Low Key Leaning on Herbs

A springy farro salad, Zuni-ish roast chicken, a kinda kuku sabzi with chickpeas, and lemony brown butter shrimp rolls

Everything feels fragrant right now—the lilacs in our yard, the wisteria climbing along our porch, burgers grilling, maybe some coconutty sunscreen now that the sun is actually out. Let’s lean into that and add heady herbs to everything this week. I put suggested amounts in all the recipes, but you can always add more. I know I want food that feels fresh and bright, but as always, not too time consuming or precious.

Also, I really love feedback—did it help to have the pictures all in one grid? Anything else you think could make this substack even more user-friendly?

Make Ahead: Springy Farro Salad

I wrote a cookbook in 2017 called Vegetables on Fire. It focused on putting grilled vegetables at the center of the plate, rather than as an afterthought or sad side dish. This springy farro salad was one of my favorite recipes from the book. It’s super customizeable, and while the recipe calls for grilling the asparagus, green beans, and snap peas, you could just as easily roast them in the oven. The thing that makes this salad so satisfying is the combo of cooked and raw vegetables. It’s great for dinner, the leftovers make excellent lunches, it’s perfect for a potluck, and it’s also a great gift for someone who just had a baby or needs love by way of a dropped off meal.