Tag Archives: weeknight

Orange Beef

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Many years ago when we were first dating, there was this local Chinese restaurant that had a wonderful Orange Beef on their menu. Once they closed down, we never found another satisfactory restaurant nearby with a version that quite measured up. Recently we saw this home cook’s recipe in the NYTimes Cooking by Sam Sifton that certainly looked fantastic, and tasted phenomenal.

This recipe for takeout-style orange beef, has a more intense orange-flavored sauce than many. It is important to use very good steak, and cook it fast, so that below the lovely crust of its egg-white-and-cornstarch batter, the meat remains rare and luscious.

And make it a few times because what appears difficult, and a lot of prep, the first time through — the coating of the beef, the making of the sauce, the stir-frying of the aromatics, the stir-frying of the beef — is in fact, fast and easy work, and much, much better than takeout.

As suggested, we served with steamed broccoli and white rice. But there is no way that you get 4 decent servings* out of it—between 2 and 3 is more realistic. Based on some reviewer’s comments on the longish prep time, go ahead and make the sauce the night before while cooking something else, then throw it in the fridge. This will certainly expedite the prep time.

One suggestion: *Throw in some veggies and cook them for 3-5 min in a hot wok/sauté pan. Some examples are snap peas, red and yellow peppers and some mushrooms. It would be a more balanced and substantial meal.

Orange Beef

  • Servings: 2-3
  • Difficulty: moderately easy
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Ingredients

For the Sauce

  • 1 Tbsp. neutral oil
  • 1 1½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
  • 2 Tbsp. orange zest, plus the juice of one orange
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar (do not use seasoned rice vinegar)
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. fish sauce

For the Beef

  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1 pinch kosher salt
  • 1 boneless rib-eye steak, approximately 1 to 1½ lbs, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • ¼ cup neutral oil
  • 6 scallions, white and green parts cut into inchlong pieces and separated
  • 2 to 4 dried red chiles, or to taste

Directions

  1. Make the sauce: Heat oil in a small sauce pan set over medium-high heat. When it begins to shimmer, add ginger, jalapeño and orange zest and stir to combine. Sauté mixture until ingredients soften, approximately 2 to 3 minutes, then add garlic and continue cooking until it softens, approximately 1 to 2 minutes longer.
  2. Add orange juice, brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce and fish sauce to pan and stir to combine. Allow mixture to come to a boil, then lower the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and reduces by half, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare the meat: Combine egg white, cornstarch and salt in a bowl. Add steak, tossing to coat the meat with the batter.
  4. In a large skillet or wok set over high heat, heat oil until it shimmers and is about to smoke. Add beef to the pan or wok in a single layer and cook without stirring until the bottoms of the pieces are crisp and golden, approximately 60 to 90 seconds. Add white pieces of scallion and chiles to the pan, then turn the beef pieces over and cook the other sides, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes more for medium-rare. Transfer to a platter.
  5. Pour orange sauce into the hot pan or wok, let it boil and stir it as it thickens. Add meat and white scallions and stir to coat with the sauce. Return meat and sauce to the platter and scatter green scallions over the top. Serve with steamed broccoli and white rice.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Sam Sifton for the NYTimes Cooking

Sheet-Pan Sausages and Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard

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This hearty pan of sticky, honey mustard-glazed sausages, Brussels sprouts and potatoes only adds to the argument that sheet-pan dinners make the best weeknight meals. As the sausages roast, they yield a delicious fat that coats and seasons the caramelized vegetables. Use any fresh sausage you like, as long as it pairs well with the honey mustard. Feel free to substitute or add other vegetables like red onion, squash, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, carrots or cabbage. The mustard seeds and nuts provide texture and crunch, but leave them out if you prefer.

Our potatoes may look charred in the photo, but they were actually baby purple spuds that hold their deep coloring all the way through. As mentioned, you can substitute, or add vegetables that appeal to your own preferences.

As many other reviewers noted, they would double the honey mustard mix to fully coat all of the ingredients. We agree. An increase by half to 1 1/2 pounds of sausage could be beneficial especially for those meat-centric foodies. We also served additional Dijon mustard on the side.

