Tag Archives: weeknight

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.

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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.

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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

Pan-Roasted Pork Tenderloins with Apple, Sherry and Smoked Paprika

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The inspiration for a Spanish spin on pork and apples comes from “Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America” by José Andrés. Milk Street’s version uses pork tenderloins that get a stovetop sear and finish in the oven on a bed of lightly sautéed onion and Granny Smith apple.

The onion-apple mixture softens to a relish-like accompaniment that is accented with smoked paprika and dry sherry. It’s a rich, woodsy complement to slices of the mild, meaty tenderloin. You will need a 12-inch oven-safe skillet for this recipe. And don’t forget to use an oven mitt or potholder when handling the skillet after removing it from the oven; the handle will be hot.

Nearly all previous reviewers of this recipe said they had, or will next time, double the apple/onion mixture (perhaps even triple it?). That made culinary sense to us, so we went ahead and doubled the sauce from the get-go. And the increased amounts are list under ingredients below.

As to doubling the ingredients for the apple/onion mixture, the recipe indicates to “Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and stir until melted” in Step 5. We completely forgot to do so, and that sauce was still divine; although the additional butter would lend more silkiness to the bottom line. Your call…

Serving suggestion: Spoon over mashed garlicky potatoes, parsnip and potato purée or wide egg noodles. We agree it is a company-worthy dish!

Pan-Roasted Pork Tenderloins with Apple, Sherry and Smoked Paprika

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 tsp. smoked paprika, divided
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 1¼-lb. pork tenderloins, trimmed of silver skin and halved crosswise
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 Tbsp. salted butter, divided
  • 2 large, or 3 small yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
  • 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, halved, cored and cut into ½-inch-thick wedges
  • 5-7 sprigs thyme
  • 1 cup dry sherry
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle position. In a small bowl, mix together 1 teaspoon of paprika and 1½ teaspoons salt. Rub the mixture onto all sides of the pork.
  2. In an oven-safe 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Place the pork in the skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to a large plate.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons of butter, the onion and apple to the skillet. Cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden brown, about 8 minutes. Distribute the mixture in an even layer, then scatter on the thyme. Place the pork on top, add any accumulated juices and transfer to the oven. Roast until the center of the thickest piece of tenderloin reaches 135°F or is just slightly pink when cut into, 9 to 12 minutes.
  4. Remove the skillet from the oven; the handle will be hot. Using tongs, transfer the pork to a cutting board and tent with foil. Add the sherry, broth and the remaining 1 teaspoon paprika to the pan, then cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is slightly reduced and thickened, about 4 minutes.
  5. Remove the pan from the heat, then remove and discard the thyme. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and stir until melted. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onion-apple mixture to a serving platter, leaving the liquid in the pan. Thinly slice the pork and arrange over the onion-apple mixture. Drizzle the pan liquid over the meat and sprinkle with the chives.

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Recipe from Milk Street

Sheet-Pan Chicken Thighs with Spicy Corn

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Another winner, sheet-pan dinner. The spicy, salty jalapeño brine balances sweet corn kernels, which roast on a sheet pan alongside chicken thighs in this simple, summery weeknight meal. The chicken, marinated with basil, garlic and a little mayonnaise, stays juicy even after a brief stint under the broiler.

You can serve this hot from the oven or at room temperature — it’s equally good each way — and cold leftovers are excellent piled onto lettuce or avocado for a salad the next day. BINGO!

It is required that you marinate the chicken in a mayo mixture for at least 30 minutes, and up to six hours. Ours marinated for three hours, so keep this in mind when planning to make this dish. We had two ears of corn already previously heated, plus two more fresh cobs, and just sliced off the kernels from all four and mixed them together.

Sheet-Pan Chicken Thighs with Spicy Corn

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 ¾ tsp. fine sea or table salt, divided
  • 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup finely chopped basil, plus more for garnish
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
  • ⅓ cup chopped pickled jalapeños, plus brine from the jar
  • 4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (from about 4 ears)
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 5 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 jalapeño, sliced into rings
  • 1 lime, halved

Directions

  1. Season the chicken all over with ¾ teaspoon of salt. In a large bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, basil, garlic and 2 tablespoons jalapeño brine. Add the chicken to the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.
  2. Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, toss together corn, pickled jalapeños, olive oil, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and half of the scallions (save remaining scallions for serving).
  3. Arrange the chicken on a baking sheet, spacing it out. Roast for 12 minutes. Spoon the corn mixture onto the empty parts of the baking sheet. Drizzle chicken and corn with oil. Continue to roast until the chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes longer, stirring the corn once while roasting. (Our chicken thighs were ready after 10 minutes.)
  4. Turn the broiler on high and broil the chicken and corn until golden brown in spots, 2 to 4 minutes (watch carefully so it doesn’t burn, though a little blistering is nice).
  5. Garnish chicken and corn with basil, remaining scallions and fresh jalapeño slices. Sprinkle with with lime juice. Serve hot or at room temperature.

