Every Thanksgiving, I vow that next year I will find a willing friend to host us and our enormous tribe, and every year, I end up gathering family and friends, with assorted waifs and strays, and doing it myself. For a few years, I collapsed at the table, exhausted, barely able to keep my eyes […]
Recipes
Flourless Chocolate Chestnut Truffle Torte
Who doesn’t love a flourless chocolate cake? Put Jane Green’s beautiful torte on your must-make list for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, your anniversary, your birthday, a random Tuesday. . .you get the point.
Straight-Talk Turkey
No brining or babysitting is needed for this recipe — just a good bird, started from room temperature, cooked in a calibrated oven (meaning you know the exact inside temperature — ask at the hardware store for the $4 oven thermometer that hooks onto a rack) for the amount of time needed for your size […]
Buttery Spiced Poached Pears
When apples and pears are in season from autumn into winter, I keep a large bowl on the countertop for out-of-hand eating. I also love to poach them to transform them into this luscious dessert.
Trout with Almonds
The mellowness of trout combined with this simple French technique make this a great entry-level fish dish for neophyte fish-eaters. The fillets cook quickly, and the browned butter imparts a mild, almost nutty flavor, which is why I like to pair the trout with toasted almonds. You can swap in any similarly thin, delicate fillet, […]
Mediterranean Mashed Potatoes
Faith wanted to create a side dish that would add some interest to the plate. What’s more interesting than salty bits of crispy prosciutto in every bite of mashed potatoes? The toasted pine nuts—totally worth the splurge, by the way—give the dish Mediterranean flair. These potatoes are “loaded” in the best possible way.
