Chickpea and Olive Salad

Note: this recipe was part of a book I wrote called Eat Like A Maisel.

Yield: 4 servings

The Weissmans eat salad more than a few times during the first season. Their tastes generally lean toward a simple lettuce salad—which surely has more to do with Zelda’s laziness than the fact that it’s a prop—but I think they’d welcome a change. Should Rose ever ask me for a suggestion, I’d offer this salad. I think it would be as equally welcome on the Weissmans’ table as Ethan is in front of the TV (or as the daughter is to being written out of the script).

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
1 cup kalamata olives
1 English cucumber, 1⁄2-inch dice
3 tablespoons red onion, 1⁄4-inch dice
1⁄4 cup flat-leaf parsley
1⁄2 cup feta

Whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add all the ingredients and toss to combine.

Butter-Roasted Carrots

Note: this recipe was part of a book I wrote called Eat Like A Maisel.

Yield: 4 servings

Maybe Zelda has the night off. Or you’re more focused on a main item, like the Brisket (page 142) or the Rack of Lamb (page 151). Or maybe you just feel like a bunny. Doesn’t matter. This dish is easy, tasty, and the pop of color and textures from the parsley, mint, pistachios, and feta make for a nice surprise.

1 pound (453 g) carrots

1 pound (453 g) butter

4 tablespoons (5 g) parsley

8 tablespoons (2.5 g) mint

1⁄4 cup (40 g) feta

1⁄4 cup (30 g) pistachios

Kosher salt, to taste

4 garlic cloves, optional

1 bunch (20 g) thyme, tied with a piece of kitchen twine, optional

Wash the carrots, scrubbing vigorously. Wrap a clean dishrag around the carrot and push and pull the carrot through it. Seriously. You’re going to be uncomfortable. You’re going to make anyone watching you uncomfortable. But when you’re done, the carrots should have a soft, velvety skin. Which I think makes this whole exercise even more awkward.

Melt butter in a large sauté pan. You want a pan small enough to fit the carrots, but not so large that you have tons of extra room. I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet. You can chop them into shorter lengths if you wish, but I prefer the presentation of full-length carrots.

Add the carrots to the pan. Careful! Don’t splash any of that butter. This is the time to add the optional garlic and thyme.

Preheat the oven to 300 ̊F.

Carefully move the carrots to the oven and roast for 2 hours. If the carrots aren’t completely covered in butter, rotate or baste them occasionally so they don’t dry out.

Remove from oven. Transfer the carrots to a cooling rack on an aluminum foil–lined baking sheet. Transfer the butter in the pan to a jar. Congrats, you just made carrot-flavored ghee! Use this as you would butter, keeping in mind that it’ll have a subtly sweet flavor.

Toss the carrots with parsley, mint, pistachios, feta, and salt (to taste) and serve.

Potato Kugel

Yield: 4-8 servings

The kugel, to me (a gentile), is the epitome of Jewish comfort food. It makes me wish I’d had a bubbe to make this for me. Both the Weissman and Maisel households would have a kugel on rotation. And for good reason. It’s easy to prepare, it’s so flavorful, and it can feed a large group.

2 pounds (900 g) russet potatoes, grated
1⁄4 cup (35 g) flour
2 tablespoons (25 g) canola oil
1 pound (453 g) onions, 1⁄2-inch dice
1 cup (30 g or 1 ounce) green onion, chopped
3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
2 teaspoons (8 g) kosher salt
1⁄2 cup (100 g) crème fraîche
Chives, for garnish

For the potatoes

Fill a large bowl with cold water and set next to your work area. Grate the potatoes using a food processor fitted with the grater attachment or a coarse grater and add to the bowl of water. This will help remove some of the starch, which will help make the kugel lighter. Dry them in a salad spinner or by laying them out on a clean dishcloth. Toss with 1⁄4 cup flour.

For the onions

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and add onions. Sweat until translucent, about 10 minutes. Remove to a bowl.

For the custard

Add the 3 whole eggs, the 3 yolks, the salt, and the crème fraîche to a large bowl and mix together.

To complete

Preheat oven to 400°F. Add onions and potatoes to the custard and mix together. Lightly oil a 7 x 9–inch casserole dish with 1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil. Add the potato custard. Bake in a 400 ̊F oven for 45 to 60 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the custard no longer wobbles when you jiggle the dish. Garnish with thinly sliced chives.

