It’s no secret that Bon Appétit editors cook a lot for work. So it should come as no surprise that we cook a lot during our off hours too. Here are the recipes we’re whipping up this month to get dinner on the table, entertain our friends, satisfy a sweet tooth, use up leftovers, and everything in between. For even more staff favorites, click here.
May 23
Gochujang-marinated skirt steak
New York weather is still fluctuating between hot and cold, but either way, I’m eager to be outside grilling again. I love to throw a bunch of vegetables (usually zucchini, bell peppers, and soon corn) on the grill alongside a protein and let the fire work its magic. My protein of choice this time: Gochujang-Marinated Skirt Steak. The recipe’s marinade time is flexible (I only had 30 minutes), and the ingredients lean on pantry staples (gochujang, rice vinegar, olive oil, salt, and red onion). I usually omit the onion and add ginger instead to appease my allium sensitivity. And instead of tortillas, I served the steak with slices of grilled sweet potatoes and all the aforementioned veg. —Kate Kassin, editorial operations manager
Poached rhubarb for days
Each spring, I’m paralyzed by choice when rhubarb pops up at the farmers market. Should I make Rhubarb Custard Cake? Or Rhubarb–Brown Butter Bars? Or Rhubarb Agrodolce? I want it all. So, in an effort to rhubarb-ify as many meals as possible, this year I made a recipe that can turn into lots of things: the poached rhubarb from Pulp: A Practical Guide to Cooking With Fruit by Abra Berens. The method is as straightforward as it gets. Simmer the stalks in simple syrup (here two parts sugar to one part water) just until their texture softens. I added a dab of vanilla bean paste (a test kitchen staple) to round out the tartness. And for such little work, I reaped two rewards: jammy rhubarb to put toward yogurt and granola, or whipped cream and strawberries, or a big scoop of ice cream, or buttered toast or biscuits. And a glowing ruby syrup to perk up a glass of seltzer or cup of tea. —Emma Laperruque, associate director of cooking
Divorce salad
For any who may be concerned, I am not separating from my man. However, I couldn’t last one more day without giving into the temptation of my colleague Emily Farris’ Divorce Salad. The star is a can of white beans (I used butter beans) marinated in an unapologetically oniony-mustardy vinaigrette. (Do yourself a favor and double the beans to spoon over toast the next day, maybe with some on the side.) There’s no shame in mixing it up a little, so I tossed cherry tomatoes and some cilantro microgreens from my farm box into the salad too. Emily tops her version with store-bought fried shallots, but I recently acquired a boatload of spring shallots and insisted on making my own. As a bonus, I subbed half the olive oil in the marinade/dressing with the shallot frying oil. It wasn’t cheating. I was just trying it out to see if I liked it. And reader, it was good. —Joe Sevier, senior editor SEO and cooking
Cornbread for cookouts
It might still be spring, but I’m already auditioning cornbread recipes for next season’s cookouts. Meera Sodha’s Cheddar and Gochujang Cornbread from her latest cookbook, Dinner, is a top contender. It’s got a just-right balance of cheesy tang from a heaping pile of grated cheddar, plus a smoky kick from gochujang. The all-purpose flour in the batter, while not strictly traditional, keeps the bake lofty enough to show off the coarseness of cornmeal without being stodgy. But her pickled corn topping is what won my heart. I used fire-roasted corn, for a head start on that delicious char, and paired with piquant serranos, thinly sliced red onion, plus a bracing glug of vinegar. It was exactly what each wedge of warm cornbread wanted. —Kelsey Jane Youngman, senior service editor
Caper-butter chicken
As a proud chicken breast lover, I am always looking for new ways to cook them. Enter test kitchen editor Kendra Vaculin’s Back-Pocket Caper-Butter Chicken, my most recent go-to. Kendra’s recipe is an exercise in simplicity, combining just garlic, vinegar, capers, honey, and butter to create an impactful sauce that’s not unlike piccata. It’s great with just about anything: broccoli, rice, pasta, the list goes on. —Jesse Szewczyk, senior test kitchen editor
May 16
Birthday crumb bars
When your birthday falls on a Wednesday, as mine does this year, it’s imperative to bake something snacky at the top of the week to keep spirits lively (I don’t make the rules). I riffed on my former colleague Sarah Jampel’s brown butter rhubarb crumb bars. My farm box came with only a half-pound of rhubarb, so I made up the difference with blueberries; I opted for grapefruit over orange; and in lieu of the tangy florals of hibiscus, I tossed in a jasmine tea bag. I chose walnuts in the any-nut base, and used an old trick to toast the nuts in the brown butter. Left with some extra blueberry-rhubarb jam, I’m excited to slather it on toast and cathead biscuits down the line. Happy birthday to me! —Joe Sevier, senior editor SEO and cooking
Vacation tres leches cake
I recently flew to Oaxaca and got to take a cooking class at chefs Enrique Olvera and Luis Arellano’s Criollo, an expansive restaurant that celebrates the produce and techniques of Oaxaca’s diverse region. His team walked us through prepping adobo-glazed seabass, black bean tamales, and my favorite, tres leches cake. Theirs was a custardy sponge that maintained its integrity despite soaking up coconut, evaporated, and condensed milks. And it still held its shape when topped with a mountain of fresh farmers cheese, whipped cream, lemon zest, and dense mango. I couldn’t get the dessert out of my head, so back in Brooklyn this weekend, I whipped up Fany Gerson’s version. Not quite the same (and I omitted the rum), but a sprinkling of mango slices conjured up memories of Mexico, banishing the Sunday scaries for a few more hours. —Joseph Hernandez, associate director of drinks & lifestyle
Rewarding chicken
Walking home from work with a tub of nearly bursting mixed tomatoes, tender herbs, and a lone shallot, I asked my coworker Li Goldstein to help me pick: caprese salad or chicken with nuoc cham tomatoes? “The chicken sounds more ambitious, but maybe more rewarding?” she replied. I was ripe for reward. The recipe delivered craggly chicken skin, turmeric-laced coconut rice, and drippy, fish-sauce-soaked tomatoes. This dinner could not be beat. —Nina Moskowitz, associate editor, cooking
Gallo pinto
I’m always searching for new savory breakfast ideas. The latest one I tried was this gallo pinto from Eating Well. Traditionally the dish is made with rice, but this recipe calls for barley instead. The grain becomes the base for black beans, avocado, cheese, and an egg. Rather than poaching the egg, I used a gently boiled one for easier transport to the office. The meal was just as savory as I craved, and it powered me through a morning of back-to-back meetings. —Urmila Ramakrishnan, associate director of social media
A shortcut salmon bowl
One of my most favorite dinners is this Spicy Salmon Roll Bowl. My Monday night version (which saved me a trip to the grocery store) featured leftover short-grain brown rice and Fishwife’s Smoked Atlantic Salmon instead of the broiled cubes. I still followed directions to quick-pickle cucumbers and add fixings: thinly sliced avocado, scallions, furikake, and spicy mayo. The result was a delicious shortcut meal that still felt luxurious. —Kate Kassin, editorial operations manager
May 9
Salt and pepper fish
For our weekly fish dinner, I cooked Andy Baraghani’s Salt and Pepper Fish. I had a few pieces of sablefish in the freezer, and it seemed like a fine swap (buttery flake, mild flavor). The fish turned out perfectly lovely, but the frizzled ginger and scallions stole the show. Frankly, they deserve double the amount the recipe currently calls for. The final result was so delicious, it made me wonder what else I can apply the salt and pepper (and ginger and scallion) treatment to. Chicken, of course. Probably tofu. Maybe even Japanese eggplant. —Shilpa Uskokovic, senior test kitchen editor
One sturdy salad
I just love a salad, everything from a springy mix of delicate mâche to a leaf-free spoon salad. So when my colleague Nina Moskowitz’s Crispy Rice Salad With Spicy Tahini Dressing came through the Test Kitchen, I was beyond excited to make it at home. The recipe calls for sturdy purple cabbage, which holds well in the fridge for the majority of the work week (yes, even dressed). I always have leftover rice, so I crisped up the cold grains into crouton-like nuggets. Then I added creamy avocado, just-sweet mango, hearty edamame, and crunchy radishes and cukes. Any combination of these ingredients works well, as do new mix-ins like canned corn, blanched snap peas, or cherry tomatoes. The chili crisp–tahini dressing is so good, I could pour it on a rubber tire and be a happy gal. —Hana Asbrink, deputy food editor
Early season garlic scapes
After months of waiting for them to come back into season, I finally found garlic scapes at the farmers market this past weekend. I got straight to work making this quick and simple stir-fry, courtesy of Bon Appétit contributor Serena Dai. With just three ingredients (garlic scapes, bacon, and a healthy glug of soy sauce), the recipe lets the produce do the talking. Throw in some fresh-cooked rice and an oozy fried egg and you’ve got a peak spring dinner. —Alma Avalle, editorial operations associate
If you see garlic scapes, grab them, then make this stir-fry.
