Weeknight dinners were never so easy and tasty as this.
I get giddy for asparagus in spring.
There are many things I look forward to with each season, but there is something special about asparagus because its local season is so short. Because of that, I gorge myself on the spears until they disappear all too quickly from the markets. I always hunt down the really fat ones if possible, too, because I think they taste sweeter.
Cumin, chiles and lamb make this one good dish, indeed.
I’ve always loved the no-nonsense, forthright title of Chef David Tanis‘ 2013 cookbook, “One Good Dish” (Artisan).
I’ve enjoyed even more the recipes inside, created by the former co-chef of Chez Panisse in Berkeley.
So many recipes from other chefs come packed to the gills with flourishes and garnishes that are a project in and of themselves.
Tanis pares that all away in this book. As he rightly states: A meal doesn’t have to be complicated, complex or cumbersome. Sometimes all it takes is one splendid dish to satisfy.
This book is full of those kinds of dishes, the type you really want to make — and can make without tearing your hair out. Find everything from “Cornmeal Popovers” to “Potato Salad with Peppers and Olives” to “Quick Scallion Kimchee” to “Spanish Pork Skewers.”