Fettuccine, Morels, Asparagus*, Pea Shoots, Bacon

So I made this with asparagus, but after careful consideration [read: several helpings] I've come to the conclusion that it tastes better without. So. Add the asparagus if you like—it's ~250 g, or about one bunch without the tips and woody ends—or not, your call. I'm not anti asparagus. I actually love the stuff. But in this case I want the bacon and morels to come through more.

If you decide to add the asparagus, blanch them for about 2 minutes in salted boiling water and then shock them in ice water. Toss with the pasta just prior to service to reheat.

Serves 4

Ingredients

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30 g (1 thick slice) bacon
20 g (1.5 T) bacon fat or butter, optional
85 g (~1 c) morels
450 g fresh fettuccini
50 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
60 g (about 1 cup, stuffed) pea shoots, roughly chopped

Recipe

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• 30 g (1 thick slice) bacon
• 20 g (1.5 T) bacon fat or butter, optional

Add to a large skillet. Turn heat to medium heat just until you hear it sizzle, then reduce to medium-low or low and cook until crispy, adjusting the heat to ensure the bacon fat doesn't burn.

• 85 g (~1 c) morels

Reserve 8 small ones for garnish. Slice the rest lengthwise into 1/8th-inch-thick slices. Add to bacon.

• 450 g fresh fettuccini
• 50 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
• 60 g (about 1 cup, stuffed) pea shoots, roughly chopped

Cook in well salted water to 2 minutes shy of al dente. Transfer the pasta directly to the pan with the bacon and mushrooms; do NOT discard the pasta water. Adjust the heat to medium. Add a third of the cheese to the pasta. Add 1 cup of pasta water. Use tongs or a few spoons to continuously stir the pasta. Add another third of the cheese. And another 1/2 cup of pasta water. Stir, stir, stir. Add the last of the cheese, the pea shoots, and, if needed to make it saucy enough, another 1/2 cup of pasta water. Stir until everything is well mixed and the sauce is emulsified. Divide among 4-6 bowls. Serve.

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farro salad, parm-reg, greens, seeds, olives

tl;dr: melt fat, sweat shallots, toast farro, deglaze, pressure cook 15 minutes @ 1 bar, mix everything, serve

Makes 4 servings, about 2 cups

Ingredients

10 g (1 T) really good bacon fat
40 g (1/2 cup) shallot, sliced 1/16-inch-thick
200 g (1 cup) farro
400 g (about 2 cups) vegetable stock and whey, about 50/50 mix
5 g (about 2 tsp) kosher salt
50 g EVOO
10 g lemon juice
40 g sunflower seeds
40 g Parm-Reg
100 g mixed marinated olives
25 g Arugula

For the farro

10 g (1 T) really good bacon fat
40 g (1/2 cup) shallot, sliced 1/16-inch-thick

Sweat in the base of a pressure cooker.

200 g (1 cup) farro
400 g (about 2 cups) vegetable stock and whey, about 50/50 mix
5 g (about 2 tsp) kosher salt

Add to the pan, seal, and pressure cook for 15 minutes at 1 bar. Start the timer once it reaches full pressure. Depressurize by running cool water over the top of the pressure cooker. Taste for doneness. It should be al dente. If it's undercooked, cook uncovered over medium heat to finish. You can reserve the cooked farro in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To Complete

50 g EVOO
10 g lemon juice
40 g sunflower seeds
40 g Parm-Reg
100 g mixed marinated olives

Mix together in a large bowl.

25 g Arugula
the cooked farro from above

Add to the bowl, toss to combine. Divide among 4 bowls and serve immediately.

Latkes

Note: this recipe was part of a book I wrote called Eat Like A Maisel.

Yield: 4–6 latkes

Baz: “Next time, I’d like some latkes.”
Midge: “I make great latkes. Genius latkes. You won’t be sorry!”

Oh, Baz. He knows he’s in a great position. As long as he gives Joel a terrible time, he can get free brisket. And, while he’s got a pink Pyrex full of beautiful brisket, he’s got the chutzpah to ask for latkes next time. You gotta hand it to him. He knows what he’s doing. At least when it comes to negotiating for food.

You have a few options for cooking this recipe. Instead of creating one giant latke and cutting it after cooking, you could create smaller individual latkes and flip them using a spatula. Or you could use a smaller pan and just make smaller latkes.

They are light and fluffy and crunchy, the holy trinity of potato perfection. Which is a bit confusing in a traditionally Jewish dish.

