Recipes By Ali Slagle
505 recipes found
Barbecue Vegetable Salad
This knife-and-fork dinner salad is full of char and crunch, topped off with a festive dressing to incorporate into your summer repertoire. It’s also an ideal way to use up any grillable vegetables. On a verdant bed of Romaine lettuce, kale and cilantro, pile on grilled summer vegetables and peaches and a shower of corn chips. Beans add protein, though you could also top with quinoa, grilled tempeh bacon or another protein. While barbecue sauce doesn’t often coat lettuce, here it becomes a tangy, thick and pleasantly sweet salad dressing with the addition of a little lime juice to loosen and brighten. If you have some ranch in the fridge, drizzle zig-zags of it on top, too; the duo tastes like an herb-flecked Thousand Island dressing. Eat this big salad solo or with a side of cornbread.
Soba Salad With Grilled Mushrooms and Tofu
Throw together this exciting tangle of soba noodles, grilled mushrooms and tofu, raw vegetables and maple-miso dressing for your next picnic or warm-weather dinner. Hitting mushrooms and tofu with a little heat accentuates the nutty quality of the soba, while snap peas, serrano chile and herbs give this plant-based salad a juicy crunch. Lime juice, miso and maple work double duty as the salad’s dressing and the tofu’s marinade, which chars once it hits the grill. To mitigate the tofu sticking to the grill, maintain medium-high heat and let the tofu release itself from the grates instead of prying it off. To save time, prep the vegetables while the grill heats, or marinate the tofu and cook the soba up to a day ahead and refrigerate until needed.
Grilled Corn Panzanella
Panzanella, the Tuscan bread salad of bread, tomatoes, oil, vinegar, basil, is already peak summer cooking, but this grilled, summer produce-heavy rendition might be even more so. The dish is best in the summer when tomatoes are at their juiciest, which is exactly when you don’t want to turn on the oven to toast bread. But dry bread is the key to the salad’s deliciousness because it soaks up the tomato juices and vinaigrette for a mix of crisp and soft bites. So head outside to the grill: Charring the bread brings a nutty, smoky edge to the sweet tomatoes, corn and cucumbers. Add mozzarella, too, for creaminess, or make the salad vegan by replacing the mozzarella with white beans.
Stuffed Pepper Tacos
With just a single charred pepper stuffed with gooey cheese and herbs, this taco encuerado (or “naked taco”) proves that simplicity is often best — you don’t even need salsa. This recipe, which was adapted from “Asada: The Art of Mexican-Style Grilling” (Abrams, 2023) by Bricia Lopez with Javier Cabral, is inspired by the chiles encuerados served at Cocina de Frida, a restaurant in Ocotlán de Morelos, Oaxaca. The restaurant’s chiles de agua, small, medium-hot heirloom chiles, are considered naked because they don’t have a batter like other chiles rellenos. Ms. Lopez likes to use Anaheim or mild Hatch chiles, which are sweet with a subtle kick, then finishes them with just a sprinkle of olive oil and flaky salt to brighten.
Corn Grits With Charred Peppers and Broccoli
For a cozy and produce-packed dinner, top cheesy, corn-studded grits with grilled peppers and broccoli. To pull it off without racing between the outdoor grill and the indoor stove, build a two-zone grill — with one side heated, one not — and think of the unheated side as a back burner. Its gentle heat will gradually cook the grits while the vegetables soften and char over the flames. A squeeze of grilled lemon lifts the smoky flavors, but feel free to also add chopped parsley or basil, or a shake of hot sauce for spice. For pot recommendations, see Tip.
Grilled Pork Chops With Dill Pickle Butter
Save your pickle brine to swirl into margaritas, whisk into salad dressings and brine pork chops for the grill. Marinating pork chops in dill pickle brine renders them juicy, thoroughly seasoned and redolent of dill, garlic, black pepper and whatever other spices were in the jar. After the golden chops come off the grill, top them with a spoonful of butter that’s studded with chopped pickles and chives. The butter will drape the chops, adding richness, tang and crunch to each bite. Serve alongside grilled asparagus and a green salad. Save extra pickle butter for ham sandwiches, burgers and baked potatoes.
Vegan Pesto Pasta Salad
This bright green pasta salad wants an invite to your next picnic or desk lunch. Parmesan or pecorino are aged cheeses that typically contribute acidity, brininess and nuttiness to pesto, but here, tomatoes, lemon, capers and lots of nuts do the same. This pesto recipe, which makes 1 cup, can also be used on grilled fish or over beans, and can be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. (Pour some oil on top to keep it from browning.)