Sheet-Pan Sausages and Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb. fresh sausage, such as sweet or hot Italian, or bratwurst
  • 1 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
  • 1 lb. small potatoes, like baby Yukon gold, purple or red potatoes, halved
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 4 tsp. honey
  • 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard seeds (optional)
  • ¼ cup almonds or walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 450 degrees, and place a sheet pan in the oven. Score the sausages in a few places on both sides, making sure not to cut all the way through. Transfer to a large bowl with the brussels sprouts, potatoes and 2 tablespoons olive oil, and stir until coated. (If the mixture seems dry, add a little more oil.) Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Spread the mixture in an even layer on the heated baking sheet, and arrange the vegetables cut-sides down. Roast 15 minutes, until the brussels sprouts and potatoes start to soften. (The sausages will not be cooked through yet.)
  3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the honey, mustard and mustard seeds, if using.
  4. Drizzle the honey mustard over the sausages and vegetables, and toss or shake to coat. Flip the sausages. Sprinkle with almonds, if using. Roast until the sausages are cooked through and the vegetables are golden and tender, another 10 minutes or so. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Ali Slagle for NYTimes Cooking

Chicken Scarpariello

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With fast-cooking boneless chicken thighs and sweet-spicy jarred Peppadews, this version of the Italian-American classic is ready in just 45 minutes. And as one reviewer exclaimed, we might just have to call this “Marry Me Again” chicken. It is superb!

Chicken scarpariello means “shoemaker’s chicken,” but the story behind its name isn’t well documented. Most sources agree that it’s an entirely Italian-American construct; some claim it originated in Sicily and Calabria. Given this dish’s vague historical background, it’s no wonder that chicken scarpariello recipes vary quite a bit.

White wine, potatoes, and either sweet and/or hot Italian sausage pop up in some renditions of this recipe but not others. Many include pickled peppers, though some use fresh or a combination of the two. Lemon juice is a popular addition, but white wine vinegar sometimes makes an appearance instead. Comparatively speaking, this chicken scapariello recipe keeps things basic with a relatively short ingredient list. If you’ve never had the dish before, this quick take is a terrific one to start with.

Of course, using a homemade chicken stock adds oodles of flavor on its own. For additional ingredients consider artichoke hearts, or dry vermouth or white wine in place of some of the chicken broth. Serve with crusty bread, or as we did, served over a bed of Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (Garlic Paste). Fantastic!

Chicken Scarpariello

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 8 small skinless, boneless chicken thighs (2 lbs.)
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • All-purpose flour, for dusting
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 8 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise and lightly smashed
  • 4 large rosemary sprigs, broken into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 cup chicken stock/broth, preferably homemade
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 
  • 1/2 cup Peppadew peppers or other pickled peppers, sliced

Directions

  1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dust with flour. In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook over high heat, turning once, until browned and crusty on both sides, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for 3 minutes, until the garlic is lightly browned. Transfer the chicken to a platter, leaving the rosemary and garlic in the skillet.
  3. Add the stock to the skillet and cook over high heat, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the lemon juice and butter and swirl until emulsified. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet.
  5. Add the peppers and cook, turning the chicken until coated in the sauce, about 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken and sauce to the platter and serve.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Grace Parisi for Food & Wine

Jamaican-Style Chili-Lime Fish Stew

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This dish truly showcases the wonderful fruitiness of habanero and the heat* is a lovely combination with the rest of the ingredients. This simple skillet stew is rich with Caribbean flavors. It’s inspired by a dish called Jamaican run-down, which simmers mackerel in coconut milk, along with tomatoes, thyme and aromatics.

The cooking liquid reduces to a luxurious sauce with spiciness and fruity notes from the habanero chili, tropical flavor from the coconut and brightness from the lime juice. Instead of mackerel, which can be difficult to source and also has an assertiveness that’s polarizing, (and we just flat out don’t like it) mild, firm sea bass or cod fillets are used. Serve with steamed jasmine rice, fried plantains or rice and beans.

TIP: Don’t touch your face if you’ve handled the habanero with bare hands, as there will be residual capsaicin on your fingers. If you have food-safe gloves, consider slipping them on before prepping the chili. And don’t use light coconut milk, as its flavor and consistency are too lean and watery.

*Word to the wise: Do not substitute a Carolina Reaper chili for the Habanero (a Serrano would be an OK choice). The supermarket didn’t have habaneros at the time so we just grabbed a reaper chili and didn’t bother looking at how they compared with the habanero heat-wise on the Scoville Heat Unit Scale. As we ate dinner, while The Hubs was sweating, had teary eyes and a flushed face, I quickly Googled only to find out while habaneros rate between 100,000 and 350,000, the Carolina Reaper clocks in at 2.5 million!! (Luckily when I was prepping the ingredients, I wore food-safe rubber gloves.)

A few changes that we made included adding a 1 1/2-inch piece of ginger cut into fine slices, increasing the coconut milk to one cup and reduced the water to a 1/2 cup.

