Mark Bittman

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Arroz con Cosas

Arroz con Cosas

Monkfish is a “for instance” here, and what I’ve made most recently. Substitute literally anything (hence the name: “rice with things”). If it’s something that can stand up to pre-browning (as monkfish can, as can almost any meat, many vegetables, and even tofu), do it. If not (tomatoes or flounder, for example), add when the rice is almost done. You can use brown rice, too; cooking time will double, and you’ll need more liquid.

Rice with Things

Dinspiration: 10 Fast, Easy, Satisfying Spring Salads

Carnitas Braised in Witbier

Carnitas Braised in Witbier

I like making this with Belgian wheat beer because they’re often spiced with coriander and bitter orange, akin to Mexican-style braised meat; they are also a little sour, which lends the meat a nice complexity. The result is delicious, but frankly, you can use any full-bodied, full-flavored beer that you like to drink.

For the Love of Anchovies

More-Vegetable Less-Egg Frittata

More-Vegetable Less-Egg Frittata

Frittata is one of those rare any-time-of-day dishes. You can eat it when you make it, or at room temperature, or even cold, straight from the refrigerator. The revelation here is that one egg easily binds two cups of cooked vegetables, and they’re all good! (See my list of recommendations in the notes)

More Vegetables + Less Meat = Better

These Green Sauces Make Everything Better

Yogurt-Marinated Leg of Lamb with Cardamom and Orange

This super flavorful marinade of yogurt, mint, orange zest and cardamom keeps the surface of the lamb from drying out, and gives it a great crust when you roast it. This doesn’t really need any sauce, but a dollop of harissa on the side wouldn’t be a terrible thing.

The Spring Roast to End All Spring Roasts

Cooked Beans, the Quick-Soak Way

My favorite method and the easiest way to cook beans because most of the time they aren’t cooking at all; they’re soaking. Incredibly, if you start a pot of dried beans from scratch without soaking and start a pot with this method, both will be ready at about the same time, with no difference in taste or texture. What changes is that you don’t have to check as much or add water as often if you soak them.

If you’re cooking lentils or split peas—which take no more than 30 minutes to get tender—always follow the no-soak variation.

Cooking Grains, The Easy Way - The Bittman Project

Cooking Grains, the Easy Way

This process will allow you to cook almost any grain perfectly every time. (The most notable exceptions are bulgur, white or whole wheat couscous, and wild rice.) You really don’t even have to measure anything. I’m providing a recipe for the method, but you don’t need it: Put the grains in a pot with water and cook them until they’re done the way you like them. Period.

Beautiful Food Is Fine. Flavorful Food is Gorgeous.

Mark Bittman

My Three Nights of Shellfish Bliss

Vietnamese Fish-Sauce Caramel is a Revelation

Vietnamese Caramel Salmon. Photo: Aya Brackett

Dinspiration: 10 Mini-Recipes to Launch Us Into Spring

It's As Flavorful and Versatile as Parmesan…

21 Ways to Cook Faster

Be a Brunch Hero with This Weekend Cooking Project

Bagels

These are real bagels—bagels with chewy insides and respectable crusts—not the puffy kind sold so often nowadays. Cooking a bagel is a two-step process: First you boil, then you bake. Other than that, they are as simple as any other bread. (Malt syrup, the traditional sweetener, can be bought in some specialized cooking shops or wherever beer supplies are sold.) Helpful illustration below!