Side · 55 min
Crisp potato wedges with mustard crumbs
Boil until tender, press flat, then roast hard. The rougher the edges, the better the crunch.
Cook this tonight
The tomato pan stays.
Roast the tomatoes until they slump and darken at the edges, then toss them with pasta, butter, and enough cooking water to make the sauce cling.
Get the recipe- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4 hungry people
- Difficulty
- One-pan easy
On the counter
Four things worth cooking now
Produce that needs using, dinners that reheat well, and one loaf for tearing at the table.
Lunch · 20 min
Green beans, lemon, and a loud spoonful of mustard
Dress the beans while warm so the vinaigrette reaches every seam.
Weekend bake · 3 hr, mostly waiting
Soft focaccia, crisp corners
A wet dough, a generous oiling, and no anxiety about perfect dimples.
The seasonal page
Let ripe tomatoes do less.
If they smell like leaves and feel heavy for their size, the work is mostly done. Salt them ten minutes before serving and save every drop of juice.
- Raw
Slice thickly. Add flaky salt, olive oil, and a torn piece of bread to catch the juices.
- Collapsed
Cook in a wide pan with garlic until jammy. Spoon over eggs or white beans.
- Saved
Grate over a box grater, leaving the skin behind. Freeze flat for winter sauces.
The full recipe
Lemony roast chicken with torn herbs
A forgiving Sunday roast with enough pan juices for bread. Salt the chicken in the morning if you remember; an hour ahead still helps.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Roast
- 55–70 min
- Serves
- 4
You need
- 1 whole chicken, about 1.6 kg
- 1 lemon, halved
- 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- A handful of parsley and dill
- Salt and black pepper
Do this
- Heat the oven to 220°C. Pat the chicken dry, then season inside and out.
- Tuck in the lemon and garlic. Rub with oil and roast breast-side up for 20 minutes.
- Lower the oven to 190°C. Roast until the thickest part of the thigh is cooked through.
- Rest, then stir torn herbs and lemon juice into the pan drippings.
The 6:30 question
Dinner when the fridge looks half empty
10 minutes
Crisp eggs, toast, something pickled
Fry the eggs in more olive oil than seems reasonable. Put them on toast with pickled peppers or yesterday’s dressed greens.
25 minutes
Blender soup with a crunchy top
Simmer carrots or squash with stock. Blend with butter, then finish with seeds, crumbs, or both.
One-pan formula
beans + greens + a spoon of paste + something sharp Try chickpeas, kale, tomato paste, and lemon.Keep this technique
Brown butter without burning it
Use a pale pan if you have one. Seeing the milk solids change color is more useful than timing them.
- 1
Melt
Use medium heat and a wide pan. The butter will foam loudly.
- 2
Watch
Stir as the foam tightens and tan flecks gather on the base.
- 3
Smell
When it smells nutty and the flecks turn chestnut, pull the pan off the heat.
- 4
Stop
Pour it into a cool bowl. The hot pan will keep cooking it otherwise.
Use it on: cabbage, gnocchi, oats, baked fruit, or a slice of plain cake.
Kitchen reading