Jamaican-Style Chili-Lime Fish Stew

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. grapeseed or other neutral oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger sliced into thin circles
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 habanero chili, stemmed and sliced into thin rings
  • 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
  • 12 oz. ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped
  • 3/4 cup coconut milk
  • 2 large thyme sprigs
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 lbs. skinless sea bass or snapper fillets, about 1 inch thick, cut into 1½-inch chunks (we used cod, much more economical)
  • 2 Tbsp. lime juice, plus lime wedges to serve
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions

  1. In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and ginger slices and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, habanero and allspice; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to break down and release their liquid, 3 to 4 minutes.
  2. Add the coconut milk and 1⁄2 cup water; scrape up any browned bits. Add the thyme, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, then bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have fully broken down and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
  3. Nestle the fish into the sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring gently and occasionally, until the fish is opaque throughout, 4 to 5 minutes. Off heat, remove and discard the thyme, then stir in the lime juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with lime wedges.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Calvin Cox for Milk Street

Vegan Dan Dan Noodles With Eggplant

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Sichuan dan dan noodles are traditionally made with ground pork, a spicy sauce and sui mi ya cai, or pickled vegetables, but this vegan version features pan-fried eggplant in place of the meat.

Cutting the eggplant into relatively chunky pieces and covering the pot with a lid while cooking is the key to achieving the right texture: It locks in moisture, ensures that the pieces don’t fall apart, and allows the flesh to become tender and smoky. Once tossed with the noodles and sauce, the eggplant breaks up and becomes creamy. If you don’t have tahini, you can substitute it with smooth peanut butter (our choice) or almond butter.

NOTE: You can also use egg noodles but the dish will no longer be vegan.

Vegan Dan Dan Noodles With Eggplant

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

For the Sauce

  • 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 3 Tbsp. black or rice vinegar
  • ¼ cup tahini (or Chinese/Japanese sesame paste)
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated or chopped
  • 1 (1-inch) piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated or chopped (about 1 Tbsp.)
  • 2 to 3 Tbsp. chile oil, chile crisp or doubanjiang
  • 2 tsp. granulated sugar

For the Noodles

  • 1 large eggplant (about 1¼lbs.), trimmed
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • 12 oz. dried thin wheat noodles (see Note)
  • Neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable
  • 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • Black pepper
  • ½ tsp. ground Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
  • 2 scallions, white and green parts separated and finely sliced
  • A generous pinch of granulated sugar
  • Handful of cilantro leaves
  • 1 cup dry, unsalted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
  • Chile oil or chile crisp, for serving

Directions

  1. Make the sauce: Combine the soy sauce, black or rice vinegar, tahini, garlic, ginger, chile oil and granulated sugar in a bowl, and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  2. Slice the eggplant crosswise into ¾-inch-thick circles, then cut each circle into 1½- to 2-inch pieces. (They should be quite chunky.)
  3. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the noodles and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain the noodles, rinse just for a few seconds to remove some of the starchy water (they should still be hot), and allow them to drain.
  4. Meanwhile, cook the eggplant: Heat a wok or large, deep-sided skillet over medium-high. When hot, add 2 tablespoons of neutral oil along with the eggplant, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper, and toss well to combine. Cover with a lid and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, tossing every 60 seconds. If it starts to burn, reduce the heat to medium. The eggplant is ready when it is caramelized and cooked all the way through but still intact. (Don’t let it get mushy.) Remove the lid, sprinkle with the ground Sichuan peppercorns (if using), the white parts of the scallions and the sugar, and season with ½ teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper. Toss for 30 seconds and then turn off the heat.
  5. Add the reserved noodle cooking water to the bowl of sauce and whisk to combine. Divide the sauce among four serving bowls.
  6. Divide the noodles among the four bowls, on top of the sauce. Finish each bowl with eggplant, scallion greens, a few cilantro leaves and some peanuts.
  7. To eat, toss everything together so that the noodles and eggplant are well coated in the sauce. Serve topped with chile oil or crisp.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Hetty Lui McKinnon for NYTimes Cooking

Cheesy Mushroom-Thyme Fettuccine

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Inspired by the fettuccine con funghi from Italy, this recipe was developed for creating a quick yet elegant dinner using supermarket ingredients. Be sure to use dried fettuccine or pappardelle made with egg; this type typically is sold coiled into nests in 8.8-ounce packages. We opted for a 8.8 ounce package of quick cooking tagliarelle, a thin durum wheat egg pasta.

The texture of egg pasta is finer and more delicate than all-semolina pasta. Woodsy thyme is the classic herb for pairing with mushrooms; which is added in two stages for layered flavor. The aged, subtly sweet notes of brandy pair beautifully with the earthy creminis; dry sherry also works well.

TIP: Don’t use pre-sliced cremini mushrooms. They tend to be dry and cardboardy, and the mushrooms are counted on to release their own moisture to build flavor into the dish.

If you are funghi lovers like we are, increase the amount of creminis to 1½ pounds—noted in the ingredients list below. Also the original recipe directed you to reserve one cup of the pasta water before draining, but we found that insufficient in making the dish as moisturishly silky as we had hoped. You may not need the entire two cups of the liquid, it will all depend on your choice of pasta, better safe than sorry.

