Mark Bittman

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Food with Mark Bittman: Alice Waters and Spence Medford

Why there are reasons to be optimistic about school lunch.

Date, Bacon, and Bean Salad

Generally, the quantities in the recipes in Kitchen Express are designed for three or four people. But the specifications are loose enough so that it won’t take much to tweak them for fewer or more servings to make a meal more substantial, or plan ahead for leftovers. Arugula or watercress works best here, but endive, escarole, frisée, and so on, are all good.

steamed mussels garlicky mayonnaise

Mussels with Miso Mayonnaise

The difference between this mussels recipe and most steamed mussels and clams (including the others in the new edition of How to Cook Everything Fast) is the amount of liquid involved. So instead of ending up with a lot of broth, here you get a concentrated brine to stir into seasoned mayonnaise for a fabulous drizzle sauce. You still need lots of bread, preferably toasted.

Seared Scallops with Grilled or Broiled Romaine

One of the best things about searing scallops is the sauce you make afterward with their pan juices. Here it’s a rich, lemony dressing that’s perfect over grilled or broiled romaine. Croutons are terrific here, or serve with ciabatta or any other thick-crusted bread.

Sausage and Red Lentils

Generally, the quantities in the recipes in Kitchen Express are designed for three or four people. But the specifications are loose enough so that it won’t take much to tweak them for fewer or more servings to make a meal more substantial, or plan ahead for leftovers.

Broccoli Rabe and Garlic Soup

Generally, the quantities in the recipes in Kitchen Express are designed for three or four people. But the specifications are loose enough so that it won’t take much to tweak them for fewer or more servings to make a meal more substantial, or plan ahead for leftovers.

Cream Cheese Frosting

A classic partner for Carrot Cake. Cream
cheese lends tang and brightness that balances any sugary, heavily spiced, or dark-chocolaty cake.

Chocolate Cake

This is a basic chocolate cake—fantastic with anything from your favorite frosting to whipped cream, a layer of jam, or just a dusting of confectioners’ sugar—made extra light with whipped egg whites and cake flour. You can also use this to make cupcakes; it’ll yield about two dozen.

Food with Mark Bittman: Alexander Smalls

The chef and cookbook writer talks to Mark and Kate about being a Black man in opera, and why he left the art behind to become a chef; traveling through Africa and the beauty of educating others on the continent’s cooking traditions; and the one food tradition he encountered in his journeys that shocked him.

Tomato, Carrot and Celery Juice

This three-vegetable blend is refreshing and slightly sweet. Add some parsley, basil, or even garlic for a stronger drink.

Oven-Roasted Fresh Plum Tomatoes

Roasting vastly improves the flavor of supermarket plum tomatoes because the process concentrates the flavor and eliminates any hint of mealiness. Use them immediately in sauces, as a garnish, in pilafs or soups, or in other vegetable dishes. Or store them, tightly covered, in the fridge for up to several days or freeze for several months. Other fruits or vegetables you can use: peaches, nectarines.

All Together Now: Yes, Whole Grains Can Be Exciting

With recipes like these – Everything Bars, customized granola, a farro “sundae” – you can turn your kids into believers, too.

stuffing

45-Minute Roast Turkey With Stuffing on the Side

This method is so quick it might inspire you to cook turkey more often. It is, after all, classic in sandwiches. On Thanksgiving, however, when time and oven space are at a premium, butterflying a whole turkey is a boon to hosts.

Sweet Potato Home Fries

Starting the potatoes in boiling water, then transferring them to a roasting pan to finish cooking after the turkey comes out of the oven saves time. Garlic and extra virgin olive oil add punch, and parsley makes the colors pop.

Korean Fried Chicken Wings

Back in the day, you had no choice but to disjoint chicken wings with a sharp knife to break them down into their parts—the mini-drumstick-looking drumettes, the flat, and the tip (which is best saved for stock). Now you can buy them done for you. Here’s a big secret: double-frying equals double-crispness. Here’s another: dredge in cornstarch instead of flour. You almost don’t need the amazing glaze, but you’ll want to make some now that I’ve told you about it.

Green Beans with Lemon

These green beans are precooked in boiling water, then finished at the last minute with both juice and zest of lemon.

No-Cook Cranberry-Orange Relish

A handful of mint and a couple of pinches of cayenne take the now-classic recipe a step further.

Pear, Gorgonzola, and Mesclun Salad

Dress with bottled dressing if you must, but I prefer extra virgin olive oil and sherry or balsamic vinegar, or a homemade vinaigrette.

Sherry Reduction Gravy

This gravy relies on pan drippings but is finished with nothing more than water; good, relatively dry sherry, and butter. It’s made in 10 minutes or so, as the turkey rests before carving.

Hearty Minestrone

Any hearty, mixed vegetable soup will make a satisfying dinner. This vegan recipe is a full-blown minestrone, with greens, beans, and pasta as flexible components.