Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Season generously with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are just barely cooked through, about 10 minutes (a knife inserted into a potato should meet a little resistance). Drain and transfer to a large bowl.  

Add the fat and a few generous grinds of pepper to the hot potatoes and toss well; the potatoes should end up with a thin coating of potato-fat paste. Spray two rimmed baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray (or coat with a thin layer of oil). Transfer the potatoes to the baking sheets and roast until the bottoms are crisp, rotating the pans halfway through cooking, about 25 minutes. Test the potatoes by trying to pry one or two pieces off the baking sheet with a stiff metal spatula. If they don't come off easily, roast for additional 3-minute increments until they do.    

Flip the potatoes with the spatula, making sure to get all the crisped bits off the bottom, then continue to roast until golden brown and crisp all over, about 25 more minutes. 

Transfer to a serving bowl, season to taste, and toss with chopped herbs.

3 pounds Russet (Baking) Potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1- and 2-inch cubes

Chopped fresh herbs, such as Thyme, Rosemary, and/or Chives

J. Kenji Lopez-Alt's, The Food Lab, page 476

Arrange an oven rack to the lower middle position, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and toss together on the sheet: brussels sprouts, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and season generously with salt and black pepper. 

Arrange brussels sprouts in a single layer, cut sides down. Roast until golden brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; sprinkle with coarse kosher salt and pepper. Sauté until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add vinegar and sugar. Stir until brown and glazed, about 3 minutes.

1 ½ pounds Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and halved through the stem

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Shallots

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 450°. Stir oil, salt, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika, pepper, cardamom, cloves, and garlic in a small bowl to combine.

Toss carrots with oil mixture on a large rimmed baking sheet to coat. Roast until carrots are crisp-tender and deeply browned, 15–20 minutes. Let cool.

Allow carrots to cool. Once you're ready to serve, whisk lemon juice, oil, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl. Add red onion, dates, jalapeños, and herbs and toss to coat. Taste salad and add more lemon juice if needed.

Stir labneh and remaining ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a small bowl.

To serve, spread labneh on a platter; top with carrots. Scatter salad over.

2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton Kosher Salt

1½ lb. medium Carrots, tops trimmed to ½", scrubbed, halved lengthwise 

1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton Kosher Salt, divided

7 Medjool Dates, pitted, coarsely chopped

2 Jalapeños, seeds removed, coarsely chopped

1 cup coarsely chopped tender Herbs (such as cilantro, dill, or parsley)

1 cup Labneh or Plain Whole-Milk Greek Yogurt

Wait to mix red onion, dates, jalapeños, and herbs together until you're ready to serve! Otherwise onions with soften too much.

Shawarma-Spiced Carrots with Date and Herb Salad 

Heat the oven to 475 degrees. In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Fry the garlic until lightly golden, about 1 minute.

Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, red-pepper flakes and cumin (be careful of splattering), and fry for 30 seconds, reducing the heat as needed to prevent the garlic from burning.

Add the beans, water and generous pinches of salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top then bake until the cheese has melted, 5 to 10 minutes. If the top is not as browned as you’d like, run the skillet under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes. Add toppings and serve immediately.

2(14-ounce) cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed

1 ½ - 2 cups grated Cheddar or Manchego Cheese (from about a 6-ounce block)

Have all the ingredients prepped and ready to go prior to cooking. Each step goes by quickly!

Thinly slice a red onion and put the slices in a bowl or container.

Bring about 1 1/2 cups cider or white vinegar to a boil, and add about 3 heaping spoonfuls of sugar and a big pinch of salt to dissolve.

You can also add a pinch of red-pepper flakes, a bay leaf or some dried oregano, if you like.

Pour the hot vinegar over the onions and let them cool. They’re ready to use right away, and can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

A pinch of Red-Pepper Flakes, a Bay Leaf or some Dried Oregano (Optional)

Bring water, oil, zest, and salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Stir in couscous and dates, then cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes.

Fluff couscous with a fork and stir in scallion greens.

1½ teaspoon finely grated fresh Orange Zest

3 tablespoons finely chopped pitted Dates

Start boiling a large pot of water. Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into cubes for faster cook time.

Boil the potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain water when done.

Mix melted butter, milk and cream cheese into the pot of potatoes. Blend until creamy and mixed together. 

In a medium bowl, stir together all the ingredients. Serve immediately or store the salsa in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Working in batches if needed, combine all the obe ata ingredients except the canola oil in a blender and purée on high until smooth. The liquid from the can of tomatoes should suffice, but you can add up to ¼ cup of water if necessary to get the purée going. (You should have about 3 cups of purée.)

