If you are looking for a cake that you can eat for breakfast, with tea, as a snack or dessert, this is the cake for you. And it also happens to be gluten-free. This lemon polenta cake is moist with olive oil and drenched in lemony syrup. The result is a moist and dense cake, bursting with citrus and with a nutty, toothsome texture, thanks to the polenta and almond meal. It’s also not an overly sweet cake, which may lead you to munch on it all day long. For the record, no one will judge you for that.

The only tricky issue is that this cake actually tastes better the day after baking, once the flavor and texture have been allowed to develop. So the challenge, if you can bear it, is to wrap the cake tightly in plastic and let it stand at room temperature overnight (perhaps out of sight). Of course, it’s highly acceptable to have a nibble or two when it’s right out of the oven. After all, you’re the chef, and it’s always good practice to taste and inspect your results.

This cake keeps well and can last up to four days at room temperature, which really is moot, because it’s also positively addicting, so chances are, once you begin eating it, you won’t be able to stop.

Lemon Almond Polenta Cake

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour and 5 minutes, plus cooling time

Yield: Makes 1 (8- or 9-inch) cake

Cake:

1 1/2 cups almond meal (flour)

1 cup polenta

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon almond extract

Syrup:

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8- or 9-inch spring-form pan and line with parchment.

Combine the almond meal, polenta, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a bowl and whisk to blend.

Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until light in color, about 2 minutes. Mix in the olive oil, lemon juice, zest and almond extract. Add the dry ingredients and mix to combine without over-mixing.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Transfer to the oven and bake until the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. If the cake begins to brown on top before finished baking, loosely cover with foil.

While the cake is baking, prepare the syrup. Combine the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat.

Transfer the cake from the oven to a wire rack. Brush the top with the syrup and cool 10 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan and brush the cake on the sides with the syrup. Cool completely.

Serve as-is or with a dusting of powdered sugar and/or candied lemon peel. To store, wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to four days or freeze for up to one month.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

This dish is no-drama with honest ingredients. During a busy week, its simplicity and flavor are a welcome and uncomplicated interlude. Crisp-tender broccolini spears and plump, briny shrimp mingle in a quick-cooked, three-ingredient tomato sauce infused with garlic. It’s fresh and bright, and can be whipped up in 30 minutes for a healthy weeknight dinner that’s low-maintenance and utterly delicious.

A series of quick steps ensures that each ingredient is perfectly cooked before tossing the whole lot together. The broccolini and shrimp are sauteed with crushed red pepper flakes and olive oil long enough to brighten in color and amplify their flavor, without overcooking and rendering them dull and limp. A simple Italian plum tomato sauce simmers with garlic to blend and thicken before binding the dish. A final flourish of fresh basil is added to the mix, letting the heat of the pasta wilt the leaves and release their perfume.

This short list of ingredients is accessible, straightforward and, well, honest. In return, it demands the best ingredients you can find for optimum flavor and freshness.

Spaghetti With Shrimp, Broccolini and Basil

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

12 ounces broccolini, ends trimmed, cut into bite-size pieces

Crushed red pepper flakes

Salt

1 pound large (20/24) shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails intact

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes with juice

Pinch of sugar, optional

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound spaghetti or linguine

1/2 cup whole basil leaves, torn if large, plus extra for garnish

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccolini, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and lightly season with salt. Saute the broccolini until bright in color and crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to the same skillet. Add the shrimp in one layer with a pinch of red pepper flakes and season with salt. Cook over medium heat until pink on both sides and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer the shrimp to the bowl with the broccolini.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Simmer over medium-low heat until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes, breaking the tomatoes apart with a spoon. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt and/or a pinch of sugar if desired.

While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente. Drain the spaghetti and transfer to the skillet with the sauce. Add the shrimp, broccolini and basil, and stir to combine.

Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with freshly ground black pepper and additional basil leaves.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Here is what I think about risotto: A good risotto should be creamy, but not gummy or soupy. The rice should be tender, with a little give to each bite (al dente). Any accompanying ingredients should be minimal without muddying, and ideally, they should reflect the season. This risotto checks all of those boxes.

It’s firmly planted in spring with a lemony brightness and pucker that cuts through risotto’s inherent richness. Flecks of fresh mint and lemon zest add color and a fragrant whiff of garden-fresh flavor. The finished dish is creamy and elegant without being heavy. You can easily dig into a steaming bowl of this risotto and call it a meal, but it also makes a simple first course or side dish to meat and fish.

When making risotto, there are a few rules to follow for success. For a traditional risotto, you will need to purchase arborio, an Italian rice grain known for its high starch content, which creates a creamy risotto. Be sure to lightly toast the rice grains before adding any liquid. This step creates a protective shell around each grain, which prevents the rice from bursting or becoming soggy while cooking.

And yes, you must continually stir the rice while it cooks. This will prevent the rice from sticking to the pan and burning while cooking, and it will help to release the starch from the rice grains, which develops the risotto’s creaminess. This may sound labor-intensive, but the process should take only 20 to 25 minutes, and it you'll get to take pride of accomplishment in the finished result. It’s also a window of time when the only task at hand is to concentrate on the rhythm of stirring -- which in itself might be considered a simple pleasure -- yielding delicious results.

Lemon Risotto With Mint

Active Time: about 30 minutes

Total Time: about 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

6 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup

2 cups arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup (packed) finely grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped mint leaves, plus more for garnish

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, plus extra for garnish

1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter and the oil in a deep skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook until the rice is well coated and slightly toasted, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the wine and stir until the wine is absorbed, about 1 minute.

Add 1 cup stock and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding the stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until the liquid is absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup, until the rice is al dente and the risotto is creamy. (Depending on the age of the rice, you may not use all of the stock. Older rice requires more liquid to cook.)

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the cheese. Stir in the lemon juice, mint, zest, salt and black pepper, and taste for seasoning.

Serve immediately, garnished with additional mint and lemon zest.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS