30 Minutes or Less

This salad is inspired by the incredible version I had at New York City’s Il Buco restaurant. One bite will convince you that compared to romaine, kale is a better match for assertive Caesar dressing. You can omit the egg yolk if you want to play it safe, but don’t try this without anchovy; it makes the dish. This version is crouton-less; if you add them, make a bit more dressing.

This is a simple sandwich, but the combination of classic Spanish ingredients is nothing short of stellar. Try serving with cornichons, pickled carrots, or a brightly dressed green salad to counterbalance the sandwich’s richness. To make it vegetarian, just omit the serrano ham—it will still be delicious.

This gussied-up version of a BLT boasts a poached egg whose runny yolk acts as a lusty sauce for the sandwich. Lightly dressed bitter greens stand in for the traditional lettuce; their bite provides a nice counterpoint to the richness of the egg. They’re dressed just as you would a salad, so if you have extra, just serve them on the side.

Good hummus is hard to find; I find that most lack the acid needed to balance the nutty richness of tahini and olive oil, making it fall flat on your tongue. A little extra lemon juice completely transforms hummus to something much brighter in flavor. That’s why the best hummus is homemade—besides, nothing could be simpler or more satisfying. I firmly believe that my mother’s hummus is the benchmark for all other hummus out there. She personally taught our chef Eddy how to make it, and he in turn has trained all of our crew to make exceptionally delicious hummus. I keep a blend of ground toasted cumin and coriander in my spice set; it’s a great addition to Middle Eastern and Mexican dishes. I usually toast 2 tablespoons each of the whole spices in a sauté pan on low heat until aromatic and lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Once cooled, I grind in a coffee grinder reserved for spices; a mortar and pestle also works.

This five-minute side dish would complement any fish or meat from the grill, from swordfish to pork chops. Save the recipe for summer, when the cherry tomatoes have thin skins and you can find them in a rainbow of colors—red, gold, yellow, and green—at a farmers’ market.

Chef Alan Greeley, who attended the 1997 Workshop, introduced us to this luscious salad dressing. Inspired by the creamy “ranch dressing” that originated on a dude ranch in Santa Barbara, Alan’s version incorporates avocado for an even silkier texture. He pairs the dressing with steamed artichokes and asparagus; we love it on tender leaves of butter lettuce with a shower of fresh spring herbs from our garden.

All you need to have on hand to make this delightfully simple and relatively wholesome dessert are two ingredients—pears and sugar (plus water). A melon baller makes quick work of coring pears, but a small spoon can be used instead.

Broiling the apricots with a touch of brown sugar draws out their sweetness. Look for apricots that are deep orange, fairly plump, and soft enough to yield to gentle pressure (avoid any that are bruised, mushy, or shriveled).

Using only one of the the Thyme-Roasted Chickens with Potatoes (page 166) will leave you with an extra cooked bird (about four cups shredded or cut-up meat) to incorporate into one of these recipes. Of course, you can also make either of these dishes (page 169) with store-bought rotisserie chicken.