Picking a perfectly ripe summer melon is like folding a fitted sheet—forever a struggle. Here’s a salad that can save even the most mediocre specimen. A simple combination of sharp shallot and hot green chile generously dressed with lemon, olive oil, and salt will transform that subpar fruit into something juicy and joy-inducing. Salty crumbles … Read more
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I think we can all agree that the world is a better place with creamy salads. Imagine a universe without egg salad sandwiches. How dreary. Egg salad may have its detractors (smelly! mushy!), but fans know the unique comfort of that first bite—smooth dressing, slightly bouncy egg whites, velvety yolks, and maybe a little crunch … Read more
What constitutes a picnic salad, exactly? It’s a simple dish built to be packed up into a reusable container, toted to the park, and shared. A picnic salad is no worse for being eaten in direct sunlight—though it also excels straight from the fridge, making it an ideal make-ahead work lunch option. It’s zippy and … Read more
Don’t let the grocery store fool you—asparagus has a season (and it’s not the middle of August). Spring is prime time for these green stalks, when they’re at their bright, perky, taut-skinned best. If you’re grilling, roasting, or steaming asparagus, or otherwise planning to serve them whole, look for thick spears. The ratio of fiber … Read more
When real estate agents talk about luring potential buyers at an open house with the smell of baked goods, they’re probably referring to banana bread specifically. Banana bread in the oven smells like comfort, like the very notion of home itself (as seen on TV, with a sleepy dog and flowers in the front yard). … Read more
This homemade raspberry jam recipe has no lemon juice, pectin, or other add-ins, just the berries and sugar. Adding pectin “necessitates more sugar,” says Eleanor Topp, author of The Complete Book of Year-Round Small-Batch Preserving. And using more sugar “dilutes the natural flavor of the fruit.” She also notes that while not adding pectin requires … Read more
This recipe for strawberry preserves does not turn out run-of-the-mill store-bought strawberry jam. Here whole pieces of fruit float in a sweet, bright syrup that’s equally useful in the kitchen. To make it, you only need sugar, half a lemon, fresh strawberries, and sterile jars. Most of the prep time is hands-off: After you mix … Read more
The best mango chutney starts with firm-to-ripe fresh mangoes. While you can use defrosted frozen mangos in a pinch, they don’t have the same texture or beautifully balanced sweetness and acidity. Fruit notwithstanding, this mango chutney recipe is almost endlessly customizable. Add a pinch of cardamom, nigella seeds, mustard seeds, or black pepper to your … Read more
From David Lebovitz’s 2010 cookbook, Ready for Dessert, comes this easy orange marmalade recipe with a genius juicing method. By squeezing cut oranges over a mesh strainer, Lebovitz preserves the valuable seeds. He wraps them in cheesecloth and adds to the mixture of boiling water, sugar, and citrus—pith and all—on the stovetop, then simmers and … Read more
Step 1 Mash 10 lb. peaches, sliced, and their pits in a large, nonreactive pot, using your hands, until no large pieces of fruit remain. For every quart of fruit pulp, add 1 cup water; bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to low, and simmer until very juicy, about 20 minutes. … Read more