August 22
Tomato-eggs for breakfast and dinner
Around this time of year, my body is about 80% tomato with foods like BLTs, pastas, and salads. My latest obsession is a meal I’ve made every day for the past four days, and I’m still craving more. It’s the tomato-egg stir-fry from former Bon Appétit staffer Karen Yuan. I combine this recipe with one I found on TikTok from creator Cassie Yeung, which uses a glug of oyster sauce, white pepper, and sesame oil. The last time I did this, I added a little pinch of MSG which delivered a bold, umami flavor. It’s great for breakfast, but it’s also a lovely dinner that I can throw together quickly right after getting home. —Urmila Ramakrishnan, associate director of social media
Pork dinakdakan
I’ve been on a real pork belly kick lately. More often than not, I tackle it thinly sliced for convenience—tossed in a kimchi hotpot, or wok-fried with fresh garlic scapes. I wouldn’t normally incorporate a whole block of pork belly into weeknight dinner, but the approachability of Hawaiian chef Sheldon Simeon’s spin on dinakdakan drew my attention. I was craving the Filipino vinegary-chili profile this dish offered, and I already had most of the listed ingredients on hand—no pig head needed, though I am a lover of cartilaginous-crunchy. I opted to throw in some tiger-skin peppers alongside the shishito for an added hit of spice, and wilted the onions a touch before mixing. Topped with cilantro for freshness and served with jasmine rice, this crispy yet tender pork got bodied in minutes. —Ingu Chen, art director
Braise tender pork belly in soy and vinegar, then grill with shishito peppers and toss with ginger and a tangy dressing for bold, savory Filipino dinakdakan.
Grilled brownies
I’m always happier cooking outside. Live fire, charcoal, gas—you name it, I’m into it. I love the direct contact with heat, the finesse required to tame the flames, and the way food transforms when grilled or smoked. This past Sunday, I made my go-to salmon that I’ve been working to perfect on the grill (and I’ll report, I nailed it). But my stellar salmon wasn’t the star. How could it be when grilled brownies were also on the menu? I must confess, these weren’t from-scratch grilled brownies. (I have an 18-month-old, and it was rainy, so I used a Ghiradelli box mix.) If you find the brand’s Double Chocolate box too sweet, try the dark chocolate version. One bowl, an egg, a splash of water, and a ¼ cup of avocado oil later, and my brownie batter was in a parchment-lined foil pan and baking in indirect heat on my gas grill. Life is grand. —Hali Bey Ramdene, content director
Cold noodles with grated tomato
Once word gets around how delicious the combination of grated summer tomato and peanut butter is, PB&J will no longer be the ultimate couple. This technique comes from these cold noodles; the sauce combines grated beefsteaks with peanut butter, soy sauce, chili crisp, and vinegar (though I like to swap in a little lime juice). From there I just boil whatever noodles I’ve got on hand, then chill them under cold running water and toss, toss, toss. If you want to bulk up your noodles, nestle in some leftover grilled salmon or shredded rotisserie chicken. I added some smashed cucumbers, plus crunchy store-bought fried onions, fresh scallions, and a soft-boiled egg. —Joe Sevier, senior editor, cooking and SEO
Cold Noodles With Tomatoes and Peanut Sauce
Spicy, slurpy noodles meet summer’s sweet tomatoes.
