Recipes

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

This is perfect Provençal summer fare, with all the sweet flavors of the season. The tapenade, a pungent combination of olives, garlic, capers and anchovy, can be prepared by hand or in a food processor and can serve as a base to a bright salad of tomatoes and peppers. And it’s an ideal condiment for keep on hand, to pair with bright salads or serve over warm garlic toast.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

Fresh summer green beans are the best, and, if you can get them in your own vegetable garden, all the better. They’re most tender when picked on the small side, so aim for that in the garden and at the farm stand. Here, they combine with sweet corn kernels and a basil pesto for a luscious summer pasta that also happens to be nut-free, just parsley, basil, garlic, Parmesan, pecorino and olive oil.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

Adapted from a recipe by Fabrizia Lanza, this is a traditional Sicilian recipe for a refreshing chilled watermelon dessert, probably originally derived from an Arabic sweet. As there are similar Indian and Persian watermelon confections, it seems a natural finish to this meal. In Sicily, it is typically perfumed with jasmine blossoms. A drop or two of fragrant rose water would be a welcome addition. David Tanis

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

This adaptation of a Madhur Jaffrey recipe is lovely in its simplicity. Yellow or gold cherry tomatoes are especially summery here, but any color of tomato will work — as will large ones, sliced or wedged if you wish. But try, if you can, to find the curry leaves at an Indian grocery. They add a subtle fragrance. David Tanis

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

Madhur Jaffrey has published several iterations of this recipe in her cookbooks. This version, from her MasterClass course, is a full-flavored but very easy to prepare curry, perfect for a novice cook. The coconut milk-based sauce may be prepared in advance and the shrimp added just before serving. David Tanis

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

Great for a snack or served as an appetizer with drinks, tostadas can be dainty, made with small tortillas and a dab of savory mashed beans and queso fresco, or they can be hefty, like an over-stuffed sandwich. Though you can buy tostada shells in packages, homemade ones are more delicious, and making them is as simple as rubbing tortillas with oil and crisping them in the oven. The better the tortilla, the better the tostada shell. This recipe calls for canned refried beans, seasoned to taste, but by all means use homemade if you are able. Avocados that are ripe but still firm, dressed with lime juice and salt, are key. If you wish, make the pickled vegetables a day in advance.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

When I visited Veracruz, Mexico, a number of years ago, there was a wonderful seaside restaurant where the specialty was a whole fried fish topped liberally with lightly fried garlic chips, called huachinango (red snapper) al mojo de ajo. (“Al mojo de ajo” can also refer to more complex garlic sauces.) Here, a version of that preparation is employed for fish fillets. First, garlic slices are gently fried in oil until golden, and then the fish is fried in the same oil. The fish is then drizzled with salsa macha, which isn’t traditional but nicely complementary, and tucked into warm tortillas, making for wonderful tacos.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

Flan, a type of caramel custard and a traditional homemade sweet, is beloved all over Latin America and can be eaten any time of day. And best of all, it’s quite simple to make: The only tricky part is preparing the caramel that coats the bottom of the pan. These days, most recipes call for sweetened condensed cow’s milk, but mine skips the dairy altogether, using two kinds of coconut milk instead.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

This showstopping chicken isn’t weeknight fare, but it turns chicken thighs into something totally special. It features lemon two ways, with a fair amount of lemon juice in the marinade, and thin slices of lemon in the roasting pan as well. Garlic, leeks and rosemary also ensure robust flavor. Then, simply roasted rings of delicata squash, skin and all, lay on top, but if you can’t find it, substitute cubes of another hard squash, like butternut. And, if you’re short on time, you can always prepare it in advance — at least a few hours ahead of serving — and reheat for 15 to 12 minutes in a 400-degree oven.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

Here, firm Fuyu persimmons are used in a most satisfying seasonal salad that’s fairly easy to put together. First, you mix up a simple vinaigrette that gets a touch of sweetness from balsamic vinegar (a drop or two of honey wouldn’t be out of place). Then, it’s all tossed with chicories, like radicchio, curly endive or escarole, and homemade glazed walnuts and the result really feels like and looks like fall. Similar salads sometimes add blue cheese, but feta suits this one beautifully. And, if you can’t get persimmons, use pears.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

Turn this easy to make (and easy to love) cake right-side up, and it’s a rustic beauty, generously made with any kind of plum. It keeps well and actually improves the longer it sits. So don’t give big servings. Have a reasonable sliver at the table after dinner and save a nice fat slice for breakfast.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

