Becky Krystal, a 2005 UVA alumna, is the Washington Post’s new recipes editor. She’s got a tasty take on Caprese salad. (Illustration by John DiJulio, University Communications)
A summery Caprese salad, spinach pesto and a delicious take on sticky, sweet and spicy orange chicken are just a few of Becky Krystal’s mouthwatering creations.
This spring, the 2005 University of Virginia graduate was named the recipes editor for the Washington Post.
An English major, Krystal spent most of her undergraduate years at UVA writing for the Cavalier Daily. She’s also fond of science and food, creating a pretzel-like trifecta of skills that made her new job seem predestined.
The work requires curiosity and good people skills. Also, “You have to be detail-oriented, because goodness knows recipes are all about the details,” she said.
“What I love about recipes and baking is that there is so much science and detail to it,” she said enthusiastically. “I mean, it’s a formula, right?” If you follow the directions, you know what the end result will be.”
Krystal can be found in the Washington Post’s test kitchen on 1301 K Street Northwest, creating and testing recipes most days, when she’s not responding to readers’ real-time questions on the paper’s live food chat.
This time of year, home cooks are looking for lighter, warm-weather food that doesn’t require a hot oven. One tasty answer is her take on a Caprese salad.
Krystal said her love of food, writing and science are coming in handy in her new job. (Contributed photo)
“A simple Caprese salad made with the best in-season summer tomatoes and good mozzarella is a thing of beauty,” Krystal wrote in the Post. “Just a few ingredients – and a few minutes – gets you this Italian classic.”
She layers the juicy summer fruit with fresh basil, generous pinches of room-temperature buffalo or cow’s milk mozzarella, cracked black pepper, flecks of sea salt and a drizzle of fine olive oil.
The mother of a first-grader, Krystal is also all about easy meals that sometimes pack a sneaky nutritional punch. Enter her family-friendly spinach pesto.
Loaded with potassium and vitamin A, baby spinach “breaks down to almost nothing, volume-wise, when run through the food processor," Krystal said. After testing her concoctions, she settled on a two-to-one ratio of the leafy vegetable and basil that was a winner in her house.
Air fryer recipes are also popular with her readers, so Krystal always homes in on those.
“Sometimes I think in my head; ‘Ooh, I just had this idea for a dish, and I really want to make it,” she said.
Krystal keeps notes as she refines her recipes. (Contributed photo)
One of those things is orange chicken, a shopping mall food court and carryout staple. Looking for a healthier version, she created her popular air fryer orange tofu.
Once Krystal nailed crisping the soy-based cubes to perfection, she set about making the sauce. It needed to be sticky, sweet and a little spicy. After trial and error, she settled on the ideal blend.
“So, there’s honey,” she detailed. “I want the orange flavor, right? Because that’s the predominant flavor. Let me try orange zest and juice. That’s great,” she went on. “Spicy? OK, red pepper flakes. But there’s a little tartness. So, I put a little vinegar and salt.”
Flavor and science.
The result, readers say, is a highly rated, mouth-puckering delight.
Krystal said eggs and beans will take you far. Both are loaded with protein. “Honestly, frozen vegetables are great because you can throw them into fried rice and you can make soup,” she added.
What does her family eat in a pinch? “Quesadillas,” she said, especially during the pandemic. “My son eats them way more than I do, but when we’re like, ‘What are we going to eat?’ (And) if I don’t have any other plans, I will make a batch of beans in the Instant Pot” and serve bean and cheese quesadillas.
University News Senior Associate Office of University Communications
jak4g@virginia.edu (434) 243-9935
July 2, 2024