A swoon-worthy chickpea pancake
Would you look at this chickpea pancake! The lush greens decorating the top. The golden brown edges peeking through. The delicate threads of lemon zest. I’m swooning. I had to make it, and oh my, did it deliver—crisp, savory, satisfying. As test kitchen editor Kendra Vaculin suggests in her headnote, the smashed pea topping can be customized as the seasons progress. I’m thinking of a medley of tomatoes, sweet peppers, and Japanese eggplants in late summer; a roasted cauliflower, cabbage, and mushroom number come fall. —Kelsey Jane Youngman, senior service editor
Perfectly moist banana bread
Whenever I have a bunch of neglected, overripe bananas, there’s one recipe I always come back to: BA’s Best Banana Bread from Dawn Perry. I’ve made it a handful of times exactly as the recipe recommends (mascarpone included), and it always delivers a perfectly moist cake. This time around, I experimented with adding in almond flour and pecans with chopped bittersweet chocolate. It barely had enough time to cool before my partner tore off a corner to taste. —Urmila Ramakrishnan, associate director of social media
May 2
Asparagus season stir-fry
In the great spring produce debate that played out on a recent episode of Dinner SOS, I’m team Shilpa Uskokovic (that is to say, Team Asparagus). The soft color, the al dente snap, the grassy taste. I’m here for the spears! So to satisfy my cravings, I’ve been turning to a recipe by the asparagus queen herself: Shilpa’s Cashew Chicken and Asparagus Stir-Fry. With its savory pantry sauce, this dish fits into my favorite genre of weeknight cooking: sauce + veg + protein + an excuse to fire up my Zojirushi. It’s also infinitely adaptable. I’ve included chunky crimini mushrooms and plan to sub in crispy tofu for the chicken. But while it’s still in season, you won’t ever catch me skimping on the asparagus. —Michele O’Brien, senior audio producer
Birthday cake decorating
I went to New Hampshire for a friend’s birthday and instead of having a chill sit-by-the-lake-type weekend, everyone came prepared with activities. As the group’s resident baker, I marshaled a cake decorating contest. I baked two of my colleague Shilpa Uskokovic’s chocolate sheet cakes, cut out 12 mini rounds, and wrapped them in cling wrap for the road. To accompany the cakes, I toasted dry milk powder in butter to create the best brown butter frosting any of us had ever had. I packaged it all in piping bags, brought tip options, edible glitter, and sprinkles. With complete creative liberty, the group thoroughly enjoyed decorating the cakes. One had the state’s motto “Live Free or Die” piped atop. Another turned into a heart with an excess of glitter. —Nina Moskowitz, associate editor, cooking
Moroccan beef stew
We’ve been on a chicken kick in my house, which is actually out of the norm for us. So much so that my partner mentioned just how much chicken we’ve been eating in the hope that something heartier would end up in the dinner rotation. I’ll cook a chuck roast any time of the year, but the flavors need to be seasonally appropriate. Our standard wintery profile of potatoes, carrots, and herbes de Provence isn’t what I want in spring. So I opted for a lively spiced Moroccan rendition with dates, apricots, and chickpeas. We ate it over couscous with fat dollops of Greek yogurt and a shower of parsley. Even our 15-month-old daughter seemed to appreciate the switch-up. She ate fistfuls of the stew at dinner with a big smile on her face. —Hali Bey Ramdene, content director
Clean-out-the-fridge frittata
I’ve been attempting to have more casual meals with my friends lately—less dinner parties, more “what are you doing for lunch today?” vibes, where I can clean out my fridge and hang with pals at the same time. For such an afternoon, I whipped up a version of this mushroom and leek frittata using a giant leek I got from the Test Kitchen grocery giveaway and the last few eggs from a recent farm trip upstate. —Kendra Vaculin, test kitchen editor
Ruffled crepes
I feel bad for anyone who has said “nonstick pan” around me in the past year. Seemingly harmless! And suddenly they’re trapped in my 12-minute monologue about how carbon steel is an underrated alternative that completely changed my cooking. The short version is: With proper seasoning, carbon steel is essentially nonstick. But unlike a coated nonstick pan—yes, even the newer non-Teflon ones—you can crank the heat with abandon. This is a game changer for crispy eggs, fried rice, and, my latest victory, beautifully browned crepes. After finally trying these at Cafe Mutton in real life, I made chef Shaina Loew-Banayan’s recipe at home. Thin, ruffled, and pooled with maple syrup, it’s as good a start to the day as you can get. —Emma Laperruque, associate director of cooking
