It’s no secret that BA editors cook a lot for work. So it should come as no surprise that we cook a lot during our off-hours too. Here are the recipes we’re whipping up this month to get dinner on the table, to entertain our friends, to satisfy a sweet tooth, to use up leftovers, and everything in between. For even more staff favorites, click here.
May 5
Veggie-forward carbonara
In my corner of New Jersey, the first farmers market of the season coincided with a downpour, but that did not deter me. I needed half-sour pickles. I needed spring onions. And, most of all, I needed asparagus. Of the many asparagus recipes I aspire to make this year, I started with Vegetarian Carbonara—an eggy, cheesy pasta that encapsulates the irony of northeast spring, when the flowers are in bloom, yet you still need your winter coat. Instead of guanciale, the stalks add snappy greenery, and I didn’t miss the pork one bit. —Emma Laperruque, senior cooking editor
Box cake mix, leveled up
After reading all the ways to make box cake better, I felt inspired to pull out the almost-expired box of yellow cake from the back of my pantry to make something of it. I swapped the neutral oil for a punchy olive oil. I took out the Microplane to zest 2 lemons into the batter, added 1/4 cup of yogurt and topped it all off with some plump blackberries. The result was a cake I later ate for dessert, breakfast, and as a glorious snacking cake any time of day. —Urmila Ramakrishnan, associate director of social media
Creamy spring chowder
Spring in New York this year has been chilly, rainy, and overcast almost every day. Determined to cook with the season in mind, while satisfying my need for something comforting, I made Kendra Vaculin’s Potato and Pea Chowder. This did the trick. The warming, creamy broth and potatoes were indeed comforting, as requested, while the sweet peas and fresh dill reminded me that warmer days are ahead. —Carly Westerfield, recipe production assistant
Shawarma without the spit
It’s rare but there are times when I stop the scroll on my FYP and jump into “I must make that” mode. This was one of those times. This homemade chicken shawarma recipe from Ahmad Alzahabi (@thegoldenbalance on TikTok) uses some natural charcoal to replicate the smokey flavor you’d get from the rotisserie or spit, but without the equipment, and in just a couple minutes. Be warned: The toum is for the garlickiest of garlic girls, but it’s so rich and good. I’m never not making homemade shawarma this way. —U.R.
Seedy, nutty, giftable cookies
I’ve been waiting for a reason to make these lactation cookies. A close friend gave birth a little more than a week ago and I seized the opportunity. After tasting them though, I don’t plan on waiting around for a second baby before making them again. Oats, coconut, flax, and chocolate chunks combine to make a stellar cookie that anybody can love. Pro-tip: I replaced the dried fruit with chopped dates and highly recommend doing the same. Heartier than a classic chocolate chip cookie, it’s the perfect 3 p.m. pick-me-up, whether you’re nursing or absolutely not nursing. —Joe Sevier, SEO editor, cooking
Vacation-inspired pasta
After reviewing the proof for our Portugal article that ran in our travel issue in April, I was so smitten, I booked the Portugal trip I’d long dreamed of. If you’re a pescatarian, you’ll eat well there. Clams, John Dory, turbot, shrimp, and beyond could be had at almost every meal. Back home, I longed for a dish that would remind me of what was a perfect vacation and turned to Shilpa Uskovicvic’s Shrimp and Salami Pasta, which was inspired by her travels in Portugal. Crisped up salami gets added to a quick sauce of butter (Shilpa’s not modest with the butter), lemon zest, garlic, red pepper, and fennel seeds. The shrimp are thrown in at the last minute and a delicious Mediterranean-inflected meal is on the table in no time. —Dawn Davis, editor in chief
