Diana Yen's Firepit Feasts
And, two recipes for the long weekend
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Ciao, ciao! I’m just back from a whirlwind trip (my last before we head to Nova Scotia!) from the big city. I went down to celebrate Tory Burch’s latest collaboration with Bon Bon, a Swedish candy brand. There was caviar, Swedish hot dogs and of course lots of candy. Cute shoes too! My friend
was in tow and afterwards we popped by a dinner to celebrate the launch of UK jewelry designer Alex Monroe’s Wild Botany spring collection. I am now home in sweatpants writing to you horizontally and it will take me two days to recover. I can’t hang like I used to!Next week’s newsletter will be my Double Take column with
. Like last time, we’re planning to go live at 9 am to chat about our recipes. More soon on that, but in the meantime AND just in time for the holiday weekend, I’m so pleased to introduce two recipes from my friend, the ever-creative, Diana Yen. Diana is based in Ojai, CA and is always sharing beautiful cooking videos from somewhere outdoors and inspirational. Her new, cookbook Firepit Feasts came out last week and focuses on cooking over live fire. In addition to writing the book, she also styled and shot it. Incredibly impressive. It’s perfect for summer and grilling season, which despite the rainy, cold weather here in the northeast, should actually be upon us. Diana was kind enough to share two recipes with me so I could share them with you.“Firepits are fantastic for cooking because they give dishes that extra depth of flavor and transform simple gatherings into culinary adventures for everyone to enjoy,” says Diana.
Take a peek below for the recipes and don’t forget to grab your copy of Firepit Feast wherever books are sold!
Excerpted from Firepit Feast by Diana Yen (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2025. Photographs by Diana Yen and Dylan Gordon.
TAHINI CAESAR SALAD WITH CRAGGY ZA’ATAR CROUTONS
Here’s a twist on the classic Caesar salad with a smoky touch. Romaine holds up well on the grill, coming out caramelized and charred on the edges. A creamy tahini dressing is easy to make—no eggs or anchovies needed. Finish off your salad with crunchy za’atar-spiced croutons.
SERVES 4
½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan
¼ cup (60 ml) extra- virgin olive oil
¼ cup (60 g) tahini, stirred smooth
¼ cup (60 ml) water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon plain yogurt
1 garlic clove, finely grated
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Neutral oil (such as canola or avocado oil), for brushing
1 thick slice country bread
2 heads romaine lettuce, washed and dried, cut lengthwise into halves
1 teaspoon za’atar spice
In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup (25 g) of the Parmesan, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the tahini, water, lemon juice, yogurt, and garlic. Continue mixing until smooth. Season with a big pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
Prepare a fire for medium- high heat, set a grate over it, and brush the grate with neutral oil.
Place the bread and romaine halves on a sheet pan. Put 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, a pinch of salt, and the za’atar spice in a small bowl and stir to combine. Brush the bread on both sides with the za’atar mixture. Brush the romaine halves with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt.
Grill the romaine for 3 minutes, cut side down, pressing with your tongs to give it a nice char. Flip over and grill for another 2 minutes. Grill the bread until golden brown and crisp on the outside, 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Set aside to cool. Transfer the romaine to a cutting board. Let cool slightly, then chop into 2- inch (5 cm) pieces, discarding the tough ends. Place in a salad bowl.
Tear the bread into craggy croutons. Using your hands, toss the romaine with just enough tahini dressing to coat, then top it with the remaining ¼ cup (25 g) Parmesan and the croutons. Any leftover dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Excerpted from Firepit Feast by Diana Yen (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2025. Photographs by Diana Yen and Dylan Gordon.
GRILLED CHEESE SKEWERS WITH SPICY SPINACH-YOGURT SAUCE
Inspired by Indian saag paneer, this appetizer is made for outdoor grilling. Chunks of cheese are skewered and grilled until golden brown and gooey inside. These skewers are served over a spiced spinach-yogurt sauce, perfect for dipping with Grilled Sesame Flatbread (page 70). Experiment with cheeses that can endure high heat like halloumi, queso panela, or bread cheese.
MAKES 10 SKEWERS
1 cup (200 g) thawed and drained frozen chopped spinach, tightly packed
2 garlic cloves
One 1- inch (2.5 cm) piece ginger, peeled
½ green serrano chile, halved and seeded
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
Juice of ½ lemon
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon (75 ml) extra- virgin olive oil
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1½ teaspoons garam masala
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Neutral oil (such as canola or avocado oil), for brushing
12 ounces (340 g) paneer cheese (or other grilling cheese), patted dry, cut into 1- inch (2.5 cm) strips
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
12- inch (30 cm) metal skewers, or bamboo skewers soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
Place the spinach, garlic, ginger, chile, water, yogurt, lemon juice, the 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil, ½ teaspoon of the cumin, ½ teaspoon of the garam masala, and the salt in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth but slightly chunky. Set aside until ready to serve, or make ahead and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Prepare a fire for medium- high heat (see page 20), set a grate over it, and brush the grate with neutral oil.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil with the remaining 1 teaspoon cumin and 1 teaspoon garam masala. Thread the cheese pieces on the skewers and place on a sheet pan. Brush the cheese on all sides with the spiced oil to coat. Sprinkle with salt to season (if using a saltier cheese, skip this step).
Cook the skewers, rotating them every few minutes, until evenly browned and slightly charred in places, 3 to 5 minutes total. Place them back on the sheet pan, brushing the skewers with the leftover spiced oil.
Spoon the spinach sauce over the bottom of a serving platter and top with the warm cheese skewers. Serve immediately.
Have a beautiful long weekend and I’ll see you soon. Let me know if you fire up the grill!
With love,
Colu x
YUM. This Caesar salad has my name all over it. Signed, still recovering 🫠
I love Diana's work and style so much! Such a great letter this week 🤍