Recipes

Jeff Schwarz · NYT Cooking

The star of this pesto is the garlic plant’s underappreciated second offering: the fleeting garlic scape. The ingredients are straightforward except for the substitution of sunflower seeds for pine nuts. The seeds are a fraction of the cost and do the job just as well. A food processor is a must for this recipe. For pesto, ingredient order matters. Start with the scapes and process for about 30 seconds. Add the seeds until they are broken down and mixed well with the scapes. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula for wandering bits. Next, pour in the olive oil. If you have Parmesan cheese in chunks, add it now, but if it is grated, wait until the scapes and seeds smooth out. If you’re serving right away, add the basil and lemon juice. If not, hold back on the basil for now — otherwise the pesto will lose its vibrant color. Add generously to cooked spaghetti or spread on crusty bread.

Jeff Schwarz · NYT Cooking

Grilling striped bass is a great way to cook the fish because the skin takes on a char that goes well with other strong flavors like oregano-laden chimichurri sauce. Usually paired with meat, chimichurri plays off of bass just as beautifully, as long as you use a light vinegar like champagne or rice wine, rather than balsamic. In preparing the fish, make sure the grill is hot first and be patient about flipping — you usually want about 4 minutes per side for a 7 to 8 ounce piece. Drop some local lacinato kale and thinly sliced yellow squash onto the grill as well for a charred vegetable side.

Jeff Schwarz · NYT Cooking

Usually paired with meat, chimichurri sauce plays off of grilled bass just as beautifully, as long as you use a light vinegar like champagne or rice wine, rather than balsamic. This comes together fast and adds a warmth to the cooler flavors of summer.

Jeff Schwarz · NYT Cooking

Can flour, beer and little else be turned into steaming, golden bread in under an hour? Yes, and this recipe shows you how. When making beer bread with whole-wheat flour, light is what you want. No yeast is needed — the beer does the proofing work. Use a local lager, and add rosemary and a generous amount of honey. Finish it with butter, sea salt.

Jeff Schwarz · NYT Cooking

Eaten whole, wheat berries have a strong nutty flavor, making them an earthy alternative to rice, couscous and quinoa. They can be soaked overnight so they’ll cook faster and have a lighter, softer texture, but it’s not necessary. A great way to prepare them is in tabbouleh, as a substitute for bulgur wheat. Suddenly, what is often only a small part of a Middle-Eastern mezze platter is elevated to a main dish.

Jeff Schwarz · NYT Cooking

Ripe watermelons can be eaten any way at any time of day, but watermelon juice with lots of basil and lime juice blended in is terrific in the morning. It is so very simple to make and captures summertime in a glass.

Jeff Schwarz · NYT Cooking

Skewered melon with chili, salt and lime juice, served as a snack or part of a larger meal, is as unexpected as it is compulsively edible. It's also easily assembled and takes no time, and rewards with layers of flavor.

Jeff Schwarz · NYT Cooking

Making zucchini pasta is simple, but there are some rules to keep in mind. Green or yellow gold bar zucchini are better to use than the yellow, pear-shaped variety. Zucchinis are firmer skinned and more cylindrical than other squashes, which works well in a mandoline. Be sure to squeeze out as much water as possible with a cheesecloth or kitchen towel or the zucchinis will leach a puddle of water onto the serving plate after salting. To dress the pasta, a combination of olive oil, lemon juice and basil leaves works just as well. This dish is served with Sungold tomatoes and corn to add sweetness, and sunflower seeds for crunch.

Jeff Schwarz · NYT Cooking

For cooking, forget the giant pumpkins that are meant for life as jack o’lanterns. The flat, lesser known heirloom variety called the Long Island cheese pumpkin is the prizewinner. This sweet, beige pumpkin gets its name from its resemblance to a wheel of cheese. Making pumpkin soup is a go-to way to prepare the fruit. As with any soup, the key is the quality of stock used. It should add flavor, but not too much or it will eclipse the taste of the pumpkin. Vegetable stock is the best choice here. Roasting the pumpkin with the seeds intact (except for a handful to be used as garnish) intensifies the flavor and adds a slight nuttiness to the soup. Adding sage and some raw apple brings aroma and acidity to the recipe. Finish with pumpkin oil for added richness.

Glenn Collins · NYT Cooking

Glenn Collins

Glenn Collins · NYT Cooking

Robin Frye, Performance Director

Glenn Collins · NYT Cooking

Ken Fitzgerald, Bassist in Band

Glenn Collins · NYT Cooking

This recipe came to us in 1987 from Eric Michael Gillett, then the ringmaster for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Citrus zest and fresh, grated ginger set this recipe apart from the rest.

Glenn Collins · NYT Cooking

Gunther Gebel-Williams, Wild-Animal Trainer

Glenn Collins · NYT Cooking

Glenn Collins · NYT Cooking

Michael Bao Huynh, a former boat person who learned to cook by his mother's side at her restaurant in Saigon, served this dish at his restaurant BarBao on the Upper West Side. Glenn Collins

Glenn Collins · NYT Cooking

Glenn Collins

Glenn Collins · NYT Cooking

Glenn Collins

Glenn Collins · NYT Cooking

Glenn Collins

Glenn Collins · NYT Cooking

This is a meatloaf piled high with spicy shrimp. The chef David Burke created the dish for the Stadium Grill. Glenn Collins

Glenn Collins · NYT Cooking

This unadorned but deeply flavorful roasted chicken is served with a vibrant salsa verde of capers, anchovies, garlic, parsley, arugula, basil, tarragon and sage. The chef Jonathan Waxman created the dish at Barbuto, an Italian restaurant in the West Village, where it became a diner favorite. (Daniel Boulud was a fan.) Serve it with a side of creamy mashed potatoes or a hunk of good bread to soak up the juices. Glenn Collins

Glenn Collins · NYT Cooking

Glenn Collins

Glenn Collins · NYT Cooking

Glenn Collins

Glenn Collins · NYT Cooking

Glenn Collins