Labor Day
317 recipes found
Vegan Ice Cream
The combination of high-fat hemp and coconut milks gives this nondairy ice cream base an ultra-creamy texture, with a taste mild enough not to obscure any flavorings. The liquid sugar (corn syrup or agave syrup) along with a little vodka help to keep ice crystals from forming, giving the smoothest texture. If you can't find hemp milk, substitute cashew milk. It has a similar fat content, though the flavor is slightly less neutral. Nondairy ice cream is best eaten within a week of freezing.
Radish Salad
Radish salad is something you see in places around the world (in the last couple of years, I have been served it in similar guises in both Mexico and Turkey), but almost never in this country. Salting the radishes first reduces their harshness while accenting their crispness. At that point, they can be dressed with a traditional vinaigrette or the more tropical (and oil-less) version here. The only trick is to slice the radishes thinly. For this, a mandoline is best.
Herby Three-Bean Salad
Ready for picnics and potlucks, this zippy take on a classically American three-bean salad features crunchy green beans, creamy chickpeas and cannellini beans (and is vegan, too). The marinated vegetables (fennel, celery and onions) add texture and a vinegary kick, while a mix of herbs lend complexity and freshness. Feel free to use whatever combination of canned beans you like; kidney beans are classic, black beans velvety, black-eyed peas earthy. You can prepare this salad up to four hours ahead and keep it at room temperature, or you can make it the day before and refrigerate it. Toss well and add more salt and vinegar, if needed, just before serving.
Grilled Flounder
A Montauk fishing guide named Bryan Goulart was the first person I saw brine thin fillets of porgy and sea bass, and the Brooklyn chef Josh Cohen taught me how to do it with flounder, though the recipe would work on any flat fish. A mere 10 minutes in the bath will tighten the flesh nicely, and then three or four minutes of cooking the fish need follow, over a medium flame. Cook only that one side, then flip the fish onto a serving platter or plate, and top with a little bit of butter, chopped parsley and a spray of lemon.
Hasselback Kielbasa
This is a no-recipe recipe, a recipe without an ingredients list or steps. It invites you to improvise in the kitchen. Get a sheet pan ripping hot in a 425-degree oven while you cut up a small onion and a bell pepper, whatever color you prefer. Toss the vegetables in a splash of neutral oil, salt and pepper them, and tip them into a single layer on the hot pan. Allow these to roast in the oven while you cut the kielbasa into thin slices, stopping short of cutting all the way through the meat. You want to end up with a long accordion, basically, or an attenuated pill bug. Now remove the vegetables from the oven, give them a stir, and put the kielbasa on top. Return the sheet pan to the oven and allow everything to roast into crisp softness, 20 to 25 minutes, basting heavily two or three times with a mixture of equal parts apricot preserves and mustard, about 2 tablespoons each. Serve with steamed greens or a fresh baguette. It’ll go fast. Sam Sifton features a no-recipe recipe every Wednesday in his What to Cook newsletter. Sign up to receive it. You can find more no-recipe recipes here.
Grilled Swordfish Kebabs With Golden Raisin Chimichurri
Swordfish is the perfect seafood for grilling — the flesh is sturdy and firm, with a mild flavor that readily absorbs the aroma of smoke without losing its own. Most people grill swordfish as steaks; the Miami chef Michael Schwartz cuts it into chunks for kebabs, a format that allows him to intersperse the chunks of fish with lemon slices and bay leaves, and grills them over wood (though you could use charcoal or, if necessary, grill over gas). The tips of the bay leaves char, imparting a fragrant herbal smoke. By way of a sauce, Mr. Schwartz serves a classic Argentine chimichurri with a not-so-classic twist — the addition of yellow raisins, which counter the traditional garlic and vinegar with an unexpected note of sweetness. If swordfish is unavailable, use another sturdy fish, like tuna or mako shark.
Spicy Corn on the Cob With Miso Butter and Chives
Corn slathered in miso butter is special enough, so you’re within your rights to ignore any other ingredients in this recipe. But for lovers of spice, the Japanese spice blend shichimi togarashi is worth seeking out. In English, it translates to “seven-flavor chile pepper,” though not all of those seven flavors are chile: There’s also roasted orange peel, sesame seeds, ground ginger and seaweed in the mix. Add it gradually, so as not to overpower the subtle flavor of the miso butter (and because everyone likes a different amount of spice). If you can’t find shichimi togarashi, substitute crushed red-pepper flakes.
