Quick
Green Beans with Miso Butter
"I use miso as a unique salt. It adds depth to even simple preparations, like this compound butter."
Roasted Asparagus and Leek Frittata
A fine choice for a spring menu, although good whenever you can find fresh asparagus, this frittata has an especially nice flavor because the asparagus and leeks are roasted and caramelized before being added. If you like, roast the vegetables a day ahead of time and refrigerate them until ready to use.
Poached Wild Salmon with Peas and Morels
Salmon with fresh morels and peas drizzled in cream sauce is a simple seasonal luxury worth indulging in.
Sweet Lavender Scones
These flaky scones can be made the morning of your party.
Leafy No-Lettuce Salad
There's so much more to leafy greens than lettuce. Here, they're tossed with a light vinaigrette and spooned over sliced stone fruit, nuts, and blue cheese.
Frisée, Radicchio, and Fennel Salad With Mustard Vinaigrette
A generous handful of mint leaves adds a tongue-tingling surprise, reinforcing this salad's zesty freshness.
Scallops with Spice Oil
Blooming spices, or gently frying them in oil, is a quick way to deepen their flavor.
Roasted Apple and Tomatillo Salsa
this is currently my favorite salsa! The unexpected addition of apples makes for a great texture and adds to the sweetness of roasted tomatillos. I also like to add some diced fresh apple right at the end, for freshness and crunch. Take a flour quesadilla, add some sliced avocados, and top with this salsa. Perfection.
Pomegranate and Queso Fresco Salsa
This is a salsa, but whenever I make it I just end up eating it by the spoonful like a salad. The combination of the tart, crisp pomegranate, creamy cheese, and crunchy pine nuts makes a wonderful topping for grilled fish or even a carne asada taco. Pine nuts can be expensive because of the labor-intensive work of extracting them from the pine cones, plus they have a high fat content, which makes them turn rancid quickly. So buy a small quantity and store them in the fridge for no longer than three months.
Parsley Vinaigrette
Mullen likes to spoon leftover vinaigrette over fish or grilled vegetables.
Horseradish Vinaigrette
Use this dressing to punch up sturdy greens such as escarole or radicchio.
Potted Crab with Meyer Lemon
Use good butter, fresh crabmeat, and Meyer lemons and this simple spread will really sing. Can't find Meyer lemons? Substitute 2 tablespoons juice and 1-2 teaspoon zest from a regular lemon instead.
Penne with Pancetta, Sage, and Mushrooms
Red wine and pancetta add richness to the dish, but good beef broth really takes it to the next level.
Spiced Carrots
Ras-el-hanout, meaning "head of the shop," is a complex North African spice mixture that imparts a blend of aromatic, spicy, and earthy flavors.
Luscious Chocolate Icing
Serve this icing spooned over cake or ice cream.
Creamy Fettuccine with Peas and Basil
Satisfy a hankering for high-fat Alfredo sauce with this light, no-dairy version. Oat milk and cashew butter stand in for heavy cream, keeping calories and saturated fat low.