Kay Chun
Lemon Blinis with Caviar and Scallion Crème Fraîche
Nothing says CELEBRATION like blinis and caviar. These quick, buckwheat pancakes, made with baking powder (unlike the traditional yeast-based ones) are brightened with the addition of lemon zest. Use whatever caviar you prefer and your budget will allow. We are quite enamored of the trout caviar made in North Carolina (see Cooks' Notes). The roe is a beautiful pale orange with a delightfully firm texture that pops in your mouth. Better yet, it's much more affordable than imported or domestic sturgeon caviars (see Cooks' Notes).
Triple Chocolate Tart with Boozy Whipped Cream
This triple threat dessert offers three distinct textures and flavors: A nutty, crumbly crust is filled with a dark chocolate pudding enriched with bittersweet chocolate, cocoa, and chocolate stout, then topped with a billowy bourbon whipped cream. For more seasonal recipes, download the free Gourmet Live app and stay tuned to the Gourmet Live blog for the latest updates.
Chorizo Hash Browns
We love hash browns for their delicious contradiction—the way the outer crunch of skillet–fried potatoes gives way to an inner creaminess. Throw in some nuggets of spicy Spanish chorizo (left over from Corn–Bread and Chorizo Stuffing ) and things only get better.
Creamy Fennel and Greens Soup
Soup is a great way to use up leftover greens, especially the leafy tops of beets or turnips, which too often get tossed in the compost pile. In this suave, satisfying soup, braising beet tops and collard greens (left over, respectively, from Smoked–Sable Tartare with Beets and Watercress and Wild–Mushroom Bundles ) with fennel and onion mellows the greens' hearty flavor and brings out a surprising smoothness (heightened by the cream stirred in at the end). Adding the spinach just before blending helps keep the color bright.
Lemon Sabayon with Grapefruit
This remarkable sabayon, made with egg yolks left over from Spiced–Pumpkin Soufflés with Bourbon Molasses Sauce , tastes like a very lush and airy lemon curd. Pairing it with juicy segments of grapefruit creates a delightful call and response between the two citruses and their varying decibels of sweetness and tart zing. (The sabayon also pairs well with oranges or berries.) Though it is traditional to serve sabayon still warm—from the simmering water over which it is whisked—this version also tastes delicious chilled.
Frisée and Radish Salad with Hazelnut Dressing
This riff on the classic frisée salad with lardons is the perfect thing to make with leftover hazelnuts from our 10 Minute Main Hake with Hazelnuts and Capers . It looks delicate, but its vinaigrette is enriched with the nuts and some bacon fat, which not only gives it substance but also balances the bitterness of the frisée and the bite of the radishes.
Calamari-Olive Salad
This beautiful seafood salad makes a terrific home for leftover Niçoise olives from the braised Veal Cacciatore . Quickly cooking the calamari renders it snowy white and very tender—such a nice backdrop to the salty olives and crunchy celery. Scallion, lemon zest, and celery add freshness.
Italian Parsley and Beet Salad
Italian parsley isn't usually valued as a salad green. But when its tempered by earthy, juicy raw beets and a citrus vinaigrette, the mineral-tinged flat leaves will be the talk of the table.
Nectarines with Ricotta-Vanilla Cream and Pine-Nut Brittle
A simple, delicious summer dessert with nectarines.
Mint Caipirinha Ice Pops
Inspired by Brazil's national drink, these boozy popsicles are made with cachaça, lime juice, and mint.
Lobster Rolls with Lemon Vinaigrette and Garlic Butter
Not in the mood for bread? No problem. This no-mayo lobster mixture would also make an ideal centerpiece in a summer salad.
Panfried Tofu with Romano-Bean and Herb Salad
Tofu is frequently paired with Asian flavors, but here it is a delicate canvas for a robust, creamy French-inspired dressing that also gussies up the seasonal side salad. Dipping the tofu in egg before it hits the skillet seals its custardy texture inside a lovely golden crust.
Arugula and Fava-Bean Crostini
Springtime in Tuscany means eating young green fava beans with salty, nutty crumbles of Pecorino Toscano—a firm sheep's-milk cheese. That favorite snack was a jumping-off point for these savory little toasts. Fresh arugula, both puréed and roughly chopped, punctuates the spread with spice and texture. If you can't get your hands on fresh fava beans, frozen edamame work well, too.
Chicken Liver Skewers
Rosemary does something splendid for chicken livers, and using sprigs of the herb as skewers perfumes the livers while they cook gently in butter. The unexpected bite of peppery radishes is a stroke of genius—thinly sliced, then tossed quickly in the pan butter and lemon juice, they help offset the richness of the dish.
Fresh Pasta with Crabmeat, Peas and Chile
Good-quality ingredients brought together with a minimum of fuss: That kitchen philosophy is inventively illustrated by this dish. Tender, delicate crab usually shows up amid other tender, delicate things, but when teamed with a rustic, chewy homemade semolina pasta (the real star of the show), it develops a certain swagger. Spring onions, fresh chile, and a bit of lemon juice add even more verve.
Fresh Semolina Fettucine
Flour and water—can it get any more basic? After a few minutes of kneading, the dough magically comes together into a smooth, supple ball. Fettuccine is the goal here, but Chun also likes to cut the pasta into free-form "rags" to serve with a wild-mushroom sauce.
Grilled Sausage-Stuffed Calamari
Grilled squid is a revelation to people who have only encountered it fried—the sweet meat takes nicely to the smokiness of the coals, and a stuffing of homemade pork sausage gives it a whole new layer of interest. As the bundles cook, the fennel-scented sausage bastes the squid from within, keeping it from drying out.