Spring has sprung, but Chris isn’t sure spring produce is actually worth the hype. So noted asparagus enthusiast Shilpa Uskokovic joins him to gush about the joys of the season. They’ll also answer listener questions about ramps, managing the first few weeks of CSA season, and more.

Recipes & Links:

Crispy Miso-Butter Fish With Asparagus

Grilled Asparagus with Tahini Super Sauce

Cheesy Green Pea Fritters

Asparagus and Endive Salad with Comté Cream

Cashew Chicken and Asparagus Stir-Fry

Strawberry-Rhubarb Galette with Buckwheat Crust

BA’s Best Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

Our Favorite Recipes for Ramps

Slow-Roasted Salmon with Harissa

Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Parmesan and Herbs

Risotto with Mushrooms and Thyme

Rice Cooker Risotto

Gillian has found herself working from home permanently and finds getting to the grocery store just isn't what it used to be. So, she's turned to Chris and Shilpa to help her stock her pantry and get her out of her weeknight rut.

Recipes featured in the episode:

Jammy Onion and Miso Pasta

Creamy Tahini and Harissa Beef

Hummus Bowls with Merguez-Spiced Tempeh

Janae has been struggling to make the perfect matzo balls for 6 Passovers now. What's worse, even though everything else on Janae's seder table is delicious, her mother-in-law won't let her forget her matzo ball fails. So Janae turns to Chris & Kate Kassin for help making tender, fluffy dumplings that won't fall apart in her soup.

Recipes & Links:
No-Nonsense Matzo Balls
Matzo Ball Soup
An Ode to Matzo Ball Mix
Manischewitz Matzo Ball Mix
Streit's Matzo Ball Mix

Pistachios are Having A Moment. And Shilpa LOVES cake. Enter: the tender, flavorful Pistachio Bundt Cake. Jesse and Shilpa break down why this blender cake (and other nut-based cakes) work and address listener questions, including the one on everyone's mind this month: how to properly grease a bundt pan so your cake comes out in one piece, every time.

Plus! Shilpa and Jesse introduce listeners to Rose Levy Berenbaum, author of the iconic Cake Bible. Rose joins the fearless Bake Club leaders to answer a listener question about egg substitutes—and explain what eggs are actually doing in your favorite baked goods.

Recipes & Links:
Pistachio Bundt Cake
Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
Baker's Joy Spray
Cake Goop
Fran Costigan
The Loopy Whisk
Egg Replacements 

Cait often devotes her weekends to involved kitchen projects that yield restaurant-quality results. But she's looking to bring that feeling into her weeknights, when time is harder to come by. Chris enlists Kendra Vaculin's help to give Cait's weeknight cooking that chefy quality she's been missing.

Recipes & Links:
Meatball Soup with Beef Stew Vibes
Gorgeous Green Shrimp
Everything-Spice Fish with Tomato Salad
Creamy Spinach and Chickpeas

George has heard that quinoa is a high-protein superfood, but he's never been able to cook it right. Chris and Shilpa step up to help answer the question behind his SOS. See, while quinoa is higher-protein than other grains, there are better options when it comes to plant-based protein. So Chris and Shilpa try to get George on board with lentils and tofu—two plant-based protein sources that pack more of a punch.

Recipes & Links:
Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Lentils
Just-Keeps-Getting-Better Lentil Salad
Soy and Scallion Tofu Bowl

Welcome to Back to Basics Week! All week, Chris and his Bon Appétit colleagues are answering listener questions about the fundamentals of cooking, to help level you up as a home cook.

In this final installment, Chris and Shilpa talk about the intangibles of cooking— how to get into the right mindset, manage your time efficiently, and course correct when something goes wrong. They also answer a grab bag of sliiightly more advanced questions to help listeners with everything from salt to the perfect batch of pancakes.

Recipes & Links:
BA's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Lazy Day Pancakes

Welcome to Back to Basics Week! All week, Chris and his Bon Appétit colleagues are answering listener questions about the fundamentals of cooking, to help level you up as a home cook.

Today, Chris and sauce king Jesse Szewczyk stir up a discussion on the wide world of sauces, dressings, glazes, and more. They dive in to aromatics, making the case for the humble shallot, and discuss the art of making pan sauces and delicious finishers with pantry staples. 

Recipes & Links:
The Five Mother Sauces
Make 'Em Sweat (Veggies, That Is)
It's Time to Stop Making These Garlic Common Mistakes and Start Living
How to Make a Pan Sauce
Orange-Wine-Braised Chicken Thighs
Dark and Stormy–Braised Pot Roast
How to Make a Roux for Mac and Cheese, Gumbo, Gravy, and More

Welcome to Back to Basics Week! All week, Chris and his Bon Appétit colleagues are answering listener questions about the fundamentals of cooking, to help level you up as a home cook.

Why is making stovetop rice so dang hard?! Today, Chris and Kendra Vaculin address the world of grains, including how to make the perfect pot of rice and why the package directions might be the reason behind a bad batch. Plus, Kendra makes the case for her favorite quick grain and dissects when it's time to pull out the colander and just cook your grains like pasta.

Recipes & Links:
The Perfect Pot of Rice
There are 40,000 Types of Rice in the World—Here's How to Pick the One You Need
Do You Need to Rinse Your Rice?
Kokuho Rose Rice
21 Typles of Whole Grains and Pseudo Grains and How to Cook Each One
Bulgur is the Whole Grain for Busy People
One-Pot Salmon and Shiitake Rice
Kendra's Crispy Rice Method

Welcome to Back to Basics Week! All week, Chris and his Bon Appétit colleagues are answering listener questions about the fundamentals of cooking, to help level you up as a home cook.

Animal proteins can be the most expensive part of your dish, and that's a lot of pressure. So today, Chris and Amiel Stanek are here to make perfection attainable, from juicy chicken breast to tender steaks and delicate seafood. Grab your meat thermometer and kosher salt; we're diving in!

15 Ways to Make Your Fresh-Off-the-Grill Steak Even Better
How to Roast a Chicken: The Ultimate Recipe, Tips, and More
The Optimal Temperature for Every Part of a Chicken
Thermoworks Thermapop Thermometer
What Is Salsa Verde? 4 Types to Memorize
How to Make Beurre Blanc (Because Everything Tastes Better with Butter)
Chicken Piccata
Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp and Basil Stir-Fry