Kay Rentschler
Food writer
Recipes
Apricot Jam On A Whim
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking
Belgian Endive Gratin With Black Forest Ham And Green Garlic
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking
Braised Chicken With Escarole And Sicilian Olives
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking
Butternut Squash Stock And Soup
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking

Butterscotch Sauce
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking
Butterscotch sauce takes its character from brown sugar. The sauce contains cream and, yes, butter, and both strike round, rich, pleasingly burnished notes. Butterscotch will embrace a foundation ice cream flavor -- classics like chocolate, vanilla and coffee -- with abandon.
Cabbage And Potato Gratin With Mustard Bread Crumbs
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking
Cabbage And Sparerib Soup
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking

Candied Fruitcake
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking
I discovered that candied fruit likes getting soused with currants or dates, and that it isn't fussy about the medium: sherry, rum or Cognac all make it happy. And the trick to baking with it is simple: use the good stuff and use it judiciously. Fold just enough diced peel and choice cherries into a batter with chopped dates and spice and watch the tone and texture lighten up. No one would dream of calling this fruitcake.
Chicken Braised With White Poppy Seeds, Coconut Milk And Tomatoes
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking
Chilled Black Bean Purée With Basmati And Mango
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking
Chilled Braised Apricots With Yogurt, Honey And Pistachios
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking
Chilled Corn Soup With Honeydew Polka Dots
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking

Creamy Grits With Fontina Fonduta And Mushroom Stew
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking
Kay Rentschler
Curried Tomato Sauce For Soft-Cooked Eggs
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking

Dacquoise Kisses
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking

Dragée Pecans
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking

Fig Crostata With Sweet Parmesan Cream
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking
The dark, soft fruits of late summer bake quickly and compatibly with this pastry, and here, Parmesan cream adds depth to the sweetness of ripe figs. These are generous portions, about five inches across, for ease of handling, baking and presentation (and sorely tempting to eat in one sitting).
Glazed Poppy Seed Tea Cake
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking

Hot Fudge Sauce
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking
This recipe for a classic hot fudge sauce came to The Times in 2004, from Kay Rentschler. “A well-constructed homemade hot fudge sauce moves forward with dark smoky accents and arrives with plenty of chew,” she wrote. Here, bittersweet chocolate and high-fat Dutch process cocoa bring that smokiness, while heavy cream, butter and sugar mellow it out. It’s a perfect contrast to the milky sweetness of a sundae loaded with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.

Marshmallow Sauce
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking
Mustard And Chive Butter Garnish With Asparagus
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking
Sauerkraut, Beet And Cucumber Roll-Up With Walnuts
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking

Sautéed Broccoli With Toasted Garlic, Orange and Sesame
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking
Broccoli was kicked around for years before anyone decided to have fun with it. For a while broccoli lay spent and lifeless, then went irritably crisp. This recipe advances at high speed with admirable results. I toasted garlic slivers in olive oil until sweet and nutty, added oyster sauce to round the edges, then a rustle of sesame seeds and a wisp of orange to pull the whole thing into focus.
Sautéed Cauliflower with Apples and Sherry
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking

Strawberry Sauce
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking
Ice cream sundaes, of course, find expression in their sauces, which provide layers of flavor and seismic contrasts in temperature and tone. To the category of vivid and bright belong fruit sauces, particularly those with a touch of acidity and a shake of vibrant color. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, sour cherries or pineapples — sweet, just-ripe fruits cooked briefly with sugar — will brighten vanilla's pallor (high-pectin fruits can often go it alone without cornstarch for body).

Summer Berry Crostata With Lemon Curd
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking
If the classic fruit tart is a well-heeled matron, a crostata is a lusty peasant girl. Pressed into a fluted mold for form and discipline? Not likely. Roll out the dough, fill it up, crimp it over and slide it into a blazing oven. A crostata is light and unencumbered, the perfect showcase for late summer fruit.

Vegetarian Dagwood
Kay Rentschler · NYT Cooking
This sandwich takes advantage of late-summer’s bounty, with a pile of vegetables set between two layers of focaccia. It takes about half an hour to prepare. You’ll glaze some sliced onions with garlic, lemon and olive oil, chop and sauté the vegetables you happen to have on hand, and then layer it all with slices of your best tomatoes, some cheese and chopped olives. A smear of mayonnaise helps stick the whole thing together.