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Adapted from a recipe by Melissa Clark for NYTimes Cooking

Sheet-Pan Roasted Salmon Niçoise Salad

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Here, the classic French salad becomes an elegant dinner, with mustard-glazed salmon in place of tuna, roasted vegetables and slightly jammy eggs served over a jumble of salad greens tossed with a red-wine vinaigrette.

Roasting the vegetables, rather than serving some steamed and some raw as you would for a traditional Niçoise, gives this dish great texture and a delicious contrast of temperatures. The vegetables and salmon are roasted on a single sheet pan — fit for company and easy enough for a weeknight.

It’s best to buy 4 uniform fillets of salmon so that they all cook at the same rate. Our piece was thick on one end thinner at the tail, which just meant two of the sections were more done than the other two. You could add the smaller sections to the pan 5 minutes after the others have started to roast if you want them less well-done.

Regarding the comments of several other reviewers, I lessened the amount of olive oil overall, down to about 6 tablespoons, which seemed perfect in the end. And/or you may also choose to double the Dijon-olive oil glaze for the salmon.

Sheet-Pan Roasted Salmon Niçoise Salad

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb. baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
  • 8* Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1¼ tsp. black pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 Tbsp. red-wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic (about 1 clove)
  • 1 anchovy fillet, minced (optional)
  • 6 oz. haricots verts or green beans, trimmed
  • 1½ cups cherry tomatoes
  • ½ cup pitted olives, preferably Niçoise or Kalamata
  • 4 6-oz. center-cut, skin-on salmon fillets
  • 5 oz. tender salad greens, like baby red and green leaf lettuce

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees and place a rack near the top of the oven.
  2. Place the potatoes in a large bowl, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and toss. Arrange the potatoes on a sheet pan so the cut sides are facing down and roast for 20 minutes. Afterward, if they are completely cooked through and browned on the cut sides, remove to a plate for later.
  3. While the potatoes roast, fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add the eggs and cook over medium heat for exactly 6 minutes. Remove the eggs, and when they are cool enough to handle, peel and quarter them.
  4. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, the garlic, anchovy (if using), ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Slowly whisk in 4* (or less) tablespoons of olive oil and set aside.
  5. Add the haricots verts, tomatoes and olives to the same bowl that the potatoes were in, and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Using tongs, toss well, then move the vegetables to the sides to create space in the center of the sheet pan. Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel and place them, skin-side down, in the center of the sheet pan.
  6. Brush fillets with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Roast on the top rack in the oven for 10 minutes. Add the cooked potatoes back onto the sheet pan. Turn the broiler to high and broil for 2 to 3 minutes to lightly brown the salmon. (If you don’t have a broiler, roast salmon for an additional 2 to 3 minutes instead.) The salmon should flake easily and be just cooked in the center.
  7. Add the greens to a large bowl with the dressing, and toss gently. Place the salmon fillets in the middle of the platter, then arrange the roasted vegetables and eggs around them. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

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Recipe by Lidey Heuck for NYTimes Cooking

Grilled Chicken Thighs and Corn with Lime-Basil Butter

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Fresh corn is king this time of year in the Northeast, so it’s not unheard of for us to include it as an ingredient in up to 3 or 4 meals a week. Once the season has ended, fresh corn is rarely on the meal docket. This recipe is everything a dinner should be in summer: easy, cooked outside, minimal ingredients, and full of fresh flavors.

These summery grilled chicken thighs with sweet corn are scented with basil and lime. Warm your lime-basil butter on the side of the grill while you cook your corn and chicken, so it melts willingly on the charred thighs and corn kernels. Finishing with extra lime wedges and flaky salt isn’t a recommendation, but an essential final kick.