1 pound (453 g) russet potatoes
1 bunch, (4 to 6) green onions
6 tablespoons (80 g) canola oil

Peel and coarsely grate potatoes. If you have a food processor, use the grater attachment to quickly grate all the potatoes. If not, use a box grater and prepare to get a workout.

Immediately put the grated potatoes in a bowl and fill with water. Soak for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the root and white parts of the green onions and discard. Cut off the darkest green parts—usually the top 3 to 6 inches—of two of the onions and set aside. Make one cut down the length of the green onion tubes, taking care not to split the entire onion into two separate halves. You’re just opening up the tube. Then, slice crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices.

Set aside. We’ll use those for a garnish. You can keep the greens in a little tub of water and stick them in the fridge if you’re not going to use them for a few hours. It’ll keep them nice and crisp.

Slice the rest of the green onions crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. It’s okay to mix the light green and dark green parts together for this. Set aside.

Dry the grated potatoes in a salad spinner. If you don’t have a salad spinner, drain them in a large sieve, and then dry on a paper towel–lined baking sheet.

Heat 1/8 inch of canola oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over high heat. When it starts to shimmer, reduce heat to medium and carefully add a third of the potatoes. Don’t splash the hot oil everywhere. Sprinkle them in like you’re a fairy blessing someone with potatoes.

Sprinkle half of the green onions on top of the potatoes. Repeat with another third of the potatoes, and the rest of the green onions. Sprinkle the remaining potatoes on top.

Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, or until well browned. Use a fish turner or offset spatula to flip the giant latke. Don’t hurt yourself. Cook for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until the other side is browned.

Slide the giant latke onto a paper towel–lined plate. Cut into quarters and serve immediately, topped with the reserved sliced dark green onion. If you reserved them in water, be sure to drain them before using.

The Art of Latke Flipping

There’s no high quite like killing it on stage. (I could be wrong . . . I’ve never done drugs.) But flipping a giant latke comes close.

The hardest part of flipping latke is the mental preparation. It’s mandatory that you stress out. It’s important that you work yourself into a mental tizzy visualizing the flip. The wrist pop, the midair flip. The oil splattering all over your new Theory shirt or dress. The dog barking in anticipation that, as usual, the latke turning end over end in the air will land on the floor.

But then you stick the landing. The latke falls magically into the pan as if it never left in the first place. The crowd cheers.

You don’t have a crowd? You should totally get yourself a crowd.

Cauliflower "rice", guanciale, pesto

Note: this recipe was part of a book I wrote called Eat Like A Maisel.

Yield: 2–4 servings

Cauliflower smells like farts. There’s no way around it. Hopefully the Weissmans knew this as Zelda prepared the pureed cauliflower for the failed Mordecai Glickman dinner (spoiler alert: Mordecai’s dead). Otherwise they assumed the worst of her. Once you cook it, it smells great. But, if you’re like me and like to prep your ingredients ahead of time, know that your fridge may smell like toots until you cook it.

I don’t know whether the Weissmans kept kosher all year. For the sake of this recipe, let’s assume that they didn’t. Rose seeks the advice of a psychic, for goodness sake. If it’s difficult for you to picture Rose eating pork, then just imagine this at empty-headed Penny’s place.

Bottom line: I don’t care who in the Maisel world cooks this—it could be the woman ordering pork in the butcher shop or the doormen for all I care!—as long as someone cooks it. (Can you tell I’m a fan of guanciale?)

4 ounces (100 g) guanciale, cut into lardons 1⁄4-inch by 1⁄4-inch by 1-inch
1⁄2 head (600 g) cauliflower, stem removed
1⁄2 teaspoon (2 g) kosher salt
1⁄2 cup (100 g) pesto (recipe follows)

Add the guanciale to a medium skillet set over high heat. Once the guanciale starts to sizzle, reduce heat to low. Cook until the guanciale is crispy, about 20 minutes. Flip each lardon once about halfway through to crisp the other side. You don’t need to stir, toss, or shake the guanciale. Just enjoy your glass of wine.

Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan. (You don’t need to measure; just estimate.) Tip the pan to pool the fat on one side and spoon it into a jar or metal bowl. You can save it for a flavorful finishing fat. Or discard.

