

Any combination of kimchi, chile crisp, toasted nori sheets, and sliced cucumber, avocado or radish, for serving

Put the rice in a medium bowl and fill with cool tap water. Run your fingers through the rice, gently swooshing the grains around to loosen the starch. Dump out as much water as you can and repeat until the water runs slightly more clear, another two to three rinses.

Drain the rice and transfer to a small or medium saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid. Pour in 2¼ cups cool water and bring to a boil over medium-high. Give the rice a stir to help keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot, then cover and decrease heat to low. Cook without lifting the lid for 18 minutes. (Set your timer!)

While the rice is cooking, place a rack about 5 inches from the broiler heat source and set the broiler to high. Whisk the miso, honey, oil, ginger and grapefruit zest and juice in a large bowl. Season the salmon lightly with salt and add to the bowl. Gently toss to coat. Marinate at room temperature until the timer for the rice goes off.

Remove the pot of rice from the heat and let steam, covered, for 10 minutes, while you cook the salmon.

Using tongs, arrange the salmon on a foil-lined rimmed sheet tray. Make sure to leave the marinade on and spread any excess on top of the fillets. (This step will make for better browning.) Broil the salmon until glossy and charred in most spots, about 5 minutes for medium-rare or 7 minutes for medium. Your timing will also depend on whether or not you'd like a little char on top.

Uncover the rice and add the scallions and butter. Season with salt and several grinds of pepper. Fluff the rice with a rubber spatula until each grain is coated. Serve the salmon over the rice and add any of the toppings you desire.

TIP: The marinade for the fish is fantastic - browns nicely to a nice sweet savory crust on the salmon. To add more flavor to the rice, add 3T of white miso to the cooking water (pulled from a Kay Chun Miso Salmon recipe on NYT Cooking). That adds some depth of flavor and complements the salmon perfectly

Pesto-Roasted Salmon With Tomatoes and White Beans

Pesto-Roasted Salmon With Tomatoes and White Beans

This five-ingredient dinner leans on the classic combination of tomatoes and basil for a taste of summer any time of year. Swiping a thick layer of pesto on top of salmon fillets keeps them moist and flavorful in the oven, while white beans lend creaminess to this vibrant, feel-good meal that requires very little legwork. Reach for your favorite store-bought pesto to keep things quick, or make your own if your garden is overflowing. And if you decide to make pesto from scratch, don’t be afraid to stray and experiment with other varieties, such as arugula or parsley, depending on what you have on hand.

Yield: 4 servings

2 (15- to 16-ounce) cans white beans, such as cannellini, drained and rinsed

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

6 small garlic cloves, crushed and peeled

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Salt and pepper

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (skin-on or skinless)

4 tablespoons store-bought or homemade basil pesto

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place white beans, tomatoes and garlic on the prepared sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread out in a single layer. Roast until the tomatoes start to collapse, 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, pat the salmon dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Top each fillet with 1 tablespoon pesto and spread to coat the tops of the fillets. 

Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Toss the tomatoes and beans then push them aside to make 4 spaces for the salmon fillets. Place the fillets in the empty spaces. 

Return the baking sheet to the oven and continue to roast until the salmon is just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. It’s done when the flesh is just able to flake easily. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the thickest part should register 120 degrees for medium-rare. If you prefer medium, cook it a few minutes longer.

Scoop the tomatoes and beans into individual shallow bowls, drizzle with olive oil and top with the salmon.

TIP: This is a superb base recipe. We used a lemony basil gremalata instead of pesto (basil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon olive oil, salt). We didn’t have pesto.

I recommend you double the tomatoes (2 pints) and add some carmelized onions or shallots to the beans and garlic. Save some of the gremalata to add to the beans and tomatoes before serving for a fresh punch.

Serve it with crispy toasted bread and fresh parsley. Also serve it with sautéd greens of your choice. Everyone loved the salmon bites and they enjoyed schmearing beans on the bread.

Easy and delicious! Loved the flavors and textures of the beans and tomatoes with the pesto salmon. I added a few dashes of Italian herbs and some crushed red pepper to the bean mixture before baking . Served with sautéed spinach and some toasted crusty bread. A keeper!

Harissa and White Bean Chili

Harissa and White Bean Chili 

The key to achieving depth of flavor in this fresh, nontraditional, 30-minute chili recipe is layering ingredients with bold condiments that do most of the work for you. Here, soy sauce and harissa are used to provide umami, spice and heat. Finish the chili as you’d like, topping it with all of the suggestions below, or skipping the yogurt and feta to keep it vegan. The chili will thicken as it sits, so add a little water when reheating. If you don’t like tomato skins or don’t want to buy fresh tomatoes, substitute 2 tablespoons of tomato paste for the tomatoes, adding it with the harissa. For a more substantial meal, serve with rice or bread, or double the recipe for leftovers.

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small red onion, diced

2 red or orange bell peppers, seeded and diced

2 jalapeños (1 seeded and diced, 1 sliced into thin rounds for garnish)

Kosher salt

1 (10-ounce) container cherry or grape tomatoes (1 pint)

1 to 2 tablespoons harissa, depending on heat preference

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 garlic cloves, grated or minced

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, such as cannellini or great Northern, drained and rinsed

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

Black pepper

3 packed cups baby spinach

2 limes, 1 halved, 1 cut into wedges for serving

Full-fat yogurt or sour cream, for serving

1 avocado, sliced or cubed, for serving

¼ cup packed cilantro or parsley leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped or torn, for serving

½ cup crumbled feta or grated Parmesan or mozzarella, for serving

In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add the onion, bell pepper and diced jalapeño, and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions just start to soften in color and texture, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, season lightly with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the tomatoes have burst, 6 to 7 minutes, lowering the heat if the onions threaten to burn. Stir in the harissa, cumin, oregano and garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the soy sauce, scraping up anything on the bottom of the pot, until combined, about 1 minute.

Add the white beans and broth, season with salt, and raise the heat to bring it to a gentle boil. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, then cook until the broth thickens and the beans become soft and creamy, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom, about 12 to 15 minutes. Smash any remaining whole tomatoes against the side of the pot. Stir in the spinach in batches until wilted. Squeeze in the lime halves, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide among bowls and top each with a spoonful of yogurt, followed by the avocado, cilantro, feta and jalapeño rounds. Serve with the lime wedges.

TIP: Many recipes like this one would benefit from a real harissa. Mediterranean lands see the use of some tube of red paste in the way that a French cook would react to adding ketchup to a Beef bourguignon.

Roast some red chillis, along with onions and garlic, (nothing fancy: 300 degrees for 40 minutes) add steamed carrot for mass and sweetness. Proportions are entirely dependent on your tastes and the vegetables. Pass it through a mill, adjust seasoning, and you've got a wonderful base.

 NYT recipes don’t consider the prep time in their estimated durations, probably because those times can vary widely depending on knife skills, experience, etc. 30 minutes is the time to follow the recipe steps with the cooking durations noted.