Carla Lalli Music
Contributor
Carla Lalli Music is the author of Where Cooking Begins and food editor at large at Bon Appétit. In that role, she contributes regularly across all platforms: She hosts the video series Back to Back chef on Bon Appétit’s YouTube channel, as well as appearing in many other videos. She writes a column for the print magazine and sends out a bi-monthly newsletter, writes and develops recipes for BA’s websites—bonappetit.com, Basically, and Healthyish—and is a frequent voice on the Bon Appétit foodcast. Carla was previously the food director at Bon Appétit, where she oversaw the test kitchen and all of the food and recipe content for the brand. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two sons, and is currently working on her next cookbook. Find her on Instagram and Twitter @lallimusic.
Chicken with Crispy Rice
Cook steamed rice “just a little too long,” add a little rendered chicken fat, and watch as the bottom develops a satisfyingly crunchy texture.
Spaghetti with Lots of Kale
You will think this pasta recipe calls for an absurd amount of kale, but it will shrink a ton when cooked.
Clams in White Bean Sauce
Any type of medium white beans work for this one-pot dinner. Just make sure to enjoy it with a side of country-style bread for soaking up the lemony, herb-packed sauce.
Curried Yellow Split Pea Soup with Spiced Coconut
Top this Madras curry–perfumed soup with earthy-sweet spiced coconut chips for a warming vegetarian dinner.
Omelet With Bacon, Mushrooms, and Ricotta
Don’t sweat rolling this into a perfect omelet; just top the cooked eggs with mushrooms and ricotta, and fold like a taco.
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio With Lots of Kale
You will think this pasta recipe calls for an absurd amount of kale, but it will shrink a ton when cooked.
Quick 5-Ingredient Tomato Sauce
You don’t need hours to simmer tomato sauce. This recipe shows you how to make an excellent one in 30 minutes, with 5 ingredients, in 1 pan, with very little effort.
Carla's Tomato Soup
Make any modifications that suit you and the preferences of your eaters: Onions in place of shallots; carrots for fennel; add garlic; omit the cayenne; a splash of cream instead of butter, as you wish.
Perfect Coddled Egg
Just when we thought there were no new ways to cook an egg, along came these adorable little vessels that yield soft-boiled meals in a cup.
T.H.Ghee
To bake or cook with the finished ghee, figure ½ tsp. infused butter per portion (e.g., make 24 cookies from 2 oz. butter). Wait at least one hour after eating before having more—it can easily take that long for the effects to be felt, and you don’t want to overdo it.
BA's Best Masala Chai
This chai is definitively ginger-forward. Feel free to add a little more maple syrup if you like it on the sweeter side. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.
Almond, Kale, and Banana Smoothie
Dates and bananas naturally sweeten this wholesome breakfast smoothie.
Snap Peas and Green Beans with Arugula-Mint Pesto
When not using this pesto to dress this very green salad, you could schmear it on just about any sandwich, or stir it into scrambled eggs.
Ranch Burger
This decadent, delicious burger, featuring a 6-ounce patty, clothbound cheddar cheese, and the requisite "special sauce," comes from Ralph Lauren's restaurant (yes, that Ralph Lauren) in Chicago.
Iceberg Wedges with Grilled Bacon and Croutons
Who doesn't love a wedge? Ask your butcher to cut slab bacon into thick slices (about 1/4") to yield nice meaty pieces once they're crisped on the grill.
Nana's Brownies
These deep, dark brownies, a Lauren family favorite, are from Ricky Lauren's The Hamptons: Food, Family, and History.
Potato Salad with 7-Minute Eggs and Mustard Vinaigrette
Egg salad and potato salad: Unite! We like how the still-soft yolks dress the salad, but you can cook the eggs a minute or two longer if you like them more set.
Sweet-and-Spicy Ribs
These meaty ribs are purposely precooked until very tender but not yet falling off the bone so they don't shred when it's time to grill them.
Cucumber and Charred Onion Salad
Somewhere between a condiment and a side; this would be great spooned right onto a burger.
Pressure-Cooker Gigante Beans in Tomato Sauce
Gigante beans are our favorites, but almost any bean will be delicious this way. Smaller white beans, like cannellini, will cook more quickly.