Cooking in Real Life with Lidey Heuck

Plus her recipe for Slow-Roasted Salmon with Lemony Leeks & Asparagus

Mar 06, 2024

My friend Lidey’s debut cookbook Cooking in Real Life comes out this coming Tuesday, March 12 and I am so thrilled for her and for all of you, because you should order one now. It’s a keeper. Lidey and I were set up on a friend date five years ago and I was immediately charmed by her warmth, affability and no-nonsense outlook on life. These qualities also spill on to the pages of her new book, where you’ll find her recipes are unfussy, creative and doable.

Lidey’s first job out of college was working with Ina Garten where she learned the ropes of recipe development, recipe testing and much more. A very good place to start. She also interned with Erin French at the Lost Kitchen in Maine. Lidey has developed numerous recipes for NYT Cooking and she also contributed a dessert recipe to my last book for an Upside Down Apple Cake, which is fantastic.

Before she sets off on her book tour next week, I was able to grab her for a fun Q&A and she shared a recipe for Slow-Roasted Salmon with Lemony Leeks & Asparagus, which appears in the book and is perfect for a weeknight or a weekend. I’d serve it with pearled couscous or rice and sip a glass of rosé. Spring is in sight and this recipe gets you more than halfway there.

Enjoy!

A Q&A with Cookbook Author Lidey Heuck

What is the philosophy behind your new debut (!) book Cooking In Real Life and what do you want people to take away? I wanted to write a book that gives people the tools to fit cooking and hosting into their busy lives. The recipes in this book are meant to be realistic, simple and straight-forward but also inspired enough to share with family and friends. For me, Cooking in Real Life is about finding that delicious middle ground where joy and practicality meet in the kitchen.

If you could describe your cooking style in three to five words, what would they be?Approachable. Comforting. Veggie-forward. Playful.

What are the top five kitchen tools you can’t live without?

A 6-inch chef’s knife
Quarter sheet pans
An oven thermometer!
Tiny bowls of salt everywhere
My aesthetically pleasing drying rack

What are some items can we always find in your fridge and/or pantry?

An enormous jar of Dijon mustard
Wyman’s frozen blueberries
A jar of Hawthorne Valley sauerkraut
A nice piece of soft, creamy cheese, like Harbison from Jasper Hill Farm
A box of chocolate chip cookies of some kind
A bundle of fresh herbs that are on their way out

Favorite thing to do when you’re out of the kitchen? I love going for non-strenuous nature walks, exploring new towns in the Hudson Valley and settling down in a cozy restaurant for a glass of wine and some snacks with friends.

Excerpted from COOKING IN REAL LIFE: Delicious & Doable Recipes for Every Day. Copyright @ 2024 by Lidey Heuck. Photography Copyright © 2024 by Dane Tashima. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, and imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.

Slow-Roasted Salmon with Lemony Leeks & Asparagus

By Lidey Heuck

Serves 6

Time 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 medium leeks, dark green leaves trimmed

1 lemon, very thinly sliced

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2-pound salmon filet, skin removed

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces

Flaky sea salt, for serving Fresh dill, for serving

Grated lemon zest, for serving

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. Thinly slice the leek crosswise into ¼ -inch-thick rounds. Place the leeks in a large bowl of water, swish them around to loosen any grit, then lift them out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander to drain. Pat the leeks dry with a clean kitchen towel and spread them out on a sheet pan.

3. Add the lemon slices to the sheet pan. Drizzle the leek and lemon with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

4. Transfer to the oven and roast until the leeks are tender and lightly caramelized, about 30 minutes, tossing twice throughout.

5. Meanwhile, pat the salmon dry and set aside at room temperature.

6. Add the asparagus to the sheet pan along with another 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Toss well, then push the vegetables to the edges of the pan to create space for the salmon. Place the salmon on the pan, rub all over with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.

7. Return to the oven and roast until the salmon registers 120 to 125°F on an instant-read thermometer and flakes easily with a fork, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the filet. (Because the salmon is cooked so gently in this method, it may still look slightly translucent on top—that’s okay!)

8. Transfer the salmon and vegetables to a platter, arranging the vegetables around the fish. Sprinkle the salmon with flaky salt, dill, and lemon zest. Serve warm or at room temperature.