Simple Cooking

Two flavor powerhouses—bright, spicy kimchi and savory, briny clams—create a soup fast enough to make on even the most hectic weeknight. 

When roasted at high temperature, humble cabbage becomes sweet and incredibly satisfying. In this recipe, the cabbage ‘steaks’ are a base for crispy chickpeas, herby croutons, and a rich and lemony garlic sauce.

Massage kale and brussels sprouts in a sweet, tangy dressing of rice vinegar, soy sauce, and honey, then serve it with creamy hummus and jammy eggs.

This traditional Trinidadian cocktail sings with the island’s most beloved ingredients and flavors. White rum meets citrus, spice, and creamy dairy—don’t skip the nutmeg on top.

This savory granola will magically boost the flavor, protein, and crunch factor of any dish. Sprinkle it over a plate of whipped ricotta and crispy broccoli for an easy, veggie-centric meal.

Not pasta salad—it’s salad pasta. A whole salad’s worth of greens, folded into pasta to make a complete dinner in one bowl.

No muss, no fuss. It’s good to go in a few seconds.

Throw an oyster in the gin! The oyster not only does the work of the olive, providing texture and salt and visual interest, but also covers for the vermouth with its liquor—a variation on the “dirty martini.”

The cherry blossom, as well as the addition of sake and maraschino liqueur to the usual gin, result in a very delicate Martini.

This drink’s single deviation from the typical dry Martini is a couple of dashes of the liqueur kümmel, which tastes of caraway and cumin, in place of the usual orange bitters.

The Puritan, another old variation, lies somewhere between the Martini and the Alaska, using both dry vermouth and a bit of yellow Chartreuse. 

Tuxedo No. 2 mixes gin, maraschino liqueur, vermouth, and absinthe, and is lightly luscious.

Basically, this is a Martini made intriguing by a splash of absinthe. If this ends up being your deathbed drink, you didn’t do too badly.

This one-skillet meal is ideal for both chilly evenings and weekend mornings when hot melted cheese and comfort is all you want. Leave a handful of chips undressed to tuck into the skillet at the last minute. Their salsa-free points add the perfect layer of crunch.

This tequila-infused carnitas recipe is perfect for festive occasions—or any weeknight you want to party.

The meatballs are tender and juicy, and once covered in a nice cozy blanket of tomato sauce and melted mozzarella, they’re pretty hard to resist.

It’s a vodka martini—properly called the Kangaroo—gone savory with peaty Scotch and olives four ways.

Pairing the tangy fruit with Scotch—plus oolong tea that’s been steeped forever—gives a whisper of smoke and a bitter, malty edge to the drink.

It couldn’t be simpler to combine honey, grapefruit, lemon, and seltzer, but the mixture is surprisingly complex in flavor, both tangy and rich.

The Stilton adds another dimension to the bubble and squeak, giving it a wonderfully rich and redolent tang. Served with slices of Christmas ham, this is a dish that would certainly get those Herald angels singing.