We thought the amount of corn was a bit shy, and suggest upping the amount by 50% to 6 ears. With a minimal amount of ingredients, the dish comes together rather quickly and bursts with flavor!

Grilled Chicken Thighs and Corn with Lime-Basil Butter

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • Juice and zest of 2 limes
  • 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup basil leaves
  • 4-6 ears of corn, shucked
  • Flaky sea salt, to finish

Directions

  1. Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl and season with the garlic, olive oil, 1¾ teaspoons salt and juice of 1 lime. Toss to coat. Let marinate at room temperature while the grills heats up or, ideally, refrigerate, covered, overnight. (We marinated ours for 3 hours.)
  2. To make the lime-basil butter, place the butter, lime zest, ¾ cup basil leaves, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a food processor and whizz until basil is chopped and incorporated. Refrigerate overnight or leave out of the fridge if you’re ready to grill.
  3. When ready to cook, light the grill to medium-high. If needed, remove the chicken and lime-basil butter from the fridge and place the butter near the grill so it softens. Place the ears of corn on one side of the grill, turning every 3 minutes or so, until cooked through and lightly charred, 10 to 20 minutes total. Pull the corn off the grill and slice off the charred kernels. Place them on a serving platter and top with some of the basil butter.
  4. While the corn is cooking and being sliced, place the chicken on the grill flat sides down. Char until it releases from the grates easily, 5 to 7 minutes. Rotate the chicken slightly, without flipping, to get more color on the first side. Pay attention to how the color develops and when areas of the first side become chestnut in color and look delicious, flip the chicken and grill for another 3 to 5 minutes. Continue rotating and flipping every few minutes until the chicken is cooked through. To check if the chicken is cooked, poke a knife into the thickest part of the meat. The juices should run clear and the meat should no longer be translucent.
  5. Remove the chicken from the grill, slice each thigh in half across its widest part and place slices on top of the corn. Spoon the remaining basil butter on top of the hot chicken and sprinkle over remaining basil leaves, the remaining lime juice and flaky salt. Grind some extra black pepper over the top.

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Original recipe by Clare de Boer for NYTimes Cooking

Grilled Corn Ribs with Honey Butter

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What a real cool idea! These corn ribs were a big hit at a recent patio party. The spice-rubbed and honey-drizzled corn “ribs” combined the best things about corn on the cob and barbecue ribs. And are a much more “civilized” approach when dining among friends.

The safest and easiest way to cut corn into “ribs” is to first trim the ends of husked corn on the cob so they’re flat. Cut the corn in the cob in half crosswise, and then stand the corn up on the widest cut side. Use a sharp knife to cut straight down lengthwise, then lay each half flat on your cutting board, and cut in half again lengthwise. 

Make Ahead: The corn ribs can be cut up to a day in advance and stored in a large ziplock plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Grilled Corn Ribs with Honey Butter

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 4 ears fresh yellow corn, husked
  • 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grill
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 tsp. light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 2 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
  • 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 Tbsp. honey
  • Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Photo by Christopher Testani

Directions

  1. Preheat grill to high (450°F to 500°F). Cut 1/2 inch off ends of each corn cob; discard trimmed ends. Cut each cob in half l
  2. crosswise. Working with 1 cob piece at a time, stand cob upright, and carefully cut in half lengthwise.
  3. Place cob halves, cut sides down, on cutting board; cut in half lengthwise again to create “ribs.” Repeat with remaining cob pieces. Place corn ribs in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet; set aside.
  4. Whisk together oil, black pepper, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and 2 teaspoons salt in a small bowl; brush evenly over corn ribs.
  5. Place corn ribs on oiled grates; grill, covered, turning often, until corn is charred and tender, 4 to 8 minutes. Arrange corn ribs on a serving platter.
  6. Whisk together melted butter, honey, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Drizzle butter mixture over corn ribs; garnish with scallions. Serve hot.

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Recipe by Anna Theoktisto originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, June 2024

Miso Shrimp and Corn Couscous Salad

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‘Tis the season for fresh corn this time of year in the great state of Pennsylvania. And so many of our dishes will contain the ingredient in one form or another. Here’s a fantastic shrimp dish that takes only about 30 minutes!

A delightful blend of bright, sunny colors and flavors shine in this summery salad. A lemony dressing coats the tender, slightly chewy, pearled couscous, which helps to cut the richness of the miso-butter mixture that coats the shrimp and charred corn.