Served with a side salad, it was a perfect weeknight meal.

Cheesy Mushroom-Thyme Fettuccine

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 4 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped, divided
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional, but worth it)
  • 1½ lb. cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • ⅓ cup brandy or dry sherry
  • 8.8 oz. package dried egg fettuccine, pappardelle, or similar pasta
  • 1½ oz. Parmesan cheese, finely grated (¾ cup), plus more to serve
  • 2 Tbsp. salted butter, cut into 2 pieces
  • Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to serve

Directions

  1. In a large pot, boil 3 quarts water. In a 12-inch skillet over medium, combine the oil, garlic, half of the thyme and pepper flakes (if using). Cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden brown, about 2 minutes.
  2. Add the mushrooms, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned at the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the brandy. Return to medium-high and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until the liquid is syrupy, about 1 minute.
  3. When the water reaches a boil, add the pasta and 1 tablespoon salt; cook, stirring, until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta cooking water, then drain.
  4. To the mushroom mixture, add the pasta, Parmesan, butter, the remaining thyme and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Cook over medium-high, tossing constantly, until lightly coated and the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes.
  5. Off heat, taste and season with salt and black pepper. Serve sprinkled with parsley and additional cheese.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe by Courtney Hill for Milk Street

Braised Potatoes with Garlic and Bay Leaves

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As Chef/author Molly Stevens states “Sharing a meal from one pot, as you often do with a braise, creates a feeling of communality that leads to sharing a congenial meal.”

Molly’s side dish is quite simple, and uses only a handful of ingredients. Place the potatoes to fit snuggly in a single layer in your saucepan. Add enough water or stock to come halfway up the potatoes and add a generous drizzle of olive oil, a few whole cloves of garlic, bay leaves, salt and pepper.

The potatoes are covered and braised gently until tender, then the lid is removed. The heat is cranked up to evaporate the liquid. Then shake the pan back and forth so the spuds roll around and get coated in the garlicky-olive oil glaze that’s forming. And voila! a simple yet tasty side dish. These are a keeper for sure.

Feel free to vary the ingredients by changing the herbs (such as rosemary instead of bay leaves), substitute dry white wine for the water or chicken stock, or butter in place of olive oil.

Braised Potatoes with Garlic and Bay Leaves

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 ½ lbs. small red or white potatoes, scrubbed
  • 3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or Garlic Olive Oil)
  • 1 cup water or chicken stock
  • 2 bay leaves, fresh if possible
  • 2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and bruised
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

  1. Evaluate the potatoes: If the potatoes are larger than a golf ball, cut them in half. If you are leaving them whole, check to see if they have thick skins by scraping your thumb nail across the skin. If the skin doesn’t tear, remove a strip of skin around the circumference of each potato with a vegetable peeler – this will allow the flavors of the braising liquid to penetrate the potato better. If the skins are relatively thin, leave them intact.
  2. The braise: Place the potatoes in a saucepan large enough to hold them in a snug single layer without crowding Add the olive oil and pour in enough water or stock to come halfway up the sides of the potatoes. Tear the bay leaves in half and add them along with the garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat. When the water is simmering, lower the heat to medium-low so the liquid simmers gently. Braise, lifting the lid and turning the potatoes with a spoon once halfway through, until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a thin skewer, about 20 minutes.
  3. The finish: Remove the lid, increase the heat to high, and boil, gently shaking the pan back and forth, until the water evaporates and you can hear the oil sizzle, about 5 minutes. The braised garlic cloves will break down and coat the potatoes as you shake them in the pan. Serve hot.

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Recipe by Molly Stevens

Roman-Style Chicken Cacciatore

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Cacciatore without tomatoes? As it turns out, it is not always a chunky, tomato-heavy braise. At Piatto Romano in Rome, Milk Street learned how to make the Roman version—an elegant, minimalist dish bright with the acidity of white wine and vinegar and heady with rosemary, garlic and anchovies, not a tomato in sight. (And you would never know there were anchovies in it.)

With so few ingredients, deeply searing the bone-in, skin-on pieces is necessary for developing rich flavor. A quick sauté of aromatics followed by a deglazing with a full bottle of a light, dry white wine forms the cooking liquid that becomes the fabulous sauce.

To preserve the chicken’s browning during braising, the pieces are only partially submerged in liquid and cooked, uncovered, to completion in a 450°F oven; the dry heat keeps the skin crisp and caramelized even as the liquid simmers in the bottom of the pan. (You will need an oven-safe 12-inch skillet for this recipe.)

A good measure of white wine vinegar and minced rosemary finishes the dish, adding a surge of tartness and herbal notes to keep the flavors vibrant. This cacciatore is best with a starchy side, such as crusty bread, polenta or mashed potatoes. We served ours with garlic and rosemary-infused mashed potatoes, and a side of roasted carrots and Brussels sprouts.

