The Kitchn Archive: Jul 2023

It's rich, creamy, and made in a single skillet.

I’ve been craving a nice, hearty risotto so I’ve decided it would be a good time to make this type of dish during cold months. I had it in my mind that I wanted to make something with mushrooms and leeks. I wanted it to be savory and woodsy, encompassing the flavors of fall. I have a collection of nice dried mushrooms waiting to be used; some chanterelles picked by friends, and some dried porcinis that I picked with my mushroom picking club.

Save money *and* eat well!

From burgers and chicken to fish and steak, these sides make a perfect partner to them all.

I have to admit I’ve never understood the popularity of the “Sunday brunch” at otherwise decent restaurants—the lines are ridiculous, the food often subpar, and you know as well as me the waitstaff have plenty of better things to do (like nurse their own hangover). My indifference to this cultural phenomenon doesn’t mean I don’t love a pile of pancakes and a fried egg or two; it’s just that I prefer them from the comfort of my own home.

If you're looking for a quick way to preserve a bunch of cherry tomatoes, pickling is a unique way to put them to good use.

Y'all couldn't stop making cowboy butter.

When you crave a sweet snack but want to avoid the seduction of a whole cake or a dozen chocolate chip cookies, the one-off mug cake is your best friend. Have you ever made a mug cake? It’s just what it sounds like: a few tablespoons of ingredients whisked up in a mug and baked in the microwave for less time than it takes to make popcorn. Presto: sweet, moist cake. And just one of them.

Mustard works its magic on braised chicken.

One of my favorite strategies for moving outside the box of the standard Shabbat dinner menu is to look to the global canon beyond the Eastern European standards I grew up with. The Jewish cuisines of Spain, North Africa, and the Middle East — all warm-weather climates — are particularly ripe with summer cooking inspiration. This chicken dish, for example, is often served on Shabbat by Moroccan Jews, but it was delightfully unfamiliar to me when I first started making it.

This has become our favorite cooking technique for vegetables! Not only does it require less hands-on work than sautéing on the stove top, but vegetables develop a nice char under the broiler. This translates into smoky flavor in our dishes. We also like the texture contrast. Since broiling is a quick cooking method, the outsides of the veggies soften while the insides stay relatively crisp. Yum! Want more smart tutorials for getting things done around the home?

Everybody loves creamed spinach, even folks who hate spinach! Here’s a luxurious baked version that I love serving with oven-roasted pork tenderloin, though it pairs just as well with steak, pork chops, or any other protein on your plate. Splurge on a little mid-week comfort food and make this with your dinner tonight! This spinach bake is a cross between creamed spinach and a spinach soufflé, and in my opinion it’s the best of both worlds.

Literally easier than pie.

Toss it on a grain bowl, salad, or even over pasta all week long.

Or cookout side ... or light dinner.

The citrusy flavor is unreal.

Here's how to make a delicious, one-pan, ​bulgogi-style rice bowl on a busy weeknight.

The one-pot affair comes together without fuss, when you need it most.

It steals the scene at every party.

Exactly how you want to eat carrots with a steak dinner.

Based off a soup so good, its memory outlasted the memory of the person I ate it with.

This is a curry dish that benefits from a nice, long simmer anyway, so why not let that happen while you're off doing other things?

File under: Another trick we learned from Alton Brown.

It’s no pretty jar of jam or row of canned tomatoes, I know, but I suspect that making your own fruit-flavored vodkas might just be the most fun way to preserve. It’s very easy and simple; choose some ripe fruits, cover them with vodka, and wait for a few days until the vodka tastes good.

No, it's not feta.

It’s fruity, boozy, and ice-cold.

My grandfather's recipe has a secret ingredient that makes all the difference.

Aperol spritz, but make it punch!

Bananas, dates, oats, and nuts — that's it.