Butter lettuce, as its name suggests, is so tender that it melts in the mouth like butter. Also called Boston and Bibb lettuce, butter lettuce should come as a fairly large, loose head with thick leaves and an even green color. I’m not a huge fan of hydroponic lettuce because you end up paying more for less lettuce, which makes no sense to me. Visit your local farmers’ market or quality grocer and look for fresh, crisp leaves that are perky and not wilted. Butter lettuce is a terrific canvas to highlight the complementary flavors of acidic yet sweet orange, silky and dense avocado, and rich, crunchy hazelnuts. Shallot-hazelnut vinaigrette is my go-to multipurpose salad dressing; this recipe makes extra. Be sure to try it on other green salads or even grilled fish.
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.
The silky French vanilla sauce that goes with everything.
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.
An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.
This pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos.
Crispy tots topped with savory-sweet sauce, mayonnaise, furikake, scallion, and katsuobushi.