My simplest grilled salmon, a summertime staple

That's dinner tonight. Breakfast tomorrow: Jordan Marsh's blueberry muffins.

View in browser|nytimes.com May 31, 2024 Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards. What to cook when you're cooking for everyone By Sam Sifton Good morning. The nest that was empty is empty no more, as children return from college, as in-laws descend, and suddenly we're up a few animals and down a few beds. The grocery bills are back to the mesosphere and yet we're out of milk again, the second time in a week. I'm at it like a line cook making staff meals for a neighborhood trattoria. Tonight: this excellent simply grilled salmon (above) to serve with orzo salad, thick with salty creaminess and slick sweet cucumbers, diced tomatoes, pops of chickpea, nodes of olive. Have some lemonade with that. We'll talk theories and methods in American studies while we eat. Featured Recipe Simplest Grilled Salmon View Recipe → Tomorrow it'll be Jordan Marsh's blueberry muffins for breakfast, Boston proud, and maybe Philly cheesesteaks for lunch, because how fun would those be to make and devour in advance of an afternoon nap? Then: barbecue chicken for dinner, the sauce thinned out with water so I can paint it onto the meat constantly, allowing a crust to build without the sugars burning, alongside fluffy Cheddar biscuits, potato salad and a mess of cold, sliced vegetables with green dip. And rhubarb crisp for dessert? Yogurt can greet Sunday, with plenty of cut fruit, and I'll follow it up with tea sandwiches for lunch. It's surprising how quickly you can get into the rhythm of cooking for a crowd. It hardly seems like work, at least for the first couple of weeks. (When you find yourself flagging, buy cold cuts, extra cereal, interesting cheeses, cherry tomatoes, chips and salsa. Say, "Today, you are on your own.") Sunday's dinner: steamed lobsters, parboiled baby potatoes rolled in hot butter and lots of roasted asparagus. Oh, stop. I've done the math on this. At least where I stay, it's cheaper to buy lobsters than to order food from the place that papers the neighborhood with menus. Steamed lobster on a Sunday night sends a message: It's summer and we're American, living our lives in an imaginary Elin Hilderbrand novel. Save the steaming liquid for stock! There are thousands and thousands more recipes waiting for you on New York Times Cooking. As I think I've mentioned before, you need a subscription to access them. Subscriptions support our work and allow it to continue. Would you please consider, if you haven't already, subscribing today? Thanks. We have operators standing by, should you find yourself jammed up by our technology. Just write for help — we're at cookingcare@nytimes.com — and someone will get back to you. And if you feel the urge to complain about anything, or to say something nice about my colleagues, feel free to write to me. I'm at foodeditor@nytimes.com. I can't respond to every letter, but I do read every one I get. Now, it's nothing to do with bergamot or prunes, but I had a good enough time watching "A Man in Full" on Netflix that it got me to dive back into the Tom Wolfe novel on which it's based. (Michael Lewis raved it in The Times in 1998.) Speaking of the old days: Here's Ross Barkan on Jimmy Breslin in The Point. Staying on message, you should read Abe Streep, in The New Yorker, on Nova Scotia's billion-dollar lobster wars. Finally, here's Little Feat, "Why People Like That." Play that nice and loud while you're cooking. I'll see you on Sunday. ADVERTISEMENT IN THIS NEWSLETTER Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards. Orzo Salad By Lidey Heuck 1 hour Makes 8 servings Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Philly Cheesesteak By Kia Damon 40 minutes Makes 4 servings Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times BBQ Chicken By Sam Sifton 45 minutes Makes 6 to 8 servings David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Fluffy Cheddar Biscuits By Erin Jeanne McDowell 45 minutes Makes 12 biscuits Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Colin King. The Store's Green Dip Recipe from Bert Greene and Denis Vaughan Adapted by Sam Sifton 10 minutes, plus chilling Makes 2 cups Craig Lee for The New York Times Rhubarb Crisp By Mark Bittman 1 hour Makes 6 to 8 servings Jim Wilson/The New York Times Jordan Marsh's Blueberry Muffins By Marian Burros 40 minutes, plus at least 30 minutes' cooling Makes 12 muffins Sign up for the Five Weeknight Dishes newsletter Fresh dinner ideas for busy people who want something great to eat, with NYT Cooking recipes sent to you weekly. Get it in your inbox Sign up for The Veggie newsletter Tanya Sichynsky shares the most delicious vegetarian recipes for weeknight cooking, packed lunches and dinner parties. Get it in your inbox ADVERTISEMENT Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Cooking from The New York Times. To stop receiving Cooking, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to NYT CookingGet the NYT Cooking app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018