Heat the 2 tablespoons canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Add the purée and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced by about a third of its original volume, 18 to 20 minutes. (It should make about 2 cups. Obe ata can be cooled and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for up to 1 month.)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the ½ cup canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove half the onions to a plate and set aside. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, turmeric and smoked paprika, if using, and toast, stirring occasionally, until turmeric is fragrant and tomato paste has deepened to a dark red color, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the obe ata sauce and bring to a simmer over medium heat. The habanero oils love to disperse in the air, so you may want to turn on your stovetop fan or open a window while simmering the obe ata. Stir in the rice, thyme and bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the stock and cover with a lid. Transfer the pot to the oven and cook until rice is just tender, 35 minutes.

Remove the pot from the oven and let sit, covered (no peeking) for 15 minutes. Uncover, fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the reserved sautéed onions. Adjust seasoning, if necessary, and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Serve warm.

1 (14oz) Can Whole Peeled Tomatoes with their juices

1 medium Red Bell Pepper, stemmed, seeded and roughly chopped

½ medium Red Onion, peeled and roughly chopped

1 (1-inch) piece Fresh Ginger, peeled and finely chopped

2 tablespoons Canola or other neutral oil

2 medium Red Onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

3 cups parboiled Long-Grain Rice (such as Carolina Gold or Uncle Ben’s Original), basmati or jasmine rice (about 1¼ pounds)

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

The obe ata can be cooled and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for up to 1 month.

Process 1 tomato, 1 seeded Fresno chile, lime juice, olive oil, and kosher salt in a blender until smooth.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sliced onion; cook 1 minute. Add sliced yellow squash; cook over high until just charred, 7 minutes. Add tomato mixture and sliced fresh mint; bring to a simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped fresh mint.

4 tablespoons Fresh Mint, 2 tablespoons chopped and 2 tablespoons sliced

Charring the squash in a skillet quickly adds smoky flavor without having to fire up the grill. Best served right away, this side pairs well with grilled chicken and rice.

Halve and thinly slice one half of each lemon and orange, saving the other halves for juicing.

Warm the olive oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add the chiles, lemon and orange slices, and grapefruit peel. Let sizzle a minute or two, then add the olives.

Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and let the olive hang out here for anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour, stirring every so often. (If your stove's burner is one of those that never quite gets that low, then you might want to max them out around 30 minutes.)

Let the olives cool to room temperature in the pot and then squeeze in the lemon and orange juice from the remaining halves. Serve with citrus peels and all, making sure you have a little dish for the olive pits.

4 whole Chiles de Arbol, or ½ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Olives can be marinated up to a month in advance, covered, and refrigerated. Gentle rewarm them before serving.

Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, tahini and water in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until well blended and creamy (alternatively, use a fork or spoon; there might just be a few lumps, which is actually fine). Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil and sesame seeds in a small skillet or pot over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the sesame seeds are toasted and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the turmeric and remove from heat.

Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a cute serving bowl and top with the sesame-turmeric oil. Finish with flaky salt and more pepper before serving.

8 ounces Cream Cheese or Ricotta, preferably room temperature

Add handfuls of herbs or a pinch of crushed red-pepper flakes.

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, swirling the skillet occasionally, until the garlic is tender and nearly golden brown, 2-3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they've broken down into a thick, chunky sauce, 5-8 minutes.

Add the harissa and continue to cook until the sauce is a bit more paste-like, another 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat, then add the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Add more olive oil until it becomes savory and spoonable.

Place the feta in a serving dish or bowl and pour the tomato mixture over. Let sit at least 10 minutes, or up to a week in advance, refrigerated. Drizzle with more olive oil before serving.

2 small-sh (or 1 medium) ripe Tomatoes (4 to 6 ounces total), coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons Harissa Paste, or ½ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

8 ounces Feta Cheese, sliced into ¼-inch slabs or ½-inch cubes

Feta can be marinated up to 1 week ahead, tightly wrapped and refrigerated.

Place root vegetables in a large baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until totally and completely fork-tender, 60 to 70 minutes, depending on size. (If you’re doing this with carrots, they'll take less time, 40 to 45 minutes.)

Remove from the oven and let cool enough so that you can peel them, then cut into smaller chunks.

Place the root vegetables, garlic, nuts, olive oil and the vinegar in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until you’ve got the texture of your dreams, which is different for all of us. For me, it’s not perfectly smooth but processed enough to spread. If you like chunkier or smoother, then go for it.

Once your desired texture is reached, fold in the sour cream, if using. Season with salt, pepper and more vinegar. Transfer to your cutest bowl, drizzle with more olive oil, and top with dill.

1 lb. Carrots or Sweet Potatoes, tops removed and scrubbed

⅓ cup Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling

⅓ cup Walnuts, Hazelnuts or Almonds, toasted

2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar, or White Wine Vinegar, plus more as needed

½ cup Sour Cream or Full-Fat Greek Yogurt (optional)

Dip can be made up to 1 week ahead, wrapped tightly, and refrigerated.