What a tremendous weeknight meal that can just as well be the feature of an intimate dinner party. Adding the final zip of vinegar is just the right balance of acid.

Don’t forget to lower the heat before adding the wine. This helps prevent fiery flare-ups if the wine splashes out of the skillet.

Instead of chicken pieces, we used a whole chicken, cut it up and saved the remaining body parts (neck, back, heart, etc.) to add to our “body bag” of frozen chicken parts for future homemade stock.

Roman-Style Chicken Cacciatore

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 3-4 lb. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or breasts, trimmed and patted dry
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 6 – 8 oil-packed anchovy fillets, patted dry
  • 6 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 5-inch rosemary sprigs, plus 1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary, reserved separately
  • 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 750 mL bottle dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or frascati
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle position. If the chicken breasts are larger than about 12 ounces each, cut them in half crosswise. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper.
  2. In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken skin-side down and cook until golden brown on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through. Transfer to a large plate; set aside.
  3. To the skillet over medium, add the anchovies, garlic, rosemary sprigs and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the anchovies have broken down and the mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce to low, then slowly add the wine. Bring to a simmer over medium-high and cook, scraping up the browned bits, until the wine has reduced by about half, 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. Return the chicken skin-side up to the pan and add the accumulated juices. Transfer to the oven and cook until a skewer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken meets no resistance, 12 to 15 minutes.
  5. Remove the skillet from the oven (the handle will be hot) and set it on the stovetop. Transfer the chicken, skin side up, to a deep platter. Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs from the skillet. Add the minced rosemary and vinegar to the liquid in the skillet; bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cook, stirring, until reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, then taste and season with salt and black pepper. Spoon the sauce over and around the chicken.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe from Courtney Hill for Milk Street

Crispy Artichoke Pasta

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Quick, easy, tasty and filling—what’s not to like about that? Fast enough for a weeknight mad dash to dinner, this pantry pasta tastes more like a restaurant dish with its silky, flavorful sauce. The recipe uses canned artichokes which are brought to the peak of their crispy potential. The key is to remove as much water from the artichokes as possible by pressing them gently with paper towels (as you would tofu).

Some of the artichokes are fried in olive oil until shatteringly crisp, then the rest cook gently in more oil, along with garlic and chile flakes, to soften. They’re all mixed with pasta and Parmesan into a stunning weeknight meal. 

While the original recipe calls for one pound* of dried pasta, we cut that in half to 8 ounces, but kept the other ingredients as they were. However, using less rigatoni facilitated an adjustment for the amount of water. Save at least a cup of the pasta water before draining and introduce it bit-by-bit to the entire mixture until you get a silky consistency.

If you want to amp up the dish, you could add in some decent jarred tuna, crispy pancetta, bacon or prosciutto.

Crispy Artichoke Pasta

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 lb. short cut pasta*, such as rigatoni or gemelli
  • 2 14-oz. cans whole or quartered artichoke hearts
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • ½ cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
  • ⅓ cup finely chopped parsley

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then season generously with salt. Cook the pasta until a bit firmer than al dente, about 2 fewer minutes than listed on the package. (It’ll finish cooking in the sauce.) Reserve 2 cups of pasta water, then drain.
  2. While the water comes to a boil, drain the artichokes and place on a clean kitchen towel (or paper towels). Cover with another kitchen towel (or paper towels), and gently press down to remove the excess water. Give the artichokes a rough chop.
  3. Line a plate with paper towels. Set another large pot over medium-high heat, and pour in ¼ cup oil. When the oil is hot, after 1 to 2 minutes, add one-third of the artichokes and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply brown and crisp in most spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the artichokes, transfer to the lined plate and season with salt.
  4. Adjust heat to medium, add the remaining ¼ cup oil and the remaining artichokes to the pot, along with the garlic and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic begins to soften and everything smells very good, 2 to 3 minutes.
  5. Add the drained pasta and 1½ cups of the pasta water and bring to a simmer, still over medium heat. (This may seem like a lot of liquid, but it will thicken when the remaining ingredients are added.) Add the butter and sprinkle in the Parmesan and continue to cook, tossing vigorously, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy and clings to the pasta, 2 to 3 minutes. If the sauce looks too thick, add more pasta water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  6. Divide among bowls or plates. Sprinkle the reserved crispy artichokes and more Parmesan on top before serving.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe by Andy Baraghani for NYTimes Cooking

Smoky Shrimp Saganaki

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The name of the dish almost sounds Japanese, while the ingredients are an interesting mash-up inspired by Greek shrimp saganaki, that is combined wonderfully with sweet shrimp, tomatoes and feta with subtly smoky dried Mexican chiles. Identity crisis? In name only, because once you taste it, you are transported to another realm entirely — it is so utterly delicious!

