The only ice cream recipe you’ll ever need

That's it. That's the recipe title.

View in browser|nytimes.com May 25, 2024 Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. The only ice cream recipe you'll ever need By Mia Leimkuhler Like a lot of people, I try really hard to avoid buying single-purpose kitchen gadgets or appliances — especially the ones that take up a lot of space. (I did once make an exception for a cherry pitter, because I had a full bucket of Bings and $15 is a small price to pay for sanity.) But then summer arrives, and all I want is an ice-cream maker because, you know, ice cream. Specifically for this, the only ice cream recipe you'll ever need, the aptly titled, five-star summertime slam from Melissa Clark. It's a silky, tongue-coating classic custard base that's ready for all of your flavors and mix-ins — fresh mint or basil, Nutella or chopped chocolate, puréed peaches or cherries. (Get a pitter.) This might be the year I give in to myself and get an ice-cream maker so I can churn out the scoops of my dreams. I'll start with perfect vanilla, to be sure, but then maybe fresh strawberry, or coconut and lime with a splash of rum, definitely something with the pandan leaves in my freezer. Oh! Maybe some mango and ube halaya for halo-halo vibes? Featured Recipe The Only Ice Cream Recipe You'll Ever Need View Recipe → Sorry, where was I? Oh right, dinner, that thing you eat before ice cream. Rick Martínez's Tajín grilled chicken boosts and balances the tangy-spicy-sour flavors of the Mexican seasoning blend with orange juice and zest, garlic and honey to yield incredibly bright chicken to tuck into buns or eat alongside grilled scallions and fresh pineapple. I'd also be very happy for Farideh Sadeghin's kabab koobideh, tender ground meat skewers flavored "simply but impactfully" with grated onion, sumac and salt and served with lavash, grilled tomatoes and fresh herbs. You can make Yewande Komolafe's coconut-dill salmon with green beans and corn on a grill or in the oven; the foil packet that all those goodies are wrapped in ensures luscious fish and easy cleanup. And it's delicious served warm or cold (read: excellent leftovers). Let's continue moving backward through the day's meals, to breakfast. I'm not always in the mood to make a big breakfast, but something about these late-May mornings makes the idea more enticing. (Maybe it's because I can throw open my blinds and windows for blue skies and fresh air without yet being blasted by heat.) Zainab Shah's aloo anday — potatoes and scrambled eggs with sautéed onions, tomatoes and garnished with garam masala — is just the sort of dish I'd like to putter around making while I nurse my comically big coffee. For extra Sunday satisfaction I'll make Meera Sodha's naan, first to pair with the morning's aloo anday and then to scoop up the evening's chicken curry. Finally: watermelon margaritas. I don't have anything particularly clever to say about these, only that it's the weekend and it's warm out and we deserve Alexa Weibel's watermelon margaritas. ADVERTISEMENT IN THIS NEWSLETTER Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Tajín Grilled Chicken By Rick A. Martinez 35 minutes Makes 4 servings Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Vivian Lui. Kabab Koobideh By Farideh Sadeghin 2 1/4 hours Makes 4 to 6 servings Alex Lau for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Susie Theodorou. Coconut-Dill Salmon With Green Beans and Corn By Yewande Komolafe 40 minutes Makes 6 to 8 servings David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Aloo Anday (Potatoes and Scrambled Eggs) By Zainab Shah 45 minutes Makes 4 to 6 servings  Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Meera Sodha's Naan Recipe from Meera Sodha Adapted by Sam Sifton 90 minutes Makes 4 to 6 servings Photograph by Grant Cornett. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Theo Vamvounakis. Meera Sodha's Chicken Curry Recipe from Meera Sodha Adapted by Sam Sifton 60 minutes Makes 4 servings Beatriz Da Costa for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Susie Theodorou. Watermelon Margarita By Alexa Weibel 5 minutes Makes 2 drinks 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. 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