Use a food processor with the grater attachment and grate the cauliflower. Add the cauliflower to the pan and turn the heat up to medium-high. Add kosher salt. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is browned and cooked through. Similar to browning the guanciale, you don’t need to stir frequently. The cauliflower is so small that it doesn’t take much to cook out the raw flavor. We’re focusing our efforts on browning the cauliflower. So, after you add the cauliflower, let it sizzle for a few minutes. Use your nose. If you smell it getting browned and almost burned, stir it. This is a great recipe to develop your cooking intuition because the cauliflower is so forgiving.

Remove from the heat and stir in pesto. The residual heat in the pan will heat the pesto. After mixing, taste it and add more salt as necessary.

Serve as a side to a main dish for 4 people, or on its own for 2 people.

Pesto

Yield: about 2 cups

8 ounces (225 g) basil leaves
8 garlic cloves (40 g)
2 cups (250 g) pine nuts
2 cups (100 g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 1/3 cups (300 g) olive oil

Process the basil, garlic, and pine nuts into a paste in a food processor. Add the cheese and process to mix. With the processor running, add the olive oil in a slow stream until completely mixed. Transfer to a sealable container and top with a layer of olive oil if not using immediately.

Pan-Seared Roughy, lemon, mint, chive butter

Note: this recipe was part of a book I wrote called Eat Like A Maisel.

Yield: 2 servings

We don’t see much fish in the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel world. Which is a shame. Fish are funny. Especially the clown fish! (Though they’re too slapstick for me...) Astrid is surprised her gefilte fish gift goes missing, and Susie’s happy as a clam (which she ate, by the way) to get her claws on some lobster. I hope she figured out how to hide it under her hat.

This is a great one to keep in your tackle box of recipes. It’s quick and easy enough for a school night, but light and elegant enough for a date night. (I never want heavy foods for date night.) Throw some Blistered Green Beans or Roasted Asparagus on the plate for an easy side.

If you can’t find orange roughy, you’re not exactly off the hook. I’d recommend staying away from swordfish and other meatier fishes for this preparation, but you can use whatever type of fish looks freshest. Ask your fishmonger. Use your nose.

Speaking of which... The seafood counter should smell like seafood, which means it should not smell at all. My rule: if it smells like fish, cut bait and run.

2 (8-ounces, 225 g total) fish fillets
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons (56 g) butter
1⁄2 cup (20 g) green onions, 1⁄4-inch slice
4 tablespoons (4 g) mint
2 tablespoons (2 g) chive
4 tablespoons (30 g) nonpareil capers
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

Pat the fish dry with paper towels and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Add the butter to a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the butter starts to bubble, add the fish.

Sprinkle the green onions over the fish and, tilting the pan, use a spoon to baste the fish for 5 minutes. Use a fish turner to turn the fish.

Add the mint, chives, and capers to the pan and continue basting for 2 minutes. Use the fish turner to move the fish to a paper towel–lined plate.

Divide the fish between two plates and top with the mint, chive, and butter from the pan. Drizzle the fresh-squeezed lemon juice over the fish.

For an optional, fancy-looking garnish, use green onion strips. To do so, slice down the length of the green onion, then slice on a severe bias.

The Gin & Tonic

Note: this recipe was part of a book I wrote called Eat Like A Maisel.

Ah, the G and T. The quintessential summer sipper.

I highly recommend using good-quality gin and tonic. For gin, I love the citrus, spice, and Italian juniper The Walter Collective uses. Malfy also makes a fun gin. But use whatever you’ve got. As I always say, the best gin is whichever gin’s in your hand. For tonic, Fever Tree makes an excellent option. It’s more expensive than the large plastic bottles of tonic, but remember: better, not more.

1 lemon, sliced into 1⁄4-inch-thick wheels
21⁄4 ounces (70 mL) good gin
4 ounces (120 mL) good-quality tonic

Heat a small skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, place the lemon wheels in the pan and brown. Flip once to brown the other side. Set aside.

Fill a double old-fashioned glass with ice. Add gin. Pour in tonic. Give it a gentle stir. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and the reserved lemon wheel.

For bonus points, after you add the gin, put a barspoon into the glass and pour the tonic down the spoon. It’s a fun party trick, and you can taste the extra playfulness.

Chocolate Pudding

This light, airy chocolate pudding comes together in no time at all. If you use a darker chocolate than the 60% called for, feel free to add a few tablespoons of sugar to compensate for the increased bitterness.

Serves 2

4.5 ounces (125 g) 60% dark chocolate
1⁄2 cup (110 g) heavy cream
4 (140 g) egg whites

Use a chef’s knife to chop the chocolate. Add it to a bowl and set aside.

