Blog Posts by Mark Bittman

By Alaina Sullivan

Zucchini's mildness makes it an ideal canvas for more aggressive flavors. Simply sautéing it with minced garlic catapults it from delicate to edgy - the recipe calls loosely for "some minced garlic," and I added enough to stave off an entire swarm of vampires.

With "fragrant" mentioned twice in the recipe sketch, the smells are reason enough to cook this dish - the twin aromas of sautéing garlic and toasting pistachios wafting up from neighboring pans are incredible. Toasting the nuts is a step worth taking - it releases their natural oils, intensifying both flavor and crunch.

The zucchini is tossed with al dente fusilli, sprinkled with the pistachios, and served with parmesan and lots of black pepper. It's a pretty perfect pasta to start out the fall. Recipe from Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express.

Zucchini and Garlic Fusilli with Pistachios

Boil salted water for the fusilli and cook it; meanwhile, slice two zucchinis into thin disks. Toast a handful of

Read More »from Mark Bittman: Zucchini and Garlic Fusilli with Pistachios

By Freya Bellin

When it comes to potatoes, squash, and root veggies, grating is a wonderful technique: you get all the starchy sweetness of the vegetable, but in a fraction of the time it would take to roast or bake! In this recipe, the sweet potatoes become tender very quickly in the pan, and make a lovely salad-like bed for the protein of your choice. The little bits that get caramelized and stuck to the bottom of the pan are delicious, like hash browns, so don’t worry if the potatoes are sticking. The lime juice and fish sauce will also help to break that up, plus they add a zingy acidity. Fish sauce is a tricky ingredient if you’re not familiar with it. It’s a bit pungent and often takes center stage among other flavors in a dish. If you’re not sure if you like it, add only a tablespoon or so at a time and see what you think. Or, instead of fish sauce you can use soy sauce, or go even farther afield and use some other seasonings that typically complement sweet

Read More »from Mark Bittman: Stir-Fried Sweet Potatoes and Beef with Vietnamese Flavors

By Alaina Sullivan

Traditional risotto calls for Arborio rice or one of its short-grained cousins; I decided to try it with barley. Risotto-style barley has a more toothsome bite than the rice-based versions, but the process is the same-a ritual of stirring, adding liquid, more stirring, adding more liquid until the consistency turns rich and creamy. The cooking process requires a bit of a watchful eye - a few too many minutes on the stovetop and the grain might get overcooked (you want it to retain a slight crunch). I prepared the barley according to the directions for "Simple Risotto" How to Cook Everything. I folded in a trio of cooked mushrooms (cremini, shitake and portabella), added fresh thyme to complement their earthiness, and finished off the dish with grated manchego to give it that classic creaminess.

Barley Risotto with Mushrooms, Manchego and Thyme

3.5 oz fresh shittake mushrooms
8 oz cremini mushrooms
6 oz sliced portabella caps
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 1/2Read More »from Mark Bittman's Simple Risotto

Eggplant Parmesan is a lot of work. Here's a more straightforward version, with the vegetables and meat grilled or broiled instead of breaded and fried. You can skip the chicken if you like, and add other vegetables, like zucchini and portobello mushrooms; just grill them and layer on top of the eggplant and before the cheese.

For a simple vegetable gratin, omit the tomato sauce and layer any cooked vegetable you like (asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, artichoke hearts, potatoes, fennel, leeks, spinach, onions, celery root, parsnips, Jerusalem artichokes, winter squash, or sweet potatoes) with the cheese (Gruyère and Swiss are nice alternatives). Finish with the seasoned bread crumb topping for a most excellent crust. From Food Matters.

Eggplant and Chicken Parmesan

Makes: 4 to 6 servings
Time: About 1 hour

2 or 3 eggplants (about 2 pounds total), unpeeled, and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
Salt
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing
Freshly ground

Read More »from Mark Bittman: Eggplant and Chicken Parmesan

By Alaina Sullivan

The frittata is an egg dish long-championed for its versatility and quick-to-fix prowess. Essentially scrambled eggs poured over a cast of fixings (think vegetables, meat, cheese), a frittata is an easy and complete meal-and a great way to use forlorn veggies in the back of your fridge. Unlike an omelet, it doesn't require the dexterity of folding the mixture onto itself - it is content to lay flat and slowly immobilize its fillings (here, leeks, sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese, and an impromptu scattering of pumpkin seeds) as the eggs set around them. Transferring the skillet from stovetop to broiler in the final minutes of cooking creates a unique, puffy egg dish with a deliciously browned top. Recipe from Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express.

Leek, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Goat Cheese Frittata

Cook the chopped white of two leeks with a handful of dried tomatoes (about 1 cup) in two tablespoons of butter (or olive oil); until softened; do not brown. Whisk

Read More »from Mark Bittman: Leek, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Goat Cheese Frittata

By Alaina Sullivan

Squash soups typically rely on a blender to give them a luxuriously creamy consistency, yet this version achieves richness without being pureed to a pulp. Small cubes of butternut squash are cooked in a milky-sweet broth, and they hold their shape all through cooking. The soup becomes creamy by way of coconut milk, which contributes a rich flavor without weighing it down. Curry, cinnamon and cumin spike the broth just enough to accent the squash without masking its natural flavor. The curry and coconut shine together as they usually do, but it's the cinnamon that brings a warm, unexpected undertone to the dish.

It's a soup that sits in limbo somewhere between creamy and brothy, sort of the best of both worlds. Garnish with fresh cilantro or mint. Recipe from Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express.

Curried Coconut-Butternut Squash Soup

Cook two cups of chopped squash in a few tablespoons of vegetable oil, along with a diced onion, a teaspoon of cumin, a half teaspoon of

Read More »from Mark Bittman on Shine: Curried Coconut-Butternut Squash Soup

 
By Freya Bellin

Normally the idea of sesame noodles conjures images of a dense, nutty sauce. Here, a lighter approach is taken, with toasted sesame seeds offering a subtle nuttiness, alongside hearty whole wheat or soba noodles. Tender, wilted spinach soaks up the garlicky soy sauce, and seared salmon is a lovely accent; you can't beat crispy salmon skin. However, it is truly just an accent. If you're looking for a little more heft, you may want some additional protein, be it fish or tofu. Either way, the dish comes together quite quickly, and tastes great at room temperature. Recipe from The Food Matters Cookbook.

Sesame Noodles with Spinach and Salmon

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

The flavors of oshitashi-Japanese spinach salad garnished with shaved dried bonito flakes-are at play here, only the fish is fresh salmon. I love the flavor and texture of seared salmon skin, but you can discard it if you prefer. (In either case, don't eat the scales!). Instead of the

Read More »from Mark Bittman: Sesame Noodles with Spinach and Salmon

By Alaina Sullivan

Lima beans are notoriously unloved, but they're starchy, buttery, and delicious. In this stew, half of the beans are pureed into a luxuriously creamy base, while the other half (left whole) are suspended in the thick broth. For some freshness, arugula is stirred in at the end, wilting as it folds into the broth. Recipe from Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express.

Lima Bean Stew with Arugula

Cook a package of frozen lima beans in a cup of water with some salt, butter, and minced garlic. When the beans are tender, puree half of them with most of the cooking liquid in a food processor until smooth; add some cream, half-and-half, or broth to thin. Return the pureed bean mixture to the pan with the whole beans and season with salt and pepper.* Add a bunch of tender greens and continue cooking until the greens are wilted. Add more liquid if necessary and serve, with a drizzle of good-quality olive oil and crusty bread.

*Alternatively, I presoaked 1 lb of

Read More »from Mark Bittman: Lima Bean Stew