Modified recipe from Nothing Fancy, by Alison Roman (Page 25)

Toast the sesame seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until golden brown and smelling like toasted sesame, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the olive oil, lemon, sumac, and thyme, swirling to get everything submerged in the oil. Season with salt and pepper and let gently simmer a minute or two for maximum infusion. Remove from heat and let sit another minute or two.

Place the goat cheese in a small dish, glass jar, or other container. Pour the olive oil mixture over and let sit at lease 10 minutes, drizzling with more olive oil as needed to kind of submerge slightly (the oil is part of the eating experience and should be spooned onto the cracker or toast as well). 

To serve, finish with a bit more fresh thyme and sprinkle of sumac and set out with crackers or slices of toast.

½ cup Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling

½ Lemon (peel, pith, and all), seeds removed, finely chopped

2 teaspoons Ground Sumac, plus more serving

1 tablespoon Fresh Thyme, chopped, plus more for serving

8 ounces fresh Goat Cheese, coarsely crumbled

Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat (you don’t need oil). Working with a few batches at a time, sear the cheese on one side until it’s golden brown (it won’t melt, just brown), almost like you’re searing a steak, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side. Remove and place on a plate. Continue with remaining cheese.

Drizzle the cheese with the honey and sprinkle with the pistachios and flaky salt.

8 oz. Halloumi or Queso Fresco, sliced into ½-inch slabs

2 tablespoons finely chopped Toasted Pistachios 

Preheat oven to 375°. Wrap dates with halved bacon slices. Place on a sheet pan with the bacon ends side placed down.

Drizzle the Hong Kong sauce over each bacon-wrapped date. Put in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the bacon is cooked.

While the bacon and dates are cooking, prepare the salad. Mix the arugula with Hong Kong sauce, olive oil and salt to taste. Add the crunchy toppings.

Once the bacon-wrapped dates are done cooking, top with salad and serve.

Fried Onions, or any other crunchy toppings

Heat the olive oil, scallions, red-pepper flakes and cilantro in a small pot over medium-low heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the scallions and red-pepper flakes start to visually and audibly sizzle and frizzle and turn the oil a bright, fiery orange. Remove from the heat, and let cool enough to taste without burning your mouth, then season with salt and pepper.

Combine the labneh and lemon juice in a medium bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon into a bowl and swirl in the sizzled scallion mixture. Top with extra cilantro, if you like.

4 Scallions (or green garlic), white and light green parts, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Cilantro (leaves and tender stems) or chives, plus more for garnish

2 cups Labneh, Full-Fat Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream

Sizzled scallion oil can be made up to a week ahead, wrapped tightly, and refrigerated. Labneh can also be seasoned a week ahead, wrapped tightly, and refrigerated. Combine the two just before serving.

Serve with raw vegetables for dipping, as a spread with crackers or flatbread, or alongside roasted lamb or vegetables.

Labneh Dip with Sizzled Scallions and Chile (Almost Ranch)

To make the tzatziki, place grated cucumber in a colander over the sink and squeeze vigorously to remove any excess moisture. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, honey (if using), garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings; it should be tart, savory and a little sweet. Add more salt, pepper, honey and lemon juice accordingly; set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and simmer over medium-high for 12 to 15 minutes until just tender. Drain and allow to cool for 8 to 10 minutes until they are just warm to the touch.

Prepare the salad: In a large bowl, combine the cooked potatoes with the tzatziki, sliced cucumbers, olives, dill and mint; season generously with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil, squeeze the lemon on top and serve. Store leftovers in a covered container, chilled, for 1 to 2 days.

2 Persian or Mini Cucumbers, coarsely grated

1 tablespoon Lemon Juice, plus more as needed

2 ½ pounds Small Red, New or Fingerling Potatoes, washed and halved (or cut into 1-inch pieces, if large)

3 Persian or Mini Cucumbers, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

⅓ cup Black Olives, such as Kalamata or Oil-Cured, pitted, and torn in half if large

Add both butter and canola oil to a large skillet. Heat over medium heat until the butter has melted. Once melted, add in the radishes cut-side down and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Stir to coat. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the radishes are slightly softened and lightly browned around the edges, 7-8 minutes.

Add in the cucumbers and another ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until heated through and softened, 2-3 minutes.

Stir in 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, a pinch of red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the water evaporates and veggies are well glazed, about 1 minute more. Transfer to serving bowl. Season to taste with salt and serve warm. 

10 or so Radishes, ends removed and cut in half

3 Persian Cucumbers, sliced in quarters, lengthwise, then cut in half on the bias

Sides Recipes