Bring the cream to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once it simmers, pour over the chocolate and whisk to combine. Set aside to cool.

In a separate bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. If you’re new to the baking world, turn the mixer over so the paddle attachments point up. Does the egg white on the paddles keep its peaks? If not, continue beating.

Fold the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture one-third at a time. To fold: use a spatula to pull one-third of the egg whites into the bowl containing the chocolate, insert the spatula into the center of the bowl, and fold in the egg whites. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Once incorporated, repeat with the remaining egg whites. The goal here is to gently mix without deflating the egg whites.

Top with extra Harissa-Candied Almonds, or a generous pinch of Maldon sea salt.

Beet Chips

Updated August 6, 2025

Makes 2 servings

Canola or vegetable or, in a pinch, olive oil
Beets, sliced 1/16th-inch-thick
Kosher salt, as needed

Fill a small saucepan with two inches of oil. Depending on how many beets you're making, this could be a large saucepan or small. I use a 1.5qt saucepan for 2-4 servings. Heat the oil to 375˚F (190˚C).

Meanwhile, rinse the beets under cold running water. Use a brush to remove as much dirt and gunk as possible. If they're really dirty, peel them. Pat dry with paper towels. Slice into 1/16th-inch-thick pieces on a mandoline or v-slicer.

Line a plate with paper towels.

Working in batches so the oil temperature doesn't drop, add beets to the oil and fry for two minutes. Adjust the heat to keep the oil temperature at 375˚F. Remove the beets using a spider skimmer and toss out on the paper towel lined plate. Immediately sprinkle with kosher salt.

The Vesper

Last updated: February 23, 2026.

Vesper, in Latin, means evening, which happens to be the best time to drink this particular cocktail. How coincidental that its name is also its prime drinking time? (Those Latins were on to something.)

This is the drink that put James Bond on the map. Or maybe I have it backward (I do). Maybe I’ve had a few of these with my muse and am now fully inspired (hammered). Doesn’t matter. The point is, this drink is fantastic.

Makes 1 Vesper

Ingredients

11⁄2 ounces (45 mL) good gin (I love The Walter Collective gin or Bombay Sapphire)
1 ounce (30 mL) Lillet Blanc
1⁄2 ounces (15 mL) good vodka (The Walter Collective also makes a great vodka)

Directions

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, jar, cup, or tin filled with ice. Stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

Gravlax

Note: this recipe was part of a book I wrote called Eat Like A Maisel.

These days I love lox. Any lox. Gravlax. Belly lox. Even Goldilocks.

But I grew up hating it.

The Pacific Northwest, where I’m from, has 482 kinds of salmon. We have Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, and King salmon. We even have Copper River salmon, which is only in season for two days every third spring and retails for $800 per pound.

But we’re taught to hate any salmon east of the Cascades. My parents raised me to hate Atlantic salmon. And their parents raised them to hate it. (My grandparents learned to hate it from the Native Americans.)

But then I moved to New York and put my prejudices aside. I tried Atlantic salmon. And it was delicious.

To my West Coast family and friends: give Atlantic salmon a try. I think you’ll be surprised. Put this on a bialy, blini, or bagel. (Anything that begins with a b.)

Gravlax Recipe

4 tablespoons + 1⁄2 teaspoon (50 g) kosher salt
3 tablespoons (40 g) sugar
1⁄2 cup (20 g) fresh dill, chopped
1 ounce London dry gin, such as Bombay Sapphire (optional, but recommended)
1 pound (453 g) center-cut salmon fillet, pinbones removed
Mix salt, sugar, dill, and gin in a bowl and set aside.

Cut a piece of plastic wrap about one-and-a-half times longer than the fillet and place it on your work surface. Place the salmon on plastic wrap, skin-side down. Sprinkle the salt mixture over the salmon, pressing it into the flesh. Wrap the fish in the plastic wrap and place it on a small baking sheet.

Place another baking sheet on top of the fish and weigh it down with whatever you have handy—a few cans of beans, that jar of gefilte fish from Astrid, or the giant mezuzahs, also from Astrid.

Refrigerate for 24 hours.

Rinse off salt and sugar and pat dry with paper towels. If you prefer a firmer texture, refrigerate uncovered it for 12 to 24 hours.

To serve, slice thinly with a sharp knife and serve with bagels and schmear or some rye bread.

Sautéed Duck Breast with Watercress Salad

If pork is the other white meat, duck is the other red meat. And it has something red meat can never touch: crispy skin.

