Citrus

This delightfully tangy tofu pairs especially well with Greek or Italian dishes.

In Comfort Me with Apples, Ruth Reichl attributes the original recipe to Danny Kaye, but lemon and cream seems such a simple, natural combination that we suppose people were putting it on pasta long before Danny Kaye was born.

Lamb is an underappreciated and underutilized meat. It’s better for you than other red meats; it’s generally raised under healthier, more humane, and more sustainable conditions; it’s fragrant, lean, and tender; and it has that slightly funky quality that makes it interesting to work with. Here, we’ve rubbed it with chopped lemon confit and olives. While the recipe calls for oven-roasting, roasting it slowly on the grill would work beautifully, too. In keeping with the great tradition of day-after-holiday leftovers and sandwich making, we think Easter Monday is when you’ll want to be eating this one.

What self-respecting sandwich shop doesn’t carry a tuna sandwich? We admit that we almost didn’t. But when a magazine wanted to do an impromptu photo shoot before we opened, we had to improvise with ingredients already on hand at Craftbar. We seized a can of Sicilian tuna and added a few other items—and when we tasted the sandwich after the shoot, we realized we had a winner. Let go of the traditional tuna with lots of mayo—the mayonnaise masks the taste, a pity when using good tuna. Instead, use just a bit of lemon-flavored mayo on the bread, and season the tuna with lighter ingredients, such as the fronds of the fennel, similar in texture to dill but lending a fresher flavor to the fish.

Left uncooked, beets are not only crunchy and refreshing but also surprisingly substantial, making a satisfying base for this sandwich. Radish sprouts add a bit of heat as a counterpoint. And the avocado adds the needed element of richness.

Our regulars love this bright and flavorful vegan sandwich, especially in summer. It’s light yet absolutely satisfying. We like to cook our own chickpeas, but you can use canned—the chickpeas are a great vehicle for all of the vibrant flavors of the marinade. The red peppers provide a sweet counterpoint to the chickpeas; if you have the time, forgo the ones in the jar and roast your own (page 184). Then we add a low note (the Niçoise olives), and a high one (the confit), and finally the parsley (using whole leaves, not just a sprinkle). A final hint: toast the bread (just on the insides of the sandwich) for the perfect texture inside and out.

We came up with this as a canapé for a party and had a hit on our hands; it’s utterly simple and elegant. Boucheron combines the tartness, chalkiness, creaminess, and pungency that are the hallmarks of different goat cheeses for a beautiful balance of flavor and texture. Served open-faced on delicate bread as a finger sandwich or a canapé, this is dainty and easy to eat, but it can also be grilled as a sandwich if you want something hot and just a little bit oozy.

This is a spin on the cream cheese and jam sandwich. We thought the tartness of the goat cheese would marry well with the sweetness of the marmalade, with the rosemary accent to wake you up in the gentlest, nicest of ways and the multigrain bread sending you off on your day feeling you’ve eaten a meal. The marmalade could certainly be made with oranges or grapefruit—the rosemary would complement them as well.

If ever we cross paths, there’s a 99 percent chance you’ll find me sipping a yerba mate tea. The South American beverage quickly became part of my routine once I discovered that it lifts my energy level without the highs and lows of coffee. Come summer, I ice it, stir in some Agave Lemonade (page 133), and relax with the day’s saving grace: the BabyCakes NYC version of an Arnold Palmer. If you’re confined to the kitchen and have a blender handy, toss in the ingredients, add ice, pulse for a minute or so, and sip your way through the afternoon.

Inspired by my daily “free lemonade” that I used to make at the old KFC in grade school, here’s a recipe so simple and refreshing that you’ll be shocked there are only four ingredients!

All right, pull the Stepford Wife ensemble out of mothballs and apply your signature color lipstick: It’s photo time! While the still-life aesthetic of this cupcake is its own reward, I swear on my highlights that the taste surpasses its beauty. Make sure to avoid overchopping your cherry chunks, and try for a nice, thick lemon zest—the added texture pairs neatly with the creamy frosting.

I think aromatic kumquats walk a line between oranges and lemons, and they aren’t bitter at all when you cook them properly. You could chop these up and bake them in a sponge cake, or fold them into a mousse that could use a shot of acidity. Fill them with soft cheese or mousse and put them out after dinner as petits fours. Or just serve with ice cream.

Gregory Gourreau, my cooking partner when I was sous-chef at Daniel, worked on a dish where he froze citrus into something that resembled a mosaic. I loved the idea and played with it for a while, until I came up with this refreshing block of oranges. I like to use a 4-inch square plastic tube to form the citrus mixture, but you could just as easily use two 15-ounce cans. Remove the tops and bottoms and wash them well.

I candy Etrog citrons in the restaurant, but I’ve adapted the recipe for good old lemons. You could chop this up and fold it into whipped cream. Or serve over ice cream.

There are so many uses for this preserve, which captures the zing of the citrus. Chop it up and use it as a garnish for sweet sorbets or as a marmalade on buttered Brioche (page 194). Or wrap a strawberry or a piece of melon with a slice of this lemon, stick a toothpick through it, and you’ve got a fruit canapé. I’m not giving a yield or amounts here, because you can make as much of this classic preserve as you wish. If they’re in season, Meyer lemons are what you want.

These days, I like to carbonate my curds (see page 134, for example), but you could serve this one, with its mix of lemon, lime, and orange, as is, spooned over berries or over sorbet, or both.

This is one of the first desserts I learned from François Payard. It’s complex in flavor yet simple in ingredients and technique. Put it in the freezer for a while until it’s so cold that it’s slushy, and serve it with assorted tropical fruits.