September 11
The easiest mussels
I’d like to thank my colleague Rebecca Firkser for the new low-prep protein in my weeknight dinner rotation: mussels. She’s been testing a few recipes with the briny bivalves lately and I was struck by how swiftly she was able to both clean and cook them in the Test Kitchen. No laborious scrubbing over the sink or long soaks and sandy rinses needed (ahem, I’m looking at you clams). So this past Wednesday, I made chefs Claire Wadsworth and Nikki Hill’s Mussels Dijonnaise (from our story on what chefs actually cook at home). A mini food processor made the aromatic compound butter a cinch. Fennel and shallots, plus a heaping dollop of Dijon, infused the cooking liquid with flavor that tasted like it took hours to develop. —Kelsey Jane Youngman, senior cooking editor
Peaches Foster
When my fellow Test Kitchen buddy Rebecca Firkser first developed Peaches Foster with an out-of-season haul (she started many moons ago), I knew I needed to revisit the recipe when peaches were in season. So last week, after a trip to the market, I did just that. It’s warm and boozy, and brought to life with a touch of sharp black pepper. I served mine over vanilla ice cream and felt like I’d truly honored the fleeting moment that is peach season. —Jesse Szewczyk, senior Test Kitchen editor
This speedy one-pan summer dessert channels peaches and cream with a twist.
No-cook mango summer rolls
Reading about Trader Joe’s new shredded rotisserie chicken, I was intrigued. And I knew just the recipe to try it out: my colleague Shilpa Uskokovic’s Mango Chicken Summer Rolls. It was a perfect use for all the crunchy, colorful vegetables I spied at the farmers market over the weekend, and the peanut sauce was good enough to eat straight. (Yes, in fact, I did.) —Emma Laperruque, cooking director
Rotisserie chicken makes quick work of these no-cook rolls with a spicy peanut sauce.
Figs for dinner
I just returned from walking a portion of the Camino de Santiago, a hilly, coastal pilgrimage in Spain’s Basque region. The route was practically lined with towering fig trees, which made for encouraging snacks on 20-kilometer days and sleepless camping nights. So when I spotted a crate of black Missions at my local market, I decided it was only right to take them home and make senior Test Kitchen editor Shilpa Uskokovic’s Vinegar Chicken With Figs. It’s made with two types of vinegar—red wine and balsamic—to build a sharp, tangy complexity. And cooked down with the fruit, shallots, and butter, the sauce magically turns sticky sweet. —Nina Moskowitz, associate editor, cooking
A weeknight-friendly chicken dinner with two kinds of vinegar, dried figs, and a rich sauce. It’s restaurant-quality food in just 30 minutes.
September 4
Tofu meatballs and spaghetti
It’s no secret that I love these tofu meatballs from BA alum Kendra Vaculin. This week I made them for a super simple dinner: spaghetti, jarred marinara, and a flurry of grated parm. The recipe comes together in one bowl—with your hands!—just like meat-meatballs, then cooks in the oven versus a splattering pan. Any leftovers make for a great next-day sandwich or snack. —Emma Laperruque, cooking director
We paired these easy tofu meatballs with a simple, summery tomato sauce that cooks as they bake, but you can flavor them any way you like.
No-recipe watermelon salad
When watermelon is as good as it is in late summer, you don’t need a recipe to enjoy it. (Of course we have a great collection of watermelon recipes, should you appreciate some inspiration.) This week, I cut a honking melon into big batons, Salt Bae’d them, drizzled them with olive oil, and tore some basil with its little pink flowers on top. I then sat down and ate each of those batons by hand, from the plate I was meant to share with my partner as he puttered around. You snooze, you lose. —Joe Sevier, senior editor, SEO & cooking