It has the crispy skin of chicken and meatiness of red meat. It’s the Frankenstein of the meat world! Some may cry fowl at my reference [and my poultry puns], but I didn’t want to write the word “monster,” as in “Frankenstein’s monster,” in a cookbook. [Now look what you made me do.]

A note on the serving size: duck breasts are around eight ounces apiece, which makes them large enough to split for a lighter meal, as my wife and I often do. If I’m still hungry (or even if I’m not), I’ll have some extra Crème Fraîche Cheesecake or Chocolate Almond Cake.

2 duck breasts, roughly 8 ounces each

Kosher salt, as needed

1 tablespoon (10 g) olive oil

1 teaspoon (20 g) lemon juice

3 cups (100 g) watercress

Score the fat on the duck breast. Use a sharp knife and slice the fat every 1⁄2 inch. Be careful not to cut into the flesh. We’re just scoring the fat so it renders better. Salt both sides of the duck.

Set a medium skillet over medium heat. Lay the duck breasts in the pan skin-side down and lower the heat to medium-low. Tilt the pan and spoon the fat out as it renders. I recommend saving this fat. I use it for sautéing spinach for breakfast. It’s delightfully flavorful.

Cook for 16 to 18 minutes. If the skin browns too quickly, reduce the heat to low. Flip the breasts over and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.

If you prefer the precision of a thermometer—and there is no shame in that!—insert a probe thermometer and stop cooking when it reaches 135 ̊F (58 ̊F). Make sure to insert through the end of the breast to ensure you take the temperature of the center of the meat, not the edge.

For the salad

Whisk together oil, vinegar, and salt in the base of a large bowl. Cut the watercress into 2- to 3-inch-long pieces and add to the bowl. Toss to combine. There is not much dressing here, and that’s on purpose. I like watercress with little to no dressing, but feel free to add more if you wish.

To complete

Slice the duck breast into 3⁄4-inch-wide pieces. You could go across the breast, as I’ve done in this photo, or you could go lengthwise for a more dramatic preparation. Serve with dressed watercress.

Lamb Curry

Note: this recipe was part of a book I wrote called Eat Like A Maisel.

I don’t know whether this recipe is easier with or without a food processor. On the one hand, it speeds up cutting the onions and ginger. On the other, you have to clean the food processor. Your call!

I like the smoother consistency that pureeing the ingredients gives. Also—and promise me you won’t tell all your professional chef friends—but you can skip the browning the meat if you really want to. I live in a tiny apartment, and there are some nights I’d rather not set off the smoke alarm.

I like serving this with white rice, pita, a simple salad, and wine (my favorite part). I prefer a glass of sparkling rosé such as the Italian Franciacorta, a Grüner Veltliner, or an Alsatian Riesling.

My wife thinks I’m crazy, but whenever we order Indian food, I love having cold leftovers the next morning. So I tried the same with this. And it was fantastic. If you’re anything like me [insane], you don’t normally like stewed dishes in the summer. But give this a shot; I think you’ll enjoy it.

Serves 2-4

1 pound (453 g) onions
2 tablespoons fresh ginger
6 cloves (30 g) garlic
1 pound (453 g) boneless lamb
1⁄4 cup (55 g) cream
2 teaspoons (5 g) ground turmeric
2 teaspoons (5 g) cumin
14 ounces (400 g) canned tomatoes
16 ounces (500 g) lamb stock If you don’t have lamb stock, you can substitute Chicken Stock
Kosher salt, as needed
Oil, as needed
1 cinnamon stick
Flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional garnish)
Crème fraîche (optional garnish)

Food processor method

Remove the skin and root ends of the onions and cut into large chunks. Peel the ginger and cut into small chunks. Use a large chef’s knife to lightly crush the garlic cloves. Peel them and discard the skins. Rough chop the onions, ginger, and garlic, add to the food processor. and process until pureed. Reserve.

Non–food processor method

Cut the onions in 1⁄4 inch dice. Peel the ginger and grate it with a fine grater. Lightly smoosh (technical term) the garlic under the broad side of your chef’s knife to loosen the peel. Remove the peel, and mince the garlic. Reserve.