Buffalo Corn on the Cob
This recipe delivers a hot wings moment minus the meat: Melt some blue cheese into warm Buffalo sauce and slather it on corn, then sprinkle with even more blue cheese crumbles. There are people in this world who think Buffalo sauce pairs better with ranch dressing than blue cheese, and even some people who detest blue cheese. For them, leave out the blue cheese altogether and drizzle ranch (or our recipe for yogurt ranch sauce) over the Buffalo’d cobs.
Corn on the Cob With Lime, Fish Sauce and Peanuts
As this recipe proves, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar is a powerful combination you should commit to memory. Traditionally, those three ingredients form the base of several classic Thai and Vietnamese sauces like nuoc cham and nam pla prik. The mayonnaise here is barely noticeable, but it serves an important role in helping the flavors adhere to the corn. The cilantro is optional so no one will throw a fit.
Cacio e Pepe Corn on the Cob
Cacio e pepe is a traditional Italian pasta made with pecorino, Parmesan, black pepper and a little pasta cooking water. These cobs borrow the flavors of the traditional dish, but the cheese sauce is not thinned with water, so it’s very rich and creamy. Serve the cacio e pepe corn with grilled steak or fish and a green salad with acidic dressing. You’ll be happy.
Grilled Corn on the Cob With Chipotle Mayonnaise
The spicy dip that I serve with grilled corn (as well as with steamed or boiled corn) is sort of like a Mexican aïoli, pungent with garlic, smoky and spicy with chipotle chiles. You can also serve it as a dip with vegetables or chips, or use it as a flavorful spread for sandwiches and panini. The recipe makes more than you’ll need for six ears of corn — if you’re having a crowd for a barbecue, you’ll have enough.
Corn on the Cob With Coconut and Lime
Anyone avoiding dairy might notice that corn on the cob served at cookouts usually comes slathered with butter. This vegan alternative uses coconut oil to add richness, lime juice for a little acid, and finely chopped, toasted coconut chips for added texture. Mixing half of the chips into the oil helps them stick to the cob, which is smart because you’ll want them in every bite. If you can’t find coconut chips, toasted unsweetened coconut flakes will add a nutty flavor, but you won’t get the delightful crunch.
Grilled Corn With Chile Butter
In South Africa, charred ears of corn (called braai mielies) are year-round, smoky-sweet roadside snacks. This version is a side dish for the American summer, when corn and grilling are both in season. The cobs are slicked with butter and sparked with chile heat; in South Africa, they would be served alongside a pile of charcoal-grilled lamb chops or steak or giant prawns, or all of the above. For a more rustic effect (and more effort), use the corn husks as a wrapper instead of aluminum foil. Soak the unshucked cobs in cold water for at least 15 minutes. Peel back the husks but do not detach them from the cobs; remove all the cornsilk. After rubbing on the butter, rearrange the husks around each cob and tie in place with twine.
Potato Chip-Chocolate Chip Cookies
A mix of salty potato chips and chocolate chips gives these shortbread cookies a playful, sweet and savory appeal. Adapted from Shauna Sever’s cookbook, “Midwest Made,” these cookies taste best one day after baking, when the flavors have had a chance to meld. They will last for 3 to 4 days stored airtight at room temperature. Bring them to your next bake sale and watch them sell out in a flash. If you don’t have European-style cultured butter on hand, regular unsalted butter will also work.
Millionaire’s Shortbread
Plain shortbread, a combination of the most basic ingredients in the baker’s pantry, is an understated sweet, but millionaire’s shortbread is a spectacle. It’s a flashy cookie, topped with swoops of chocolate and chewy caramel made from condensed milk, butter and Lyle’s Golden Syrup. A British confection made from cane sugar, Lyle’s is found near the honey and maple syrup in any well-stocked supermarket, but if you can't find it, corn syrup makes a fine, if slightly less flavorful, substitute.
