Bon Appetit April 2021

back to the future

I CAN’T RECALL EXACTLY WHAT GOT ME interested in the year 1971. It might have started with a sliver: Half a century is, after all, a natural inflection point. What I do know is that the discoveries that the razor-sharp Bon Appétit team and I made about the year provoked a lot of discussion and engendered the question, “Is 1971 the year that changed everything culinarily? If you’ve seen the terrific documentary The Black Godfather, you’ll remember a graphic that shows the endless sway of music executive Clarence Avant. He influenced multiple generations of artists, who then went on to influence subsequent generations. The reporting of Elyse Inamine likewise shows the enormous reach of Alice Waters, who opened her trailblazing restaurant, Chez Panisse, in 1971. When I wrote my book about…

family meal

AFTER WHAT feels like the world’s longest winter (for many reasons), Lara Lee’s crunchy and bright Gado-Gado Summer Rolls (p.12) are getting us excited about warm-weather cooking. Her recipe is a cross-cultural twist on two street food icons: refreshing Vietnamese goi cuô´n, or summer rolls, and Indonesian gado-gado, a colorful composed salad with a spicy peanut dressing. To serve, Lee likes to arrange the halved summer rolls on a platter along with sliced hard-boiled eggs and crunchy, airy prawn crackers—two common gadogado ingredients—with a side of peanut sauce for dipping. Perfecting the rolling technique takes some practice, but we’re using that as an excuse to make these again and again.…

gado-gado summer rolls

4 SERVINGS ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. (or more) vegetable oil⅔ cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, preferably skin-on2 large shallots, thinly sliced6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced2 Fresno chiles, thinly sliced6 Tbsp. kecap manis, dividedKosher salt8 oz. firm tofu, sliced." thick12 8" rice paper rounds3 cups 2" matchsticks crunchy vegetables (such as carrots, cucumber, and/or bean sprouts)½ head of romaine lettuce, thinly sliced4 hard-boiled eggs, halvedPrawn crackers (for serving) 1. Heat ¼ cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook peanuts, tossing, until slightly darkened, about 1 minute. Add shallots, garlic, and chiles and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots and garlic are softened, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer peanut mixture to a blender; wipe out skillet and reserve. Add 5 Tbsp. kecap manis and ⅔ cup water to blender and…

warm chicken and swiss chard salad

4 SERVINGS 3 Tbsp. raw skin-on almonds4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1¼ lb.)Kosher salt2 large bunches Swiss chard, preferably rainbow (about 1 lb.)1 large shallot, thinly sliced1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar½ tsp. cumin seeds, crushed5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling6 Medjool dates, pitted, coarsely chopped⅓ cup kalamata olives, pitted, coarsely chopped 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until darkened slightly, 6–8 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop. 2. Meanwhile, season chicken with salt; set aside. Remove ribs and stems from Swiss chard leaves. Tear leaves into 3" pieces. Cut thicker ends of stems on a diagonal into 1" pieces; discard thin ends. 3. Combine shallot, lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, and cumin…

brothy coconut-mustard fish

4 SERVINGS 4 6–8-oz. skinless, boneless whitefish fillets (such as cod, halibut, or haddock)2 Tbsp. melted virgin coconut oilKosher salt1 serrano chile, thinly sliced2 13.5-oz. cans unsweetened coconut milk2 Tbsp. honey2 Tbsp. yellow mustard1 tsp. ground turmeric4 oz. green beans, asparagus, or sugar snap peas, cut into 1" pieces½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved2 tsp. fresh lime juiceCilantro leaves, steamed rice, and lime wedges (for serving) 1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange fish on top. Drizzle oil over fish and season both sides with salt. Roast until flesh flakes when top is pressed with a spoon, 15–20 minutes, depending on the thickness of your pieces. 2. Meanwhile, combine chile, coconut milk, honey, mustard, and turmeric in a high-sided skillet or wide saucepan. Season generously with…

mushroom-farro soup

4 SERVINGS 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling1 large shallot, coarsely chopped1 lb. mixed mushrooms (such as crimini, shiitake, oyster, and/or maitake), cut into bite-size piecesKosher salt, freshly ground pepper1 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 1 cup), plus rind⅔ cup semi-pearled far3 Tbsp. (or more) low-sodium soy sauce4 celery stalks, thinly sliced, plus any leaves coarsely chopped1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juiceCrusty bread (for serving) 1. Heat garlic and 3 Tbsp. oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium until oil around garlic is sizzling, about 1 minute. Add shallot and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned, 10–15 minutes. (Initially, pot will look dry, then very wet before mushrooms start to brown.) 2. Add Parmesan…