The aromatics — cherry tomatoes and garlic, plus an assortment of dried and fresh chiles — simmer and confit in oil in the oven, with shrimp and feta added toward the end of cooking, broiling quickly, to create a wonderfully oozy, charred dish. Now that description certainly got our attention!

It’s a simple, one-pan weeknight meal that cooks in just 30 minutes. This recipe allows flexibility in your choice of chiles; whichever you choose, the gentle confiting of the chiles releases their flavors, adding nuanced heat to complement the bright and tangy tomatoes and feta. (Make sure to get the whole block feta, not the precrumbled variety.)

According to the chef, you can switch out the ancho chile for pasilla chile, or dial up the heat with a fruity Scotch bonnet. Enjoy this dish straight from the pan, mopped up with a piece of crusty bread. Any leftovers can be easily turned into a show-stopping pasta sauce, making this recipe a versatile addition to any recipe collection.

Smoky Shrimp Saganaki

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 chipotle chile (or similar), stem and seeds removed
  • 1 ancho chile (or similar), stem and seeds removed
  • 2 fresh long red chiles (or similar), split open lengthwise with the stem intact
  • 1 head garlic (1 clove minced, the rest separated but left skin-on and whole)
  • 24 oz. cherry tomatoes
  • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Fine sea salt and black pepper
  • 1 8-oz. block feta
  • ½ lb. peeled and deveined medium shrimp
  • ½ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
  • Crusty bread, for serving

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Add the chipotle chile, ancho chile, fresh chiles, whole garlic cloves, cherry tomatoes, oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper to a 10-inch cast-iron pan or an 8-by-11-inch broiler-safe baking dish. Tuck the dried chiles underneath so that they are submerged in oil to avoid burning. Bake for 10 minutes, then stir, keeping the dried chiles submerged in oil.
  3. Nestle the feta into the middle of the mixture, and return to the oven for 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are nicely charred and the feta has softened, then remove from the oven.
  4. While the feta cooks, delicately butterfly the shrimp by making a shallow cut using a sharp paring knife along the back of each shrimp from head to tail.
  5. Set the broiler to the highest setting and let it heat up for 5 minutes.
  6. Stir the shrimp and the crushed garlic into the tomato mixture, leaving the feta whole in the middle. Broil on the top rack for 3 to 5 minutes, until the shrimp is cooked through and the feta is golden brown.
  7. To serve, spoon some of the tomato mixture on top of the feta, then sprinkle over the cilantro. Serve with crusty bread.

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Recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi for NYT Cooking

One-Pot Chicken and Rice with Caramelized Lemon

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There are so many fabulous chicken recipes out there, and this is yet another winner to add to the list. This simple one-pot chicken and rice dish is topped with caramelized lemon slices that add sweet flavor and texture.

Thin slices of lemon are cooked in chicken fat and oil until their pulp dissolves, their pith sweetens and their rind softens to the point of being edible. Briny Castelvetrano olives and herby dried oregano are wrapped up in creamy rice and topped with juicy chicken thighs. Fresh parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top before serving add brightness and crunch. 

What did we do differently? Increased the number of thighs from 4 to 6; cut 1 and 1/2 lemons into quarter-inch slices, and flipped those slices for an additional minute to caramelize both sides. Added about 1/2 cup more of the olives. Finally, we decreased the amount of rice to 1 1⁄2 cups, and reduced the chicken broth to 3 cups. And if at all possible, try to use homemade chicken stock which adds so much more chickeny flavor.

All of the prep and cooking time added 15 to 20 minutes longer than the noted 55* minutes, so keep that in mind when starting the dish.

One-Pot Chicken and Rice with Caramelized Lemon

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, trimmed of extra skin
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano
  • Crushed red pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 lemons, divided
  • 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano or kalamata olives, smashed and roughly chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 medium shallot or ½ medium onion, minced
  • 1 1⁄2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
  • 3 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
  • ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Use paper towels to pat the chicken thighs until dry on all sides. Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon each salt, pepper and dried oregano and a pinch of crushed red pepper.
  2. Place a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and add oil. Let oil heat up for a few minutes. Add thighs to the pot, skin side down, and let cook undisturbed until they self-release from the bottom of the pot, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
  3. Cut 1 1⁄2 lemons into ¼-inch-thick slices. Add to the pot and cook until caramelized and softened, about 2 minutes. Flip over, and caramelize the other side for 1 minute. Remove from the pot and set aside.
  4. Add the olives, garlic, shallot and 1 teaspoon each salt, pepper and dried oregano to the pot. Cook over medium-low heat, scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, add the rice and broth to the pot, stir to combine and cover until it comes to a boil, about 5 minutes.
  5. Remove the pot from heat, add the browned chicken thighs on top of the rice, skin side up, then cover the chicken thighs with the lemon slices. Place the pot, covered, into the oven and bake until the rice and chicken are fully cooked, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve topped with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.

