Entrees
Sweet And Sticky Baby Back Ribs
Drawing on my childhood near Memphis, where ribs were ever-present, I have included a recipe for them in every cookbook I’ve ever published. The method is always the same—why mess with tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs? For me, the fun is in switching up the sauce. Here, the mix is sweet, sticky, salty and spicy.
Granny Foster’s Pickle Brined Fried Chicken
The end of a pickle jar (which I greet quite often) makes an easy excuse for this dish, and this dish makes an easy excuse to open a new jar of pickles. It’s a cycle I’m not keen to break.
Grilled Racks Of Lamb
Last summer, after helping famed butcher Pat LaFreida write Meat: Everything You Need to Know, my friend Carolynn arrived in Lake Placid with a carload full of cuts, including two beautiful racks of lamb. We were so excited to grill them, which was delicious but requires a close watch because of the fat from the outside of the lamb. Make sure you don’t leave the grill while cooking, and have a spray water bottle in case of flare ups.
Grilled Slab of Salmon
My husband Peter swears that this recipe for a whole side of salmon is the reason I got out of solely catering. I’d sometimes grill as many as twenty sides of salmon on early summer mornings before running off to serve a wedding party. It’s true that cooking that quantity on a regular basis got to be a little much, but there’s a reason it was so popular: whole salmon is a crowd-pleaser. And for the home cook, it’s a failsafe way to prepare salmon for a group.
Low country Shrimp Boil
With blue crabs, sausage, corn on the cob, and tender new potatoes, this lowcountry-inspired shrimp boil makes for a rustic and utterly delicious spread that is just the thing for impromptu summertime gatherings. I sometimes serve it in individual tins or buckets, but that’s about as refined as I ever get with this low-key dish, which is best eaten right out of the bucket or from a big pile on the table, with a crowd of friends, and always with your fingers.
Spicy Meatballs in Everyday Marinara
Studded with fresh herbs, these baked meatballs are not just for noodles (though delicate capellini makes for a fail-proof combination). Try them over spicy wilted greens topped with fresh Mozzarella or grated Parmesan cheeses;, on an open-faced sandwich with peppers, melted Mozzarella and arugula; or atop Creamy Parmesan polenta and Everyday Marinara.
