Table of Contents
Building a Repertoire 13
Cooking by Heart (Or, A Little About Me) 15
A Word About Ingredients 17
Ways to Start
The Greenest Green Salad 22
Sam's Spring Fattoush Salad 24
Gribiche with Asparagus 27
Mr. Ellis's Tomato Tart 28
Bean Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Aioli 32
Fancy Toasts
Garlicky Broccoli Rabe and Provolone 36
Roasted Tomatoes and Ricotta 37
Pea Smash and Marinated Feta 37
Sweet Corn Fritters 40
Roasted Carrots with Burrata and Salsa Rustica 42
Chicory Salad with Maple-Roasted Squash and Blue Cheese 45
Avocado and Citrus Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette 47
Creamy Onion Tart with Olives 48
Seeded Rye Gougères 51
Pretzel Rolls 54
Fried Salt-and-Pepper Shrimp 58
Cheater's Tortilla Espanola 61
Scottish Oatcakes with Butter and Dates 65
Twice-Baked Magic Soufflés 66
Duck Rillettes 69
Ultra-Crispy Potato Pancakes 72
Negronis and Potato Chips 77
Mains
Flank Steak with Salsa Verde 80
Harissa and Honey Chicken Thighs 82
Spaghetti Niçoise 85
Grilled Leg of Lamb with Green Onion Flatbreads 86
Grilled Tahini Chicken 93
Halibut Kebabs with Grilled Bread 97
Rigatoni with Roasted Tomatoes, Ricotta, and Mint 98
New Eggplant Parm 100
Summery Sausage Bake 103
Panko-Parmigiano Chicken Cutlets 107
Pork Saltimbocca 109
Tortilla Soup 112
Garlic-Butter Roast Chicken 115
Curry Noodles with Beef and Sweet Potatoes 118
Broccoli Rabe and Mozzarella Calzones 121
Lamb Ragù with Creamy Polenta 124
Red-Chile Braised Beef 127
Pantry Pastas
Cacio e Pepe 130
Bucatini all' Amatriciana 133
Aglio e Olio 134
Hot-Dog Fried Rice 137
Meatballs Many Ways
Beef Albóndigas 139
Vermicelli Noodles with Lemongrass Pork Meatballs 143
Beef-and-Pork Meatballs in Tomato Sauce 145
Brown-Butter Gnocchi with Crispy Prosciutto and Sage 148
Rustic Seafood Stew 152
Cider-Braised Chicken with Fall Vegetables 155
Three Ways with Beans
Maine Truck Stop Baked Beans 158
Beans and Greens 161
Basic Black Beans 165
Chicken and Herbed Dumplings 166
Candy Pork 170
Sweets
Apricot-Nectarine Crisp 174
Sour Cherry Hand Pies 177
Strawberry Sundaes 180
Pavlova with Lime Curd and Blue Berries 182
Coconut Cream Party Cake 187
Repertoire Chocolate Cake 190
S'Mores Tart 194
The Three Greatest Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies 196
Chewy Molasses Cookies 199
Cocoa-Oat Cookies 201
Ultimate Chocolate Ice Cream with Cinnamon Bread Crumbs 202
Creamsicle Affogato 206
Vanilla Bread Pudding with Cognac Prunes and Dark Chocolate 208
Rice Pudding with Citrus and Pistachios 211
Glazed Gingerbread Cake 212
Maple-Blueberry Cornmeal Cake 215
Sweet and Tart Lemon Bars 216
Perfect Tarte Tatin 218
Acknowledgments 223
Index 225