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Adapted from a recipe by Dan Pelosi for NYTimes Cooking

Cheesy Pork and Tomatillo Skillet

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Trust me on this one, if you’re gonna cheat, this is the babe you should be doing it with! Calories aside, it’s worth cutting back earlier in the day to imbibe in this decadent cheesy concoction.

If you are looking for a reason to make a meaty, cheesy, saucy skillet dip for dinner, look no further. Great when eaten with tortilla chips but just as great scooped into a bowl and devoured with a spoon, this one-pan dish comes together in around 45 minutes. Serve up to four as a main course, or just let your guests have at it as an appetizer.

Bright and acidic tomatillos are the star here; often sold in their papery husks, this tart fruit softens and gets sweeter as it cooks, adding freshness to the otherwise rich and oozy skillet (thank you, melty pepper Jack cheese).

Pork is a natural friend to green chiles and cumin, but feel free to use any ground meat—or meat substitute—you have on hand. If the contents of this skillet doesn’t disappear in the first go around, thank your lucky stars there will be leftovers.

Cheesy Pork and Tomatillo Skillet

  • Servings: 4-8
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground pork
  • 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 large poblano chile, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
  • 3 medium tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed, coarsely chopped
  • 2 4-oz. cans diced green chiles
  • 8 oz. pepper Jack cheese, coarsely grated
  • Cilantro leaves with tender stems and tortilla chips (for serving)

Directions

  1. Place 1 lb. ground pork in a medium bowl and sprinkle with 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. ground cumin, and 1 tsp. smoked paprika. Using your hands, gently mix to incorporate.
  2. Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook pork mixture, undisturbed, until browned and beginning to crisp underneath, about 3 minutes. Break up meat into ½” pieces with a wooden spoon and continue to cook, stirring often, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a small bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving fat behind; set aside.
  3. Add 1 small red onion, thinly sliced, and 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, to same skillet; season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until onion is slightly softened and garlic is starting to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Add 1 large poblano chile, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced, and 3 medium tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed, coarsely chopped; cook, stirring occasionally, until poblano is golden in spots, about 1 minute. Add two 4-oz. cans diced green chiles and 1 cup water and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits, until almost all liquid is evaporated and tomatillos are mostly softened, 7–9 minutes. Remove from heat.
  4. Heat broiler. Add reserved pork mixture to skillet and stir to combine. Top evenly with 8 oz. pepper Jack cheese, coarsely grated. Broil until cheese is melted and starting to blister in spots, about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly.
  5. Top with cilantro leaves with tender stems. Serve with tortilla chips.

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Recipe by Kendra Vaculan for Bon Appétit

Pasta with No-Cook Tomato Sauce

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This pasta is perfect for late summer, when you want to enjoy the flavor of tomatoes at the peak of their season in a meal that is simple, yet utterly delicious. It goes without saying, you want the ripest, freshest tomatoes for this dish; their flavor makes all the difference.

A no-cook tomato sauce is the ultimate way to show off the beauty of sweet summer tomatoes when they are at the peak of their season. In this version, use two types of tomatoes — large beefsteak tomatoes grated to make up the base of the sauce and cherry tomatoes to give the sauce a toothy texture. A box grater is key for grating the tomatoes, garlic, and Parmesan but you can also use a food processor with the grater attachment if necessary. 

Grated fresh garlic is far more pungent than cooked garlic, so one clove of garlic is all that is needed for this recipe. If you are a true garlic lover, as we are, add another grated clove to the tomatoes as they marinate. 

The original recipe indicates to use tongs to transfer the cooked pasta to the bowl with the tomatoes. We found that to be too watery, and suggest draining the pasta first before adding it to the tomato sauce.

Pasta with No-Cook Tomato Sauce

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 lbs. ripe beefsteak tomatoes, halved crosswise
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 pint (10 oz.) cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, plus more as needed
  • 1 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp. cracked black pepper
  • 1 lb. angel hair pasta (we used whole wheat linguine)
  • 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature 
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
  • 1 cup thinly sliced basil, plus more for serving
  • Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

  1. Grate the cut sides of the beefsteak tomato halves on the large holes of a box grater set in a large bowl until only the skins remain; discard the skins. Grate the garlic clove against the smallest holes into the same bowl.
  2. Add the halved cherry tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, cover, and let tomato mixture sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. Taste the tomato sauce, and add more salt and red wine vinegar to boost the flavor as needed.
  3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente according to package instructions, 4 to 5 minutes.
  4. Drain the cooked pasta and add it the to the bowl with the tomatoes; add the butter, Parmesan, basil, and crushed red pepper flakes and toss until the pasta and sauce are combined. Divide the pasta into four bowls, and top each with a drizzle of olive oil, plus grated Parmesan and sliced basil.

