Cooking from Alison Roman: Nothing Fancy & Dining In
How Cookbook Club works
There may be no better way to really get to know a cookbook than to cook from it together.
For this dinner, we chose dishes from two Alison Roman favorites, Nothing Fancy and Dining In. Everyone took a recipe, brought it to the table, and by the end of the night we had worked our way through some incredible dishes. Some dishes disappeared faster than others. A few immediately earned a place on the make-again list. And together, they made a convincing case for why Alison Roman's books are particularly good for this kind of dinner: the recipes are generous, unfussy, and meant to be shared.
Here's what we made—and what we'd return to.
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The Menu
Spicy Pork Meatballs in
Broth with Tomatoes and
Toasted Fennel
This was the opener, and it set the tone for everything that followed. The meatballs were juicy and a little punchy, swimming in a light, fragrant broth brightened with tomato. The toasted fennel was the detail that made it: warm, slightly sweet, utterly savory.
Little Greens with Garlicky Lemon and Pistachio
Every table needs something bright to cut through the richer dishes. This was it. Garlicky, deeply lemony, with just the right amount of crunch from the pistachios.
Note: We substituted the pistachio for slivered almonds. It was the perfect choice for the right crunch.
Coconut Milk Braised Chicken with Chickpeas and Lime
If there was a centerpiece, this was it. Creamy braising liquid, chickpeas that had soaked up the coconut and spice, and chicken falling off the bone. The lime did something important: it lifted all that richness at the last moment so the dish never felt heavy. Extra cilantro and lime on the table were a must.
Roasted Squash with Yogurt, Spiced Butter, and Pistachios + Bread
This is the kind of vegetable dish that makes meat feel optional. Roasted squash over cool yogurt, finished with spiced butter and pistachios for crunch.
There was bread on the table for good reason. No one wanted to leave any of it behind.
Deep Dish Honey Apple Galette
Rustic in the best possible way. Buttery pastry folded around caramelized apples, with honey lending a subtle floral note. When the galette finally arrived, the table went quiet. Not out of politeness, but because it was that good.
Cooking from Alison Roman
What makes these books work for a dinner like this is that Roman trusts the cook. Her recipes leave room for instinct. Each dish arrived slightly different from the one on the page, and the table was better for it.
She writes the way a good friend gives directions—confidently, with the expectation that you'll find your way.
If you're thinking about starting a cookbook club, Alison Roman is a very good place to begin. The food is generous, unfussy, and made for passing around a table.
✦ Recipes featured from Alison Roman's Nothing Fancy and Dining In, published by Clarkson Potter.
What's next?
The next book is still being decided. Have one that's made for cooking together? Send it our way at hello@maisonlumiel.com.
