Recipes

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

This recipe made waves among home bakers when it was published by Cook's Illustrated magazine in 2008 because of its brilliant use of vodka in the dough, which all but ensures that the baked crust is tender. The vodka, which evaporates in the hot oven, is essential here, and you shouldn't taste it in the finished crust, so do not skip it. The filling is delicious too, pillowy with a deep, rich flavor. Cook's Illustrated advised readers to add the filling to the prebaked crust when both the crust and the filling are still warm; it helps ensure accurate cooking times and a crisp crust. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

A 3 ½ pound bird should roast in 55 to 60 minutes, while a 4 ½ pound bird requires 60 to 65 minutes. If using a basket or a V-rack, be sure to grease it so the chicken does not stick to it. If you don't have a basket or V-rack, set the bird on a regular rack and use balls of aluminum foil to keep the roasting chicken propped up on its side. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

This straightforward method of cooking mussels or clams produces an excellent dinner in 30 minutes. You can build in extra flavors by varying the aromatic vegetables, the liquid and the last-minute stir-ins. All you need is some bread or simply cooked rice, grain or potatoes to sop up the broth. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

Serve this as a stew, with everything in the bowl, or as a plain broth, followed by the chicken and vegetables on a platter. Canned stock is a decent option here, as is water, because the cooking liquid gains flavor from the chicken and vegetables during simmering. Of course, real stock is the best option. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

Creamy, cheesy but not too thick or heavy, this is a good side for a pork loin. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

You need not (and may not want to) use all the vegetables below at once; try mixing and matching. All measurements approximate. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

Risotto can often be an intimidating dish, but this recipe, adapted from Rick Moonen and Roy Finamore’s “Fish Without a Doubt,” doesn’t have to be. It came to The Times in 2009, part of Emily Weinstein’s column on learning to cook. It worked for her, even though she didn’t prepare any of the ingredients ahead of time — or stir constantly as so many risotto recipes demand. Feel free to adapt the recipe as she did, substituting packaged seafood stock for the homemade shrimp stock, and chopped basil for the basil-infused oil. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

Serve the artichokes hot, warm, at room temperature or cold. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

This Liberian peanut soup, recipe courtesy of Helene Cooper, should satisfy peanut butter lovers, as well as anyone who wants a thick, rich, meaty dish.

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

These muffins are flat, firm-topped and cheerfully yellow; with an old-fashioned texture — grainy with small holes running through the crumb — and a wholesome, straight-from the farm flavor — they’re tangy from the buttermilk and sweet from both the cornmeal (try to find stone-ground) and the corn kernels. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

In France, this cake is usually served with a little sweetened crème fraiche, but it lends itself to other toppings as well. Fresh soft fruit, like sliced peaches or plums, is a natural with this as is berries with a touch of sugar. And, because the cake is plain and just a little tangy from the yogurt, it pairs happily with lemon cream, curd or mousse and is delicious with chocolate mousse or chocolate sauce. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

It’s easy to find an occasion to serve this cake — breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or snacktime will do. The dominant flavor here is the berries. Don’t be tempted to increase the amount of walnuts in the topping — scarcity makes them even more delightful. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

Be sure to slice the apples thin so that they cook in the amount of time needed to bake the crust — this isn’t a chunky filling. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

This makes a large batch of dough. Divide it in half and use both halves, or freeze one portion to use another time. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

Cooked fruits and simmered compotes are among the simplest of French family sweets. While they’re usually served with little more than heavy cream, crème fraîche, or plain yogurt, they can also be paired with rice pudding or French toast, moistening the pudding or toast with the poaching syrup and then spooning over the fruit. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

The sablé is a sweet shortbread that’s buttery and noticeably salty. In this version, the dough is purposely very soft (it’s too soft to roll and cut for cookies) so that it can be patted and pressed into a tart pan, baked, and used as the base of a beautiful berry dessert. You can spread the galette with lemon curd and top it with sliced strawberries or whole raspberries, but it is equally good with whipped cream or ice cream in place of the curd. In fact, it’s good on its own — just cut it into wedges. If you’re not serving a group, leave the galette plain, and when you need a slice or three of tart, cut the galette and top it on the spot. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

Be sure to use strong mustard from Dijon. Dorie's friend Gérard Jeannin uses Dijon’s two most popular mustards in his tart: smooth, known around the world as Dijon, and grainy or old-fashioned, known in France as “à l’ancienne.” You can use either one or the other, or you can adjust the proportions to match your taste, but whatever you do, make sure your mustard is fresh, bright colored, and powerfully fragrant. Do what Gérard would do: smell it first. If it just about brings tears to your eyes, it’s fresh enough for this tart. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

While Dorie Greenspan uses this dough for savories, it’s really an all-purpose recipe that produces a not-too-rich, slightly crisp crust that is as happy holding pastry cream for a strawberry tart as it is encasing a creamy cheese filling for a quiche. This is a good dough to use anytime you see a recipe calling for pâte brisée. Be prepared: The dough should chill for at least 3 hours. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

This is not really a New York cheesecake recipe — there’s no lemon (although there could be) — this is an all-American cheesecake of the big, beautiful, lush and creamy variety, the kind that causes gasps of delight when you bring it to the table and sighs of satisfaction when you and your guests savor bite after bite. The cake’s velvety texture is a result of a long turn in the mixer, and a cool-down process that requires patience, but not much effort. It’s also a cheesecake you can customize. You can make the cake milder or tangier by using all heavy cream or all sour cream, or a combination of the two. You can add fruits or nuts, swirls of chocolate or drops of extract. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

In this unusual brownie recipe from the Boston pastry chef Rick Katz, half of the recipe’s eggs and sugar are mixed in with the chocolate, while the other half are beaten until they double in volume and are as light as sponge. Whipping the eggs creates the surprisingly creamy, soft and definitively fudgy texture. Emily Weinstein

Emily Weinstein · NYT Cooking

This recipe, from Dorie Greenspan's wonderful cookbook "Baking: From My Home to Yours," is simple but decadent, and very forgiving for the beginner baker. It’s a glorious mess of fruit and cream — the pressure is off to make it look perfect. Emily Weinstein