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Adapted by a recipe by Chandra Ram for Food & Wine

Seafood Pasta with Tomato and Crushed Olives

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Think of this as a weeknight fish stew with pasta rather than a seafood pasta. It’s highly customizable: You can use whatever seafood you like, including but not limited to shellfish, like mussels, clams or shrimp, and firm-fleshed white fish, such as cod, halibut or flounder.

Since one of our diners did not eat clams, we doubled the amount of shrimp. If you do omit the clams, use some clam broth along with the water* in Step 3 to help flavor the overall broth. Seafood stock would also be another good option.

The trick is to make sure the garlicky tomatoes are brothy enough to gently poach the seafood (which then further flavors the sauce), yet thick enough to coat each tube of pasta. Finished with briny olives and a smattering of fresh parsley, it’s best eaten with a spoon and lots of thick-cut toast for sopping up all the luscious goodness.

Seafood Pasta With Tomato and Crushed Olives

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 8 oz. rigatoni or another tube-shaped pasta
  • Kosher salt
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced
  • Pinch of red-pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 (28-oz.) can whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
  • ½ lb. mussels or clams (optional)
  • 1 lb. firm-fleshed white fish, such as cod, halibut, swordfish, hake or flounder, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • ½ lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined if you like
  • ¾ cup Castelvetrano or other green olives, pitted and crushed
  • ½ cup parsley, tender leaves and stems, chopped

Directions

  1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water. Once it reaches al dente, drain and set aside while you finish the sauce.
  2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is lightly browned and toasted around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add red-pepper flakes, if using.
  3. Add tomatoes and then fill the empty can about ¾ of the way up with water*. Swirl the can to loosen the tomatoey bits left behind and add that to the pot. Season with salt, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened slightly (it should still look quite brothy), 10 to 15 minutes.
  4. Add the mussels or clams to the sauce, if using, along with the fish, and season again with salt. Let the seafood settle into the brothy tomato sauce and gently swirl the pot, encouraging the seafood to cook evenly. Cook a minute or two, then add the shrimp, swirling the skillet again. Cook until all the seafood is just cooked through and the mussels or clams have opened, another 3 to 5 minutes.
  5. Add the pasta and very gently toss to coat, cooking another 1 to 2 minutes, just to let the flavors meld. Add olives and remove from heat.
  6. Divide among bowls, top with parsley and drizzle with olive oil before serving.

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Recipe from Alison Roman for NYTimes Cooking

Cumin-Spiced Tomato Rice

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This tomato rice pairs well with seafood, poultry or vegetable-centric mains, or it can be eaten as a light meal with a dollop of yogurt or topped with a fried egg. The Hubs even chopped up some leftover pork tenderloin and stirred it in the remaining rice, creating a pork-fried rice of a sorts.

To make this version of South Indian tomato rice, two tomato forms are used: paste, which offers concentrated flavor and deep color, plus chopped cherry or grape tomatoes for freshness. The cooking starts with a tarka—that is, blooming the spices and aromatics in hot oil to draw out their essence—before basmati rice goes into the saucepan.

We like the subtle fruity, smoky notes that árbol chilies release into the rice, but if you have only red pepper flakes on hand, they will work, but will add a more direct, less nuanced spiciness. We didn’t find it very spicy at all. Be sure to rinse and drain the rice before use. Rinsing removes excess starch for especially light, fluffy grains.

Cumin-Spiced Tomato Rice

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2½ Tbsp. tomato paste
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 Tbsp. grapeseed or other neutral oil
  • 2 tsp. cumin seeds OR yellow or brown mustard seeds OR a combination
  • 2 – 3 árbol chilies, broken in half, seeds discarded OR ¼ to ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 1½ tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1½ cups basmati rice, rinsed and drained
  • 1 pint cherry OR grape tomatoes, quartered

Directions

  1. In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or a small bowl, whisk together 2 cups water, the tomato paste and ¾ teaspoon salt. In a large saucepan over medium, combine the oil, cumin seeds, chilies, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring, until the seeds begin to pop and the mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute.
  2. Stir in the rice, coating the grains with oil. Stir in the tomato water and bring to a boil over medium-high. Cover, reduce to low and cook until the water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat. Quickly scatter the tomatoes over the rice and re-cover. Let stand for 10 minutes. Using a fork, fluff the rice, incorporating the tomatoes into it. Remove and discard the chilies, if used. Taste and season with salt.
  4. Optional garnish: Chopped fresh cilantro

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Recipe by Elizabeth Germain & Elizabeth Mindreau for Milk Street