What to Cook

Secret Ingredient Pasta Salad

Speaking of summer barbecues, you should be bringing this pasta salad that magically only gets better the longer it sits.

Pork Chops with Tangy Mushrooms

I find one thick pork chop to satisfy two people, so for three people, I will cook two chops. Depending on the size of the chops, you still may have leftovers, but I can say with 100% confidence that sliced, cold pork eaten out of a storage container makes for an excellent mid-day snack.

The Only Pie Crust

This dough can be made up to 4 days ahead, tightly wrapped, and stored in the refrigerator; or made 1 month ahead, tightly wrapped in a resealable plastic bag, and frozen.

Apples with Honey and Crushed Walnuts

It’s meant to be more acidic than sweet, but adjust with vinegar and honey as needed to suit your preference. A note: Nearly everyone who ate this salad said it was their favorite part of the whole meal, which bruised my matzo ball ego, but I thought you should know.

Garlicky, Buttered Carrots

This is one of the few occasions when overcrowding the skillet is a good thing. These carrots are cooked in fat (schmaltz, olive oil, butter), with a pinch of something spicy, sort of half-steaming on top of each other until just tender (no mushy carrots here, please).

Blue Cheese Dip

If you’re looking for more game day snacks, this is an ideal dip for all your cold, crisp vegetables.

Slow-Roasted Oregano Chicken With Buttered Tomatoes

If you smear a good, high-quality chicken with enough fat, season it with plenty of salt and roast it until the skin is brown, it will always be excellent. But it’s slow-roasting that gives you golden skin, tender meat and plenty of salty, savory chicken juices to serve as a sauce.

Beans with Beans

Eat with a very good piece of oil poached tuna with aioli to match, grilled meats (especially lamb), fresh sliced and salted tomatoes, some very cold, orange-y wine.

Caramelized Shallot Pasta

This recipe makes enough caramelized shallot mixture for a double batch of pasta, or simply keep it refrigerated to spoon over fried eggs, or to serve underneath crispy chicken thighs or over roasted root vegetables like carrots or sweet potatoes.

A Little Eggplant Parm

I didn’t know eggplant parm could taste this good, and yet! This one is crispy, briny, saucy, and wonderful.

Clam Pasta with Spicy, Toasted Breadcrumbs

This pasta is my favorite pasta, bar none. For me, clam pasta is a decidedly summery meal, and you should be making it at least once before summer is over.

Pork Chops With Salted Plums

This quick, easy dinner is one of the few exceptions to my rule about not mixing fruit and meat. It really works here, and it’s a great way to use in-season plums.