Curry Tomatoes and Chickpeas With Cucumber Yogurt
Much like the combination of chana masala and raita, this dish’s appeal lies in the contrasts: soft and warm chickpeas and tomatoes rest atop a layer of cool and crunchy cucumber yogurt. The cooking happens quickly; sauté small tomatoes and chickpeas just until softened and fragrant with spices, then pile the mixture onto a swirl of yogurt that’s zesty with chopped cucumbers, garlic, lemon and herbs. The yogurt will loosen under the topping’s warmth and weight, so serve with rice, focaccia or flatbread such as roti or doubles to sop up the lushness.
Chile-Crisp Tofu, Tomatoes and Cucumbers
With cucumbers, tomatoes, browned tofu and a punchy dressing, this recipe’s combination of hot, cold, juicy and snappy makes for a refreshing lunch or light dinner. Inspired by Chinese smashed cucumber salads, many of which include dried chiles or chile oil, this recipe’s piquant and spicy dressing uses chile crisp as well as lemon juice, raw garlic and soy sauce. The only cooking that’s required is searing the tofu, which helps it drink up more of the dressing. Eat it over rice or salad greens, and feel free to embellish with thinly sliced snap peas or celery, cilantro and sesame oil, seeds or paste.
Ice Cream With Olive Oil and Dates
Sweet and silky with surprising bursts of crunch, chew and salt, store-bought vanilla ice cream topped with caramelized dates, olive oil and flaky salt has no business being as delicious and fancy-feeling as it is. The bitterness of chocolate sauce accentuates the sweetness of ice cream, so it makes sense that Italians drizzle spicy, bitter olive oil on ice cream, too. Toasting the dates in olive oil beforehand further enhances the flavors. While vanilla ice cream lets the toppings shine, it’s also delicious on coffee, hazelnut or strawberry ice cream or gelato.
Slow-Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
This hands-off path to pulled chicken results in a juicy, saucy tangle of meat for a crowd. The combination of boneless chicken thighs and breasts creates a mix of feathery and hearty shreds, while cooking the meat slowly in barbecue sauce ensures it won’t dry out. To emulate some of the smoke and savoriness created by cooking meat over smoldering coals, chipotle chiles in adobo, Worcestershire sauce and onion powder are also added. Serve the pulled chicken between buns with pickles and slaw, or make a barbecue chicken pizza; leftovers keep well for a few days in the fridge.
Grilled Hot Dogs
A crisp, snappy, juicy hot dog isn’t necessarily difficult to achieve, but two key steps ensure that yours won’t end up wrinkly, burnt or dry. First, let the flame mellow to a moderate heat, which will prevent bursting and provide ample time to pick up smoke from the grill. Second, arrange the hot dogs parallel to the grates. That way, the rods act like a sling, exposing more of the hot dogs for more browning and keeping them from rolling around. With a well-cooked hot dog, toppings can be as minimal or imaginative as you’d like. (For natural-casing hot dogs, see Tip.)
Tomato Salad
The minimal ingredients in this salad allow tomatoes to shine through. Besides our star, salt is the most important element because it draws out the juices to leave the tomato with more concentrated flavor. The resulting pink-hued juices mingle with the shallot, olive oil and lemon juice to create a dressing that is so good, it is reason enough to make this salad. Use up every drop by dipping into it with grilled bread, or pour it over braised beans, grilled fish or roast chicken. While tomato salads are often dressed with vinegar, lemon juice is more gentle, working behind the scenes to help tomatoes taste like their brightest selves.
Dill Pickle Tzatziki
This punchy, crunchy and creamy sauce combines dill pickles and tzatziki for an easy dip that goes with everything from potato and pita chips to crab cakes and kuku. Traditionally, making tzatziki starts with draining the water from grated cucumber, but that’s not necessary here because the pickles are a two-in-one ingredient, adding crunch and tanginess. (While this might sound like a novel trick, Greek chef Diane Kochilas adds brininess to her tzatziki with cornichons and capers.) Keep the dip on-hand covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Dijonnaise Grilled Chicken Breasts
The grilled chicken we dream of — juicy meat, bronzed crust, a hint of smoke — can be a reality when slathered with mayonnaise and Dijon mustard before cooking. While you won’t necessarily taste the condiments, they work in tandem to ensure that the boneless chicken has an easier time on the grill: The mayonnaise insulates and prevents sticking, and the mustard tenderizes and caramelizes. Serve with a spoonful of the Dijonnaise any way you like simply grilled chicken: atop a Caesar salad, alongside grilled corn or tucked into a sandwich with pickles, shredded lettuce and the Dijonnaise.
Green Bean Salad With Dill Pickles And Feta
Green beans, feta and dill are old friends, but using dill pickles instead of dill contributes acid, crunch and verve to the classic combination. For maximum flavor, use pickles that are brined with fresh dill or dill seeds, and chill the salad for at least 30 minutes for refreshing, snappy bites. Keep in the fridge for up to 2 days to dole out alongside roast chicken or hot dogs, or on top of salad greens or grain bowls.
