Mark Bittman

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Colonialism, a Humble Spice, and Our Dwindling Respect for Nature

We have an unusual, special, and super interesting guest on today’s episode of Food with…

By Mark Bittman Published September 14, 2022

The World's Most Charming Home Cooks

There are two things that we all hear routinely all summer — complaints (or enthusiasm!)…

By Mark Bittman Published September 7, 2022

Writing About Food Is a Thrill Like None Other

Musings with Bee Wilson, writer extraordinaire “Writing about food is the biggest privilege, the biggest…

By Mark Bittman Published August 24, 2022
Kathleen’s Free-Form Tomato Galette

Kathleen’s Free-Form Tomato Galette

My partner Kathleen had been making this peach galette, or crostata, or free-form tart, that I used to do a lot. Recently, she decided to do that with cherry tomatoes. It ends up being a kind of semi-sweet, not-quite-dessert thing that you still want to eat after the main course. I don’t know how to describe it, traditionally, but it was beautiful, unusual, and fabulous.

By Mark Bittman Published August 22, 2022

Potato Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

The key to the best potato salad is to toss it while the potates are still warm so they absorb some of the dressing. Then, ideally, serve it at room temperature.

By Mark Bittman Published August 22, 2022

Is Veganism an Impossible Standard?

There’s a real discrepancy between people just loving to hear about what elephants are doing,…

By Mark Bittman Published August 17, 2022
Pasta With Peas, Prosciutto and Lettuce

Pasta With Peas, Prosciutto and Lettuce

For a long time now, I’ve experimented with using small amounts of meat in ways that exploit its flavor without making it central to the dish. In this recipe — pasta with spring vegetables — the meat is literally a garnish, but one with huge impact.

That meat is prosciutto, and it’s briefly cooked in a bit of oil, which accomplishes two things: It intensifies the ham’s salty, meaty flavor, and it makes the prosciutto crisp, turning it into a nice textural foil for the tender pasta, peas and lettuce.

By Mark Bittman Published August 17, 2022

Senator Cory Booker's Clean Little Secret

‘I’ve dropped weight, I feel better, my skin’s clearing up,’ says Booker

By Mark Bittman Published August 10, 2022

Jewish Food Can Be Black Food — and Vice Versa

“America without its Jewish culture, without its Black culture, without its gay culture, isn’t really…

By Mark Bittman Published August 9, 2022

Kyle MacLachlan Is an Awesome Cook (and Muse)

Plus, what could be the world’s first ever MacLachlan recipe I just joined the Culinary…

By Mark Bittman Published August 2, 2022
tempeh ragu lasagna

Dairy-Free Lasagna Can Absolutely Be Delicious

The star here is the vegan ragu

By Mark Bittman Published July 20, 2022
tempeh ragu lasagna

Tempeh Ragu Lasagna

The star here is the vegan ragu, which can show up in many forms, and rightfully so: it’s so easy to substitute for meat that shows up in classic ragu because so many different foods can do the trick. And none does it better than tempeh, with its superb chewiness, strong umami flavor, and superior nutritional (and of course ethical) profile. The tempeh helps create a sauce that is in many ways as good as or better than the original.

By Mark Bittman Published July 20, 2022

The Nasty Social Implications of the Climate Crisis

The less you did to cause it, the sooner and harder you are to get…

By Mark Bittman Published July 19, 2022

Salt Cod in Tomato Sauce

You can make this sauce and poach almost any fish in it — any white-fleshed fish will work, though cod is the most obvious and logical choice — but it will never have the character brought to the table by salt cod, especially if you take the time to fry it first, as in the variation.

By Mark Bittman Published July 18, 2022

Raita

This simple raita is a perfect sauce to serve with any grilled vegetables.

By Mark Bittman Published July 18, 2022

Grilled Lebanese Flatbread

This recipe is a flatbread that’s somewhere between a Middle Eastern-style pita and an Indian naan. Like most leavened breads, this one consists primarily of flour, water and yeast. And, like any leavened bread, it requires some rising, though no more than an hour.

By Mark Bittman Published July 18, 2022

Grilled Eggplant Salad with Garlic and Saffron Mayonnaise

Many grilled vegetables are terrific in salads, but eggplant may be the king of them all: meaty, flavorful, and somehow intrinsically smoky. (You can understand why Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines rely so heavily on it.) Here the eggplant is cooked whole — charred, to tell the truth — before dressing. But you can also use grilled skin-on slices of eggplant for a more intense smoky flavor and crisp texture.

By Mark Bittman Published July 18, 2022

Is There Actually a Global Food System?

“In the low income countries, the poorest segments of society spend upwards of 60 per…

By Mark Bittman Published July 12, 2022

Spanakopita

Spanakopita is among the best-known Greek dishes in the States, though the leaden, soggy versions you often encounter here are wildly different from the cheese and spinach pies served in Greece. The key to making a light spanakopita is to use a relatively small amount of strongly flavored fillings, butter every layer of phyllo—which helps the pastry stay flaky, light, and crisp—and start with good feta.

As always, when working with phyllo dough, make sure you keep the pieces that you are not working with covered with a damp towel.

By Mark Bittman Published July 11, 2022

Orecchiette with Salmon and Leeks

Cooking the sauce and noodles together is always easy. Exhibit A: Orecchiette, stirred with leeks to form a silky sauce and finished with salmon and its crisp baconlike skin to turn a weeknight pasta into something memorable.

By Mark Bittman Published July 11, 2022