Craving restaurant-style honey walnut shrimp without the soggy batter? This recipe from Calvin Eng’s Salt Sugar MSG uses a light cornstarch coating that stays crisp even tossed in sweet Kewpie mayo sauce. Candied walnuts, blanched broccoli, and a sweet-salty glaze make it worth one ambitious weekend cook.
I made Matt Adlard’s brioche feuilletée, a buttery laminated brioche that lands somewhere between croissant and pull-apart bread. The process is time-consuming, but the zigzag shaping, glossy syrup finish, and tender layers make it a rewarding baking project for anyone looking to practice lamination or impress brunch guests at home.
Try these Spicy Cucumber Margaritas with a Tajin/Sumac Rim! Inspired by Ina Garten’s spicy margarita, this version combines jalapeño-infused tequila, cucumber juice, lime, and honey. It’s a refreshing, spicy drink perfect for summer, with a salty, citrusy kick from the rim.
Crispy five-spice fried eggplant sticks, dredged in rice flour and served over tangy labneh with a sweet-sharp black vinegar syrup — this Win Son cookbook recipe delivers restaurant-quality crunch and flavor at home. Topped with cilantro and cayenne-spiced cashews, it’s the ultimate crispy-creamy-tangy-spicy appetizer for Taiwanese-American food lovers.
Ina Garten’s Watermelon & Arugula Salad upgrades the classic watermelon and feta combination with peppery arugula, fresh lemon juice, and shaved Parmesan. Sweet, salty, bright, and refreshing, this easy summer salad is perfect alongside grilled chicken, steak, seafood, or burgers, with a feta version available for traditionalists.
In my CSA week two recap, I’m sharing how I used carrots, garlic scapes, kale, komatsuna, napa cabbage, red onions, and scallions without letting anything go to waste. From garlic scape pesto to roasted napa cabbage and shrimp fried rice, these are the recipes, no-recipe ideas, and preservation tips that worked.
Still deciding on a burger for your holiday weekend? May I suggest Thomas Straker’s Chili Cheese Smash Burgers – buttery milk bread buns, a tangy shallot-mustard sauce, double cheese-topped patties, and pickled chillies for real heat. What’s not to love?
For my summer panzanella, I toss juicy tomatoes, toasted sourdough, charred corn, quick-pickled shallots, basil, and goat cheese in a bright tomato-Dijon vinaigrette. It’s my ideal warm-weather bread salad for July Fourth cookouts, tomato season, or any dinner that needs something fresh, crunchy, and satisfying.