Brown the lamb. Use paper towels to pat dry the lamb. Then cut the lamb into 1-inch cubes. Sprinkle plenty of kosher salt over the lamb. Heat a large enameled Dutch oven over medium- high heat. Add enough oil to cover the bottom the pan with about 1/8-inch deep. Working in batches, add the lamb and brown on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Don’t add it all at once unless they all fit in one layer. If you add it all at once, you run the risk of cooling the pan so much that the meat takes longer to brown. The longer it takes to brown, the more you risk overcooking the lamb. Use tongs to turn the lamb. If they stick to the pan, give them another minute or two. Remove the lamb and reserve.

Remove the pan from the heat and use a spoon to remove the oil from the pan. This stuff is spent, and we don’t want it messing up the flavor of our curry.

Sweat vegetables. Add the pureed or diced onions/ginger/garlic mixture and sweat over medium- low heat. We’re not looking to brown the onions and garlic. We want to cook or “sweat” them until they turn translucent, about 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 300 ̊F.

Add cream, turmeric, cumin, tomatoes, stock, cinnamon stick, and lamb to the Dutch oven containing the sweated onion mixture. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and transfer to the oven. Braise in oven until fork-tender, about 2 hours.

Serve with basmati rice and warmed pita or as cold leftovers. Either way, garnish with parsley and/or a dollop of crème fraîche.

Schnitzel and Watercress

Schnitzel is often pounded to a thickness of 1/8 inch. But, depending on your mood, and your level of laziness, you can get away with buying thin cut chicken breasts, which run about 1⁄2 inch thick. For 1⁄2 inch thick, cook for 3 minutes on one side (the presentation side), and 2 minutes on the next. For 1/8 inch thick, cook 3 to 4 minutes total.

I like watercress most when it’s undressed. [Don’t make it weird.] If you’re feeling gregarious, you can toss it with a tablespoon or two of olive or canola oil, a squeeze of lemon, and a pinch of kosher salt.

Serves 2-4

4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/8-inch thickness or not!
1/3 cup (50 g) flour
1 egg (55 g)
3⁄4 cup (75 g) panko
Canola oil, as needed
2 teaspoons (5 g) chili powder, optional
Kosher salt, to taste
Smoked sea salt, as needed (if you can’t find smoked sea salt, use regular sea salt) Lemon wedges for garnish

For the salad:
3 tablespoons olive or canola oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt, to taste
1 bunch watercress

This is a great dish to practice your mise en place. Arrange three bowls on your work surface. Add the flour to the first, the egg to the second, and the panko to the third.

Prepare another plate to hold the dredged chicken.

Get a skillet—or, if you want to contain more of the splattering oil because you’re super lazy like me, a large Dutch oven—all set up. And by all set up, I just mean put it on the stove.

Don’t forget to line a plate with paper towels and set it near the stove to hold the finished schnitzels.

Finally, like an assembly line, dredge the chicken through the flour, then egg, then panko, then the holding plate.

Add oil to the skillet or Dutch oven and warm over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken. Work in batches. You don’t want to crowd them. If you pounded them to 1/8-inch thick, cook for 2 minutes on each side. If the chicken breasts are 1⁄2-inch thick, cook for 3 minutes on one side and 2 minutes on the next.

After cooking, move them to the paper towel–lined plate and sprinkle with a generous pinch of sea salt. I like to include a few lemon wedges on the plates so folks can decide for themselves how much lemon to add.

For the salad

Whisk together the oil, lemon, and salt to taste in the base of a large bowl. Add the watercress and toss to dress.

Leek Fritters

2 tablespoons (28 g) butter
5 cups (325 g, about 3–4) leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1⁄2 cup (40 g) panko
1 egg + 1 egg white
2 teaspoons (8 g) salt
canola oil, as needed

Add butter to a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks. Lower the heat to medium- low and cook until caramelized, about 45 minutes. Remove leeks from pan and set aside.

Mix the panko, egg, egg white, and salt in a small bowl. Mix together with the leeks.d

Add canola oil to a nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Spoon a mound of leek mixture into the pan. Fry until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate. Serve garnished with sliced green onion and crème fraîche.

Roasted Asparagus with Olive Oil, Pistachio, Parmigiano- Reggiano, and Lemon Zest

Last updated: February 18, 2026

I could never get behind steamed vegetables. They’re so boring. People wonder why they can’t get their kids to eat vegetables. Maybe you’d have a chance if you didn’t make it taste like grunt! (This dish does not taste like grunt.)