While this salad is best with fresh corn — at its sweetest scraped straight off the cob — frozen corn makes an excellent substitute any time of year, even though it won’t char quite as visibly. Serve at room temperature or warm for a picnic or outdoor dinner, pairing it with aside salad. 

What made our version really stand out with lots of taste was using homemade shellfish stock to cook the whole wheat couscous. It takes it to another level. Of course if you do not have any, water works fine.

In Step 5 we recommend melting the butter with the miso separately (quickly in a microwave works fine), then stir into the pan with the other ingredients. If you don’t, there is a good chance the miso won’t get well distributed and could result in mouthful of miso (take it from our experience).

Miso Shrimp and Corn Couscous Salad

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • ¼ packed cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
  • 1 large lemon, juiced (about 3 Tbsp.)
  • 5 Tbsp. olive oil
  • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1½ cups pearl couscous
  • 2 cups corn kernels, removed from the cob (from 2 to 3 fresh ears of corn)
  • 1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp, patted dry
  • 4 scallions, light green and white parts thinly sliced
  • 1 Tbsp. white miso paste
  • 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Directions

  1. In a large serving bowl, mix together half the cilantro with the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil until combined. Season with salt and a few grinds of pepper.
  2. In a saucepan over medium-high, toast the couscous, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and fragrant, 3 or 4 minutes. Add 3 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt, then bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to maintain an active simmer and cook until tender, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly; then transfer to the bowl and toss with the dressing.
  3. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy, 12-inch skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add the corn kernels, season lightly with salt and let cook, mostly undisturbed, until charred in spots, 7 to 9 minutes. Stirring once or twice as the kernels brown, or as needed if they start to pop.
  4. Push the corn to the sides of the pan to create an open space in the middle. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, then the shrimp and scallions; season lightly with salt and cook for 2 minutes. Stir everything together and cook until the shrimp are cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more, depending on the size of the shrimp.
  5. Remove from the heat and stir in the miso and butter* until evenly dispersed, scraping up anything on the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute more.
  6. Transfer everything in the pan to the serving bowl and toss with the couscous. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and serve.

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Original recipe by Yasmin Fahr for NYTimes Cooking

Taverna Salad

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This colorful, meal-of-a-salad is inspired by two dishes creating a mash-up of a classic Greek salad (also known as horiatiki) and fattoush, the Lebanese salad of vegetables and pieces of fried pita. The ingredient list may look long at first, but each ingredient contributes to the harmony of the salad: bell pepper and cucumbers for crunch; shallot, olives and capers for a bit of tang; chopped tomatoes for sweetness.

Pan-fried halloumi adds richness and heft, but you can skip the searing process and instead opt for a 6-ounce block of feta, if desired. (Although we recommend going with the seared halloumi.) To save even more time, you can add a large handful of crumbled pita chips instead of making your own.

It was unanimous, all three of us loved it! While the recipe indicates it serves up to six, four is a more realistic estimate unless you are serving with other courses. There is no ingredient that we would have left out. For those who insist on a bit of meat, you could always serve chunks of chicken, beef or pork on the side.

Taverna Salad

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic (1 small clove)
  • ½ tsp. dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced into ½-inch pieces (or 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes)
  • 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed
  • 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, halved, seeded and diced into ½-inch pieces
  • ½ large English cucumber, halved, seeded and diced into ½-inch pieces
  • ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • ¼ cup minced red onion or shallot
  • 2 Tbsp. drained capers, coarsely chopped
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 6-inch pita
  • 1 8-oz. block halloumi cheese, patted dry and cut into ¾-inch-thick slices

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, combine ⅓ cup olive oil with the vinegar, garlic and oregano. Whisk vigorously to combine then season to taste with salt and pepper.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, chickpeas, bell pepper, cucumber, olives, parsley, red onion, capers and scallions. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.
  3. Chop the pita into 1-inch pieces and place them in a small bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Heat an 8-inch skillet over medium. Add the pita pieces and cook, tossing often, until toasted and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Return to the small bowl to cool, reserving the skillet.
  4. Place the halloumi slices on a small plate and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the halloumi until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut the slices into bite-size cubes.
  5. Add the pita and halloumi to the salad, toss well and serve.

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Recipe by Lidey Heuck for NYTimes Cooking