One-Pot White Beans With Prosciutto and Dates
Humble in process but fancy in feel, this single-skillet recipe dresses up white beans with crisp, salty prosciutto and caramelized, squidgy dates. The combination is reminiscent of bacon-wrapped dates, but prosciutto is more delicate in flavor and more easily shatters into chips for topping bowls. Topping with raw celery gives the rich beans some freshness, but if straight comfort is what you seek, skip the celery and just add the vinegar to the beans. Or for more plushness, add Parmesan, goat cheese, ricotta or blue cheese to servings. Eat alongside a green vegetable, like roasted broccoli or an arugula salad.
Slow Cooker Sausages, Peppers and Onions
The sure-fire combination of sausages, peppers and onions is ready-when-you-are when you make them in the slow cooker. (Once the sausages are cooked through and the peppers and onions are tender, they can hold on “warm” for up to 2 hours.) Searing the sausages in a skillet is the only cooking you’ll have to do, but it’s an important step that fortifies the sauce with the sausage’s brawny, spiced juices. The sweet peppers and onions will tangle in the light, tangy tomato sauce. (Save extra sauce for tomorrow’s pasta, or if you want a thicker sauce, strain and reduce in a saucepan on the stovetop.) Pile everything into a sub — perhaps with some mozzarella broiled on top — or over pasta, roasted potatoes or gnocchi.
Baked Wild Salmon
This two-step method allows you to enjoy the robust flavor of wild salmon without fear of dry fish. Because it has more collagen and less fat than farmed salmon, wild salmon has firmer flesh and is easier to overcook. This method works for all sizes and types of wild salmon, including those long, gorgeous, red sides of sockeye, which can be tricky to maneuver in a skillet or over grill grates. Wild salmon can stand up to punchy accouterments or be adorned more simply; add juiciness with a squeeze of lemon, dollop of Greek yogurt or another sauce.
Lemon-Garlic Linguine
This bright and creamy pasta is a weeknight go-to that can be embellished with seared scallops, shrimp or mushrooms to make it something special. Grated garlic, lemon zest and black pepper sizzle and bloom in melted butter to which starchy pasta water is added to create a thick sauce. A hit of lemon juice at the very end keeps it punchy. Linguine, which is not as thin as spaghetti or as thick as fettuccine, works well here, but if you have another pasta shape on-hand, feel free to swap it in.
Grilled Asparagus
Charred, sweet, crisp and tender, grilled asparagus is a goes-with-everything side dish. The only trick, really, is to buy spears that are at least 1/2-inch thick at the base to ensure they can grill long enough to blister and caramelize without completely turning to mush. While best hot off the grill — perhaps alongside grilled chicken, shrimp or cheese — you can refrigerate grilled asparagus for up to four days; chop the spears up and use them to bolster grain or green salads.
Cucumber Salad
This quick salad makes a refreshing side for rich, crispy or spicy dishes that are in need of cooling relief, like ribs, Cajun shrimp boils, tonkatsu or poached salmon. To take your cucumber salad from good to great, do two things: 1. Peel the cucumbers in alternating strips so that the cucumbers soak up the vinegary dressing but also hold their shape, and 2. Sprinkle the cucumbers with salt and allow them to drain for a less watery, more flavorful salad. You can make the salad up to 2 days ahead, but the cucumbers will lose some of their crispness.
Horseradish-Cheddar Tuna Melts
These no-frills, open-faced tuna melts pack a punch because horseradish and Cheddar make a rowdy pair. Jarred horseradish is a nose-tingling combination of grated horseradish, vinegar and salt, so the tuna only needs a couple tablespoons and a little mayo, garlic and black pepper to make it zesty and creamy. If you’re only serving two, the recipe halves easily, and you can broil it in a toaster oven. Eat for lunch or dinner alongside an iceberg salad, pickle spears or potato chips.
Spicy Shrimp and Mushroom Stir-Fry
This assertively spicy and savory stir-fry comes together quickly because each ingredient brings so much to the skillet. (And if you use pre-sliced mushrooms, you won’t even need a knife and cutting board.) Meaty mushrooms provide an earthy base, while the shrimp offers a sweet, saline snap. But the key ingredient is a considerable amount of kimchi: The fermented cabbage is cooked until just warm so it stays effervescent, spicy, crunchy and juicy. Kimchi’s heat varies jar by jar, so if you find the dish a bit too punchy, stir in a tablespoon of butter at the end. If you want a green vegetable, toss in a handful of spinach. Serve with rice, lettuce cups, rice cakes or ramen noodles.