Kate | Kate Cooks the Books

Crisp Smashed Potatoes with Fried Onions and Parsley

by Kate | Dec 17, 2017 | Featured, The New York Times

A Sunday afternoon impulse abetted by the presence of leftover baby potatoes on their last legs as well as an abundance of duck fat from the cassoulet soiree. The only ingredient I did not have was parsley and I wish I did because it would have provided much-needed...

Dried Cranberry Shortbread Cookies

by Kate | Dec 11, 2017 | Featured

Do you have a great baker in your office? No? You should probably quit. We have Lynn and she makes many Mondays bearable with the homemade treats she brings us. Recently she made these little melt-in-your mouth gems. So delicious were these cookies that I probably...

Cassoulet

by Kate | Nov 29, 2017 | Featured, The New York Times

Earlier this year, Melissa Clark published The New Essentials of French Cooking in the New York Times and I took it as a personal challenge from Melissa to me. To which I said, out loud in my home, like a boss “game on Melissa. Game on.” And why not start...

Israeli Couscous with Lemon, Mint, Peas, Feta and Pickled Shallots

by Kate | Aug 29, 2017 | Cook's Illustrated magazine, Featured

There’s something about Israeli couscous that I’m infatuated with. I don’t know if it’s the toothsome, pasta-like texture, the neutral palette that makes it the perfect canvas for any ingredient, or the versatility. Perhaps it just reminds me...

Parsley-Cucumber Salad with Feta, Pomegranate and Walnuts

by Kate | Aug 13, 2017 | Featured

I owe parsley a big apology. All these years I relegated it to a mere garnish or, at best, an important cameo player at Passover. Then again, what did parsley expect? I mean, it’s always there, at every store, doesn’t seem to have a...