Depending on how hot you want your kitchen to get, you can roast or broil these. I’ve included both directions below.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 pound (453 g) asparagus
Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed (about 4– 6 tablespoons)
Kosher salt, to taste (about 1 tablespoon)
1⁄4 cup (30 g) pistachios
1⁄4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Zest of 1⁄2 lemon

Directions

Keep the asparagus spears in the bundle they came in. Grab one of them by the thick, woody end (that’s what she said) and break it off. Cut the rest at this point so they’re all the same length. The point of this exercise is to remove the woody parts at the bottom, and an easy way to find out where the asparagus gets woody is to see where it snaps.

Line a baking pan with foil. It makes cleanup so much easier.

Unbundle the asparagus. Set them free! If you’re as anal retentive as I am, arrange them in one layer facing the same direction. This also makes plating easier. However you arrange them, make sure they’re not stacked. And use a baking pan that’s large enough to fit all the asparagus without crowding. These guys need a little space to get hot and brown. Remember, brown is where flavor comes from.

Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Salt to taste. I usually use 4 to 6 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt per pound of asparagus. Remember, most of this stuff will end up on the foil, so you won’t be consuming all the oil and salt.

Roasting Method: Preheat the oven to 475 ̊F. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until browned. Broiling Method: Preheat the broiler to 500 ̊F for at least 10 minutes. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes,

or until browned.

The time required will depend on your oven. The goal here is to brown these bad boys without overcooking. You want them firm enough to stand up on their own with a little droop. Too much and they’ll have the texture of stringy rubber bands.

Scatter the pistachios, cheese, and lemon zest over the asparagus. Then transfer to a serving plate.

White Bean Dip

When I think of the 1950s—which I do often—I think of cocktail parties. It could be because I’m drinking an Amaretto Sour and listening to Frank Sinatra and Count Basie. Every cocktail party needs food. And in case you couldn’t tell from this book, there’s no easier party food than dip. Make this a day ahead to give yourself more time to cocktail with your guests.

Serves 4-8

1 cup dry (200 g) cannellini beans

4 cup (1000 g) water

4 (30 g) cloves garlic

2 tablespoons (6 g) lemon juice

2 tablespoons (5 g) thyme

1⁄2 teaspoon salt + more based on taste

1 cup reserved cooking liquid

Flat-leaf parsley, as needed (optional)

Pine nuts, as needed (optional)

Harissa powder, as needed (optional)

Add beans and water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the beans are tender. Don’t test one bean and call it good! Some of them may cook faster than others. Sample at least 4 or 5 beans before making the call.

Use a fine-mesh sieve to strain the beans and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Add the beans, garlic, lemon juice, thyme, and salt to a blender and blend until smooth. The dip should have the texture of toothpaste. Add the reserved cooking water to thin the dip as necessary. Taste, and season with more salt if needed.

To serve, transfer dip to a wide bowl. Make a well in the center of the dip and garnish with 2 to 4 tablespoons of really good olive oil. Garnish with chopped parsley, pine nuts, and a few shakes of harissa powder.

That’s Gold! Million-Dollar Dip

“That’s Gold, Jerry! Gold!”—Kenny Bania, Seinfeld

That’s the first thing I said after making this dip. The only thing, actually, since after that my mouth was full. Also, I’d made things awkward because it was just me and my wife.

In the dip world, this is total gold. It’s good to have in your repertoire. You can throw it together in a few minutes and let it chill in the fridge while you get ready for your guests to arrive. It’s great for football parties. Cocktail parties. Any party, really. Including cocktail hour with your spouse, which is how I came to devour it.

This dip is my take on the classic from Neiman Marcus.

This goes great with Champagne, gougères, and fabulous company. You can omit the bacon if it’s not your cup of tea.

Makes 4-8 servings

1⁄4 cup (2 ounces, 50 g) slivered almonds
4 slices (25 g) bacon
6 ounces (175 g) cheddar cheese, grated
1⁄2 cup (20 g) green onions, 1⁄4-inch slices
4 ounces (100 g) sour cream
4 ounces (100 g) good mayonnaise, such as Hellman’s
4 ounces (100 g) crème fraîche
1 (.53-ounce, or 15 g) French onion dip packet

Add the almonds to a medium skillet over medium heat. They’ll start smelling nutty when they’re toasted. Once finished, transfer to a small bowl. Set aside.

Put bacon on a metal cooling rack on a foil-lined baking sheet. Put in a cold oven. Turn on the oven to 400 ̊F. Cook until bacon is crispy, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

Mix the cheese, green onions, sour cream, mayonnaise, crème fraîche, and the French onion dip packet together in a large bowl. Add the bacon and slivered almonds. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.