Jim Manning and I attended Ole Miss at the same time, but never met. It wasn’t until later that we crossed paths working for Houston’s Acute Catering and discovered that I’d briefly dated one of his roommates. Jim now heads his own business, Jim Manning Catered Affairs, and is one of Houston’s top caterers. This recipe is a lot of work, but it’s elegant and serves a huge crowd, and most of the labor can be done in advance. It’s a great option if you’re hosting a large-scale event. Otherwise, the recipe can be cut in half or even in quarters.
This flexible recipe is all you need to bring this iconic Provençal seafood stew to your table.
A savory-hot salsa made with mixed nuts (like the kind dubbed cocktail nuts meant for snacking) gives roast salmon a kaleidoscope of textures and flavors.
This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.
Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.
Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
This one-pot dinner cooks chicken thighs directly on top of a bed of flavorful cilantro rice studded with black beans for a complete dinner.