The Splendid Table Recipes

Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp)

# SERVES 4

One-Pot Broccoli Pasta

# I make this when I want “restaurant pasta,” but am short on time and ingredients. It’s a lovely Italian-inspired meal that you never knew could come from your home kitchen. Using one pot for the broccoli and the pasta makes for a breezy cleanup before bed—almost as simple as ordering in.

Mango Vacherin with Mint & Basil

# Sitting gracefully somewhere between an ice cream cake and a pavlova, the vacherin is an effortlessly chic French showstopper of a summery dessert. It is made with layers of ice cream and sorbet, sandwiched between crisp meringue disks. Wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, it can be made ahead and kept in the freezer for up to four weeks. When you are ready to serve it, simply decorate it with whipped cream, plain or infused, and fresh fruit, herbs, or flowers. If you are feeling extra decadent, you can pour chocolate sauce, hot fudge, or caramel sauce over slices of the cake table-side. My recipe uses homemade mango sorbet and mint and basil ice cream, but I have also made vacherins with store-bought ice cream, when I wanted to make something delicious but didn’t have access to an ice cream maker.

Roasted Pepper Spread

# Eat this flavorful dip on toasted bread, in a sandwich, or as part of a veggie platter.

Amarettus (Sardinia)

# Bakeries in Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia, all sell these classic almond cookies, each garnished with a single almond in the center. I questioned whether I should include yet another recipe for amaretti—they are sprinkled throughout this book, and the ingredients for most of them are more or less identical. And yet, the results are all quite distinct, thanks to differences in the handling of those ingredients. In fact, it was eye-opening, as I researched this book, to see how many different and unique iterations the same set of ingredients could create. In the end, I am glad I included these. They are easy to make and they have a particular appeal, puffing up beautifully in the oven and forming small telltale cracks on their sugared surfaces. They are crunchy on the outside and tender and chewy within. Use the freshest almonds you can find to give these cookies their due. Sardinians use a special nut grinder to achieve the correct texture, but a food processor works well. Note that the dough benefits from an overnight rest in the refrigerator, so start them a day before you plan to serve them.

Creamy Parmigiano-Braised Beans

# These beans are a favorite dish I make at Ci Siamo, but this is the same way I cook them at home. Fried rosemary and sage add a little crunch, while a shower of Piave cheese and a drizzle of good olive oil elevates their humbleness. Plus, the oil-cured black olives are fun—they look like beans in the bowl at first glance, but one bite in, and you get a hit of their salty richness. For the best texture, use a mix of white, brown, and black beans since the smaller ones will break down just enough to create a velvety sauce

Chickpea Fritz

# These savoury fritters, rich in plant-based protein and packed with veggies, were born out of a burning desire to get more legumes into our kids’ diets. Coat with breadcrumbs to get them across the line and you will be making these for years to come! Serve them hot or cold, solo, dunked in a dip or tucked into a wrap. They remind us of yummy cafe corn fritters and are a hit with the whole family every time.

All the Crunchies Salad

# This is for the people who love the toppings of the salad more than the lettuce itself. I am her, she is me. Lettuce is great and all, but this baby focuses on all of the crunchies on top. She’s dressed in my beautiful Green Goddess Dressing with alllll the herbs, for a kiss of freshness in each bite. This is a salad that stores well for a day or two, so make a batch and keep it for an easy lunch.

Jerk Seasoning, Sofrito, and Green Seasoning

# “Jerk” refers to both the seasoning, and the style of cooking over pimento wood. Pimento is unique to the region, and Jamaica remains the largest producer, which is why it has become so deeply tied to the island’s culinary identity. The global popularity of jerk cooking has led to the excessive harvesting of pimento wood, significantly reducing its availability. Sofrito: This aromatic mixture is the heart of many traditional Puerto Rican dishes. Use as a base for rice, beans, stews, or marinades to add authentic Puerto Rican flavor. Green seasoning is one of the most important building blocks in Caribbean cooking. Almost every island has its own version, and it is the first layer of flavor in countless dishes. At its heart, it is a blend of fresh herbs, garlic, onions, peppers, and citrus, pounded or blended into a paste. Some cooks lean heavily on culantro (chadon beni), while others use more parsley or thyme, and the balance of heat depends on what peppers are at hand. Green seasoning is more than just a marinade—it’s memory and instinct in a bottle. You season your chicken with it before it ever touches a pot, rub it into fish before frying, stir it into stews, or even fold a spoonful into rice for depth. Every cook has a jar tucked into the fridge, and every family swears by their version. To understand Caribbean food culture is to understand that seasoning begins here.

Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan Sauce

# When I studied abroad in Rome, my curriculum was supposed to be focused on architecture, but the education I actually took home was how good down-to-earth authentic Italian cooking could be. One of the most memorable things I ate that year was asparagus simply topped with grated Parmesan. That’s it! That’s all it needed to be perfect. Since asparagus is one the stars of the spring season, I like quickly roasting until it’s perfectly tender and then spooning on this light spring jacket of a Parmesan sauce. And while I personally only wear a light spring jacket one or two days out of the year, I find this sauce gets worn much more frequently.