Recipes

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

Matt Lee And Ted Lee

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

Matt Lee And Ted Lee

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

Matt Lee And Ted Lee

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

This recipe came to The Times in 2003 from Rebecca Charles of Pearl Oyster Bar, an outpost for Maine coastal cooking on Cornelia Street in Greenwich Village. It is easy to whip up on a summer day when company is coming and there’s lots to get done. "Use the blackberries more as an accent," she said at the time. "'The berries'll bleed out all this fabulous inky color." Matt Lee And Ted Lee

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

Matt Lee And Ted Lee

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

Matt Lee And Ted Lee

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

Matt Lee And Ted Lee

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

Matt Lee And Ted Lee

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

The simplest protein we know is our grandmother's marinated flank steak -- a recipe whose source she has long forgotten, but which we like to think was inspired by her childhood in Japan and her golden years in the South: pour a half-cup of bourbon, a half-cup of soy sauce and a half-cup of water into a freezer bag, add the steak, seal shut and marinate for four hours in the fridge.

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

Matt Lee And Ted Lee

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

Here is a chunky relish of cabbage and bell pepper commonly served in the South with salty cold cuts and meats. It couldn’t be simpler: simmer chopped vegetables for 15 minutes in a spiced brine — we use judicious amounts of clove, allspice, cinnamon and toasted coriander — and pack into jars. We tip the balance more toward green tomato than cabbage when green tomatoes are available because we love the tomatillo-like flavor of a green tomato — a near-apple flavor, but without the sweetness. It’s a delicious substitute for any relish you would spread over a hot dog or a burger, but we take it in other directions, too. Mixed one-to-one with good mayonnaise, green tomato chowchow makes the perfect dressing for coleslaw. Sometimes we’ll strain out the brine before we add the mayonnaise to make a killer tartar sauce. Or if we’re feeling indulgent, we’ll drain the chowchow, toss it with squid or small bay scallops and flood it with a fruity extra virgin olive oil for easy mock-ceviche.

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

This is a quick preserve, a classic accompaniment to hot biscuits or perfectly browned toast, but it adds a juicy flair to vanilla ice cream. It’s also an easy one and doesn’t require you to fool around with the rigors of canning, although your jars should be clean, of course. The preserves should last about two weeks, refrigerated.

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

Matt Lee And Ted Lee

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

This simple udon dish is a perfect to-go lunch or easy dinner. Catherine Eng, a website designer in Los Angeles, makes this for her son. "I've got it down to a science, so it only takes me 10 or 15 minutes," she said. "And I can be sure he gets his carbs and protein." For the bonito-flavored soy soup base, like Kikkoman Hon Tsuyu, check your local Asian market or order it online. Matt Lee And Ted Lee

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

Here is an easy sandwich with a great balance of salt and sweet, as strong a candidate for school lunch as an office brown bag. The night before, assemble your ingredients and grill the sandwich for about five minutes, then put it in a sandwich bag, and place in the fridge. By noon the next day: luncheon excellence. Matt Lee And Ted Lee

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

The Kentucky Derby is a two-minute horse race, but its cultural impacts are long-lasting, including a rich culinary tradition of mint juleps, hot browns and Derby pie. Only Kern’s Kitchen Inc. can make a true “Derby-Pie” — the creators of the dessert trademarked the term before partnering with the Kentucky Derby Festival — but while the naming practices are sticky, the concept is universal: a chocolate-chip and walnut-laden batter baked in a pie crust. This version is adapted from author ZZ Packer, who shared her great-aunt’s recipe. Many versions exist — some spike the batter with bourbon; others swap in varying nuts or crown the pie with whipped cream — but Fannie Lou’s is easy to assemble, and makes a lasting impression. Matt Lee and Ted Lee

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking

In New York, as in most North American cities these days, oysters are relatively plentiful, whether they're harvested locally or flown in from afar. Open space for lighting bonfires, however, is in decidedly short supply, so we set about adapting the oyster roast's winning combination of extreme informality and indulgence to a city setting.

Matt Lee · NYT Cooking