Vegetarian

Making a single-crust pie is a natural next step after a free-form galette (page 22). Here, the filling—a custard of pumpkin purée, eggs, and evaporated milk—is quickly mixed by hand in one bowl. The pie’s simple construction offers an excellent opportunity to experiment with embellished edges, such as a wreath of autumn leaves (pictured), made with a one-inch leaf cutter, or a wheatlike braid (pictured on page 325; you will need one whole recipe pâte brisée for the shell plus the braid). The key to a great pumpkin pie is to partially bake the crust—called blind baking—before adding the filling. The twice-baked crust stays firm and crisp beneath the creamy custard.

A fresh-baked fruit galette is proof that you don’t need specialty equipment—or even a pie plate—to successfully bake a beautiful dessert from scratch. Here, sliced plums are arranged on an irregular round base of pâte brisée (ground almonds are sprinkled over the crust first). The dough is then simply folded over the filling to make a rough border. There’s no crimping or embellishment required; the unfinished edge is a big part of the appeal.

Home cooks in the South take great pride in their pecan pies, but the Thanksgiving classic is well loved in all corners of the United States. Sometimes it’s flavored with bourbon (add two tablespoons to the egg mixture in step 2) or chocolate (stir in half a cup of coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate along with the pecans in the same step). Cream cheese gives this crust a slightly tangy flavor. A fluted edge, made by shaping the dough with your knuckles or fingertips, is both decorative and practical—it helps anchor the crust to the pie plate, preventing it from shrinking or sliding as it bakes.

Making a pie, or in this case a tart, can be remarkably simple—as easy as baking a batch of cookies, in fact. Pâte sablée is essentially a cookie dough. Here it’s pressed into a springform pan before baking. In this recipe, cornmeal stands in for some of the flour; its flavor works well with summer fruits, but if you don’t have it, you can certainly use all flour. To make the filling, toss fresh fruit with sugar, add it to the partially baked tart shell, then finish baking. Peaches and berries are pictured, but if you have apricots or cherries on hand, feel free to use them instead; this low-key recipe takes kindly to improvisation.

This is far and away the most popular salad at the Shop, where we serve a handful to accompany every sandwich. We prefer Fuji apples because they are crisp and acidic and balance the peppery arugula and sweet apple cider dressing. In most of the restaurants we’ve worked in, chives are used as a garnish and rarely as an ingredient, but their mild, oniony flavor is absolutely key in this salad. In a pinch, scallions can be used in place of the chives.

In addition to using this as a dressing for salads, try it as a marinade for grilled meat. This vinaigrette will keep in the fridge for up to three weeks.

While these tomatoes are especially delicious in this salad, make a double batch so you can toss them with roasted veggies, steamed green beans, or sautéed spinach, or spread them as a condiment on your next sandwich. These can be made ahead and kept tightly covered in the fridge for up to one week.

When it’s summer, especially in August, when the zucchini, corn, and tomatoes are at their peak, we love to fire up the grill for this salad any chance we get. This is a great recipe for entertaining because you can make it ahead, which means you have more time to hang out with your guests.

This salad is all about contrasts. The grapefruit adds a slightly tart punch to the creamy avocado, and the herbs add flavor and texture. This salad comes together in a flash because there’s no separate dressing—just a squeeze of lemon and a splash of olive oil.

Another addictive antipasto dish—the smoky grilled flavor here is a bright note with the marinade. This is best served at room temperature, so plan on making it in advance. Eggplant is extremely absorbent—don’t worry if it soaks up all of the olive oil. The oil provides plenty of flavor and helps prevent the eggplants from burning over the open flame.

To us, corn and ripe tomatoes are the very definition of summer. We never cook corn or serve tomatoes in their off-season, so when summer rolls around, we get really excited and include them in nearly every meal. Don’t be afraid to burn the corn and scallions a little here. The charred flavor mixes well with the lime juice and will help to balance the extreme sweetness of the ripe corn.

This is a refreshing salad that gets a kick from garlic croutons and a creamy tang from the yogurt vinaigrette. It’s a simple Mediterranean classic that you will find served all along the coast from North Africa to Spain in the summer months, and is a great companion to The Greek balls (page 10).

Asparagus stands up well to being roasted at high heat or on the grill. Extreme heat helps caramelize the veggie and bring out its sweetness. The asparagus is meant to be served al dente—please don’t overcook it, as a little toothsome bite is welcome here. Make sure you use whole-grain mustard for its great texture.

Marinated peppers paired with potatoes is another star addition to an antipasto platter, and is equally brilliant served alongside The Spaniard (page 14). This dish will hold for up to three days in the refrigerator and tends to taste better when the potatoes have time to absorb the marinade. If you do prepare it in advance, make sure you bring it up to room temperature before serving.

Marinated button mushrooms are typically included in an antipasto platter, but they make a great solo starter too. Use your favorite combination of wild or domestic mushrooms and, for a heartier dish, try swapping the white wine for red. These mushrooms will last for up to a week in the refrigerator.

While braising may be a favorite cold weather cooking technique, we often braise with spring and summer vegetables. We tend to prefer most braised greens fully cooked, so don’t be afraid to overblanch these greens. The key to this dish is taking the time to cook the chard with the pesto so that the greens absorb all of the flavor. We like to pair this with Bunny Balls (page 50).

This jewel of a salad is the prettiest way to welcome in the cooler months. We use the firm fuyu persimmons, which have a crunch similar to that of apples. The pomegranate seeds add a gorgeous touch and a resounding sweet and tart pop of flavor.

This vinaigrette is fabulous spooned over roasted veggies and grilled eggplant.