What to Cook

Vinegared Apples with Persimmon and White Cheddar

You want the fruit to be fairly acidic and salty; the honey is there to compensate for any lack of naturally occurring sweetness, so adjust with more as needed.

Celery Salad with Cilantro and Sesame

It’s the perfect thing to eat when getting down on intensely lamb-y noodles or crazy-hot dumplings

Citrusy Cucumbers with Red Onion and Toasted Sesame

This is the kind of dish that can be served as part of a “snacks for dinner” spread, but also as a salad alongside other mains.

Celery and Fennel with Walnuts and Blue Cheese

Unfortunately for celery, the nicest thing most people can say about it is that they like to eat it with their buffalo wings; but the merits of this very good and underrated vegetable are plenty, and well . . . I LOVE CELERY.

Salted Citrus Salad with Fennel, Radish, and Olive

Sure, citrus is soft and I would definitely call this a “Crunchy Salad.”

Iceberg with Pecorino, Crushed Olives, and Pickled Chile

I’m proud to declare that I don’t just tolerate iceberg, I love iceberg. I want it. I crave it. I shop specifically for it.

Lemony Watercress with Raw and Toasted Fennel

Mostly a salad to celebrate the specialness of a good, peppery watercress, there is also crunchy fennel tossed with some thin (whole) lemon slices.

Chicories with Preserved Lemon, Yogurt, and Mint

I prefer to drag and dip my perky, seasoned lettuces through a tangy sauce rather than weigh down the leaves with a dressing, making them all sad and wilty.

Escarole with Mustard and Spicy Guanciale Bread Crumbs

The nutty, umami-y nutritional yeast acts as a lighter, brighter parmesan.

Spicy, Giant Crunchy Corn

They are wildly addictive and will probably upstage anything else you serve, so be prepared.

Overnight Focaccia, Tonight

Does it use freshly milled grains and a naturally fermented 58-year-old starter? No. Is it fluffy and light and oily and crispy and tender and chewy? Absolutely.

Seeded Breadsticks with Parmesan

If you’ve ever turned balls of Play-Doh into thin ropes so you can coil them and make mini beehives, you can transform this dough into long, elegant breadsticks.