Ice Cream Sandwiches
These ice cream sandwiches make a perfect summertime treat. The thin brownie cake layer bakes quickly, which is a bonus on hot days, and the filling need not be homemade. Freezing time can vary so be sure to plan ahead. Give the assembled cake plenty of time before trying to cut and wrap individual sandwiches and make sure the finished sandwiches are well-frozen before serving.
Double Apple Pie
This recipe is a keeper. Gently spiced with cinnamon, tinged with brown sugar and loaded with apple butter, it’s as deeply flavored as an apple pie can be, all covered with a buttery wide-lattice top crust. Although it’s at its most ethereal when baked on the same day you serve it, it’s still wonderful made a day ahead. (Don't let making your own pie crust intimidate you: our pie guide has everything you need to know.)
Peaches and Cream Pie
This recipe is inspired by the fruit and cream pies at Briermere Farms, in Riverhead, N.Y., a fruit farm and bakery on the North Fork of Long Island. Here, a press-in graham cracker crust is swapped in for the traditional pastry crust, but otherwise the recipe stays true to the signature pie, with a giant mound of fresh sliced peaches concealing a lightly sweetened whipped cream filling beneath. Cream cheese acts as a stabilizer in the whipped cream, allowing you to assemble the crust and filling in advance — but once you add the peaches, the pie is best served within the hour. Perfectionists take note: This pie is a little messy, but that’s part of its charm. If you can’t find ripe, juicy peaches, this recipe is equally delicious made with fresh strawberries or blueberries. The quality and ripeness of the fruit is more important than the variety.
Pear-Pomegranate Pie
In this welcome departure from the traditional apple pie, a combination of Anjou and Bosc pears are caramelized in a mixture of pomegranate molasses and butter, then combined with a smaller portion of fresh, uncooked pears. The whole glorious mess is then dumped into an all-butter crust and baked until tender. The happy result is a pie that's soft and sweet, tangy and toothsome, and oh so good. (Don't let making your own pie crust intimidate you: our pie guide has everything you need to know.)
Spinach Dip With Garlic, Yogurt and Dill
Lemony, garlic-laden and full of chopped herbs and Greek yogurt, this ultra-creamy spinach dip is a fresher, tangier take on the retro kind made with dehydrated soup mix. It’s best to take the cream cheese out of the fridge at least an hour ahead so it can soften; otherwise you can heat it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it up. Firm, cold cream cheese won’t mix into the dip as easily. Serve this with any combination of cut-up vegetables, crackers, toast and sturdy chips.
Foolproof Tarte Tatin
Tarte Tatin isn't as American as apple pie, but it's a whole lot easier. With just four ingredients, it's all about the apples: the lovely taste and shape of the fruit are preserved by sugar and heat, with a buttery-salty crust underneath. This recipe from Gotham Bar and Grill in New York has a couple of tricks that make it easier to pull off than others: dry the apples out before baking; start by coating the pan with butter instead of making a caramel; use tall chunks of apple and hug them together in the pan to prevent overcooking.
Baked Crab Dip With Old Bay and Ritz Crackers
This crab dip is inspired by a recipe called “ritzy dip” from the “Three Rivers Cookbook,” a Pittsburgh community cookbook published in 1973, in which canned crab is mixed with cream cheese, topped with Ritz crackers and baked. Fresh lump crab meat is the star in this updated version, with lemon juice, scallions and plenty of Old Bay seasoning to spice things up. This recipe doubles easily for larger groups, and the whole thing can be assembled and refrigerated up to a day in advance before being baked.
Mashed Potato Salad With Scallions and Herbs
Creamier than a classic potato salad, and chunkier and zestier than regular mashed potatoes, this hybrid dish can be served warm or at room temperature, when its texture is at its softest and best. (Never serve this cold; no one likes cold mashed potatoes.) The key to getting the right texture is to cook the potatoes a little more than you would for potato salad, but not so much that they completely fall apart. You are looking for chunks of potatoes coated in a fluffy layer of highly seasoned mashed potatoes. Potato salads tend to absorb their seasonings as they sit, so for the most flavorful dish, be prepared to add more salt, lemon juice and olive oil to taste just before serving.
Peanut Chicken Wings
Here's a lively twist on the traditional chicken wing. Just grill or broil the wings until they're cooked through, then toss with a simple sauce of coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, fish sauce and lime juice. Return to the grill or oven until they're crisp. You might never go back to Buffalo.