Appetizer
3523 recipes found
Whole-Wheat Focaccia
Focaccia is a flatbread, not unlike a very thick-crusted pizza. It’s an easy dough to put together. It’s a great vehicle for all kinds of vegetables, just as pizza is. Three variations on the flour mix follow the recipe; you can use more whole-wheat flour or less than is called for in this recipe, which uses half whole-wheat and half all-purpose. When I use Community Grains whole-wheat flour, a California flour made from ancient strains of wheat that is milled in such a way that it is very fine but retains all of its nutrients, I can get away with using a lot. Coarser whole-wheat flours are best used in combination with all-purpose.
Soft-Shell Crabs With Corn And Black-Bean Salsa
Soft-Shell Crab Crostini With Arugula Butter
For easy weeknight meals, I dry my cleaned crabs thoroughly so they don’t steam, then sauté them in plenty of butter or oil. You could use a breading like flour or cornmeal to augment the crunch factor, but it also impedes the sweetness of the meat. And good crabs don’t really need it. The trick is to know when to take them off the heat. As soon as they turn from gray-brown to rust and white, the texture goes from soft to taut and they are ready. Soft-shell crabs don’t need much adornment; a squirt of citrus and some freshly ground black pepper offset the funky sea flavor beautifully. But a little garlic and something green and sprightly (here, a combination of arugula and chives) can make them even better.
Soft-Shell Crab Toast
Broiling is perhaps the easiest way to cook soft shell crabs. All you do is oil up the crabs, lay them on a baking sheet and broil them until crisp and bronzed on both sides — under 10 minutes. It's also one of the tastiest ways to cook them: their edges crisp and char while their bellies swell with sweet, saline juices. Here, the broiled crabs are laid on toast and served as open-faced sandwiches. The toast absorbs the crab juices and also heightens the crunch. If you're pressed for time, or if you're a purist, you can skip the parsley jalapeño sauce. A lemon wedge is all you really need to bring out the sweetness of the crab.
Sea Scallops With Sunchokes and Truffles
White Bean Pâté
White bean pâté has been a signature dish of mine for decades. I’ve fiddled with the recipe over the years, varying the seasonings and adding more oil for better texture.
Lentil Pâté With Cumin and Turmeric
Lentils and curry flavors go together beautifully. This pâté tends to be dry if you overcook it, so remove it from the oven when it’s just set, before the top cracks.
Pea Dip With Parmesan
With dips there is always something new, because if you substitute “thick purée” for “dip,” the options are limitless.
White Bean Stew With Carrots, Fennel and Peas
A supply of dried white beans in the pantry means you can always make some sort of white bean stew without a trip to the store. White beans are welcome in any season, though this dish is perfect for spring, with its bright green peas. Use any kind of white bean: ordinary white northern or navy beans, larger cannellini or corona beans or, as pictured here, a small Italian heirloom variety called purgatory bean. This stew is versatile; it's equally delicious served hot or at room temperature, and it can be a first course, a main course or part of an antipasto. Finish with a drizzle of good, fruity extra virgin olive oil. The spicy herb topping makes a bright embellishment.
Scallop and Pepper Tempura
Pissaladiere Baguettes
“Pissaladiere, a specialty in the Nice region of France, is a type of pizza usually made with fresh bread dough that is covered with onions, anchovy fillets, black olives and, sometimes, tomatoes, then baked. In my recipe, I use French bread rolls, splitting them and topping the halves with red onion, cherry tomatoes (still juicy and delicious at this time of year), garlic and the anchovy and olive oil puree that is the signature of this dish.”
Apple-Hazelnut Bread
Pasta in Broth
Whole Wheat Spaghetti With Spicy Chickpeas, Rosemary and Bonito Flakes
Tacos with Roasted Potatoes, Squash and Peppers (Rajas)
You can turn the heat up or down on this taco, depending on your taste for spiciness. Season the potatoes, onions and squash before roasting. A comforting filling that you can heat up or tone down, depending on your taste for spicy. If you like heat, use a preponderance of poblanos and Anaheims for your peppers; if not, use more bell peppers. I season the potatoes, onions and squash with cumin and chili powder before I roast them, and serve the tacos with a cooked salsa ranchera.
Toasted Corn Salsa
Resist the urge to substitute frozen corn for fresh in this delightfully crunchy salsa recipe from “America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook.” Be sure to use a nonstick skillet when toasting the corn, and for a spicier version, add the jalapeño seeds. You can make this ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Just season with additional lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste before serving.
Melted Red Peppers and Garlic
Steamed Asparagus With Pistachios and Brown Butter
This versatile brown butter sauce could enhance all sorts of other vegetables, or fish for that matter. But it just so happens to be a delightful pairing with perfectly cooked fresh green asparagus.
Fresh Multi-Bean Salad with Charred Red Onion
Mandoo (Korean Dumplings)
Chard and Sweet Corn Tacos
These sweet and spicy tacos can be filled with chard of any color, or other greens like beet greens or amaranth. I used Swiss chard for these tacos, but other greens like beet greens or amaranth will work. I don’t recommend strong-tasting cruciferous greens like kale, though. You can use green chard, red chard or rainbow, and do include the stalks if they’re nice and wide. Don’t skimp on the garlic. As for the salsa, you can choose between fresh or cooked tomato salsa, or use a salsa verde made with tomatillos. They all work well. A quarter cup of filling is plenty for each taco.
Shaved Asparagus Salad With Ginger and Sesame
Succulent, fat, fresh asparagus is thinly sliced by hand for this raw salad — easier than you'd think, and safer than using a mandoline. It’s very refreshing and bright tasting.
Vegetable Torta
This torta is inspired by an award-winning one made by Laurie Figone of Petaluma, Calif. And her Pinhead Torta is a spin on a rice and egg torta, a sort of frittata made with eggs, rice, oregano and Parmesan. She substituted steel-cut oats for the rice, soaking and cooking the oats in mushroom broth, which contributed great flavor. She also added shredded zucchini, soaked portobello mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes. This recipe is slightly different. Three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil are a substitute for Ms. Figone's 6 tablespoons of butter, and fresh garlic for garlic salt. There’s also a choice between dried portobello mushrooms and dried porcinis. Serve the torta with a simple tomato sauce.
Wild Arugula, Celery and Apple Salad With Anchovy Dressing
The dressing in this salad is inspired by a much more robust dressing in Jennifer McLagan’s wonderful new cookbook, “Bitter.” I have reduced the anchovies significantly, not because I don’t adore anchovies, but to reduce the sodium levels, which would be too high if an entire can were used. The salad presents a delicious play of bitter, pungent, sweet and salty flavors.