With its mustard vinaigrette and a shower of tarragon and dill, this is a most refreshing salad. Dress the beets and cucumber separately to keep the ruby juices from staining the cucumber slices. You can cook the beets a day in advance. Poke them with the point of a paring knife to check if they’re tender, then let them cool a bit before rubbing off the outer skins. To make a more substantial salad, add a hard cooked egg and some soft goat cheese.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

Modeled after Engadiner nusstorte, a traditional Swiss walnut confection from the Engadine region of Switzerland, this version is made with pecans. The nuts are folded into a creamy caramel, then encased in buttery flaky pastry.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

On the North Atlantic coast of France, back in the day, this would be a meal made by fishermen, with whatever was left after selling the choice fish. This could mean very small soup fish or off cuts from trimming, maybe a few mussels, whatever they had. With a bottle of wine and a few herbs, they could quickly create a tasty fish stew. It became known as “la chaudrée,” so named for the iron pot it cooked in, called a chaudière. From France it went to Nova Scotia, and by the time it reached the East Coast it was called chowder. Still quite popular in France, most modern recipes call for four types of fish, a small cuttlefish and some kind of bivalve. This version simplifies things slightly, calling for firm rockfish, tender cod, mussels and squid. Crisp buttery croutons are de rigueur for many.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

This is the quintessential salad for autumn and winter, stunningly colorful. For the best-tasting result, look for pears that are ripe but still firm. But if soft pears are all you have on hand — or can find, substitute crisp apples. The crunch here is key.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

Italian polpette are large meatballs, and they partly inspired these tender, oven-baked and highly seasoned recipe. For the best flavor make the meat part, without the bread, and let it rest overnight in the refrigerator. To accompany the polpette, rather than a sauce, these are paired with lentils and greens, which also make a fine simple meal on their own or tossed with pasta. If you’d like one more vegetable alongside, consider roasted parsnips or carrots.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

This festive cake could be decorated as a lemony Yule log, or, in warmer seasons with colorful fruit and edible flowers. It's a bit of a project but manageable if one is organized. Make the lemon curd up to a week ahead.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

Auspicious for New Year, a pot of black-eyed peas is perfect for a casual gathering. Generally speaking, the dried varieties are ready in under an hour, but the parcooked frozen variety can speed up that process. Here, either are employed to an equally satisfying result, as is fresh pork belly, which both infuses the broth as it simmers and offers a bit of crisp contrast. It’s a good idea to have a bottle of hot sauce on hand for those who need a perkier rendition.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

These apple fritters, fried in a cast-iron pan or Dutch oven, come together easily and without a mixer. Simply whisk together the batter by hand, then fry to your heart’s content. They’re ready in minutes, but they taste best if they cool down a bit. So don’t eat them warm. A drizzle of hot honey, store-bought or homemade (see Tip), gives them a sweet-spicy finish.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

Refreshing and slawlike, this salad makes a versatile side dish for any gathering, especially one where a rich dish is the star. It’s dressed with lime juice and jalapeño and left to sit, to infuse and soften the cabbage, then topped with sliced radishes and avocado, an ever-welcome and bright note.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

With its bright miso dressing, soft egg and avocado, this is a comfort-food salad. Larger spinach leaves from a fresh bunch are preferred here, since packaged baby spinach is too tender to dress. A sprinkle of furikake, the Japanese sesame-seaweed seasoning, really makes this salad pop. It’s easily found at Asian groceries, but it’s also fun to make your own. You’ll want to throw it on everything.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

Delicate and subtly sweet, this bright green custard is a luscious, creamy spoon-to-mouth affair. Matcha gives it a slight yet pleasant bitterness. A touch of flaky salt and toasted coconut to finish is essential, as are a long stint in the fridge, which helps it gel. Four hours is good, but overnight is better. To serve, bring it to cool room temperature.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

This easy pork tenderloin dish takes cues from teriyaki and tastes best if marinated well in advance of cooking. A full night in the fridge is ideal, but plan for an hour at the very least. And be sure to pull the tenderloins out of the oven a bit early, since the meat is very lean and will be unpleasantly dry if overcooked. Finally, spoon those lush pan juices over the meat and serve with the accompanying French-style buttered carrots.

David Tanis · NYT Cooking

Blood oranges arrive in late winter. Their ruby-red juice tastes profoundly of orange, but with hints of berry and an elusive tropical flavor. Gelato made with blood orange juice turns a pretty pink, flecked with zest. It freezes easily in a home ice cream machine. If made a day in advance, remove from freezer and allow to soften. Serve with almond biscotti or other almond cookies.