Cauliflower Popcorn
New York Times
Small florets of cauliflower look a lot like popcorn, and when coated with classic popcorn seasonings, they can be just as snackable. Roast pieces the size of popped kernels until deeply tender and frizzled, shower with panko bread crumbs seasoned with nutritional yeast, then return to the oven to toast. The panko mimics the airy crispness of popcorn, while nutritional yeast adds a cheesy, salty flavor. Adjust seasonings based on what you like: Add wet ingredients, like hot sauce or soy sauce, to the cauliflower before roasting, and dry ingredients, like Old Bay, furikake or Tajín, when you add the panko.
INGREDIENTS
Yield: 4 servings
2 pounds cauliflower, cut into ½- to 1-inch pieces and florets
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or melted ghee
¼ cup nutritional yeast
¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes or pinch of ground cayenne
Kosher salt and black pepper
½ cup panko bread crumbs
PREPARATION
1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. On a sheet pan, toss the cauliflower with ⅓ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast and the red-pepper flakes. Season generously with salt and pepper, then toss well to evenly distribute. Spread in an even layer and roast for 20 minutes, until the cauliflower is crisp-tender and starting to brown at the edges.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the panko, remaining 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast and remaining tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and stir with a fork until evenly combined.
3. When the 20 minutes are up, stir the cauliflower, spread it into an even layer and sprinkle with the panko mixture. Roast until the panko is toasted, 10 to 12 minutes.
New York TImes
Like so many people, I love what we call in England a tray bake (Americans might know it as a one-pan dinner). I love how easy it is: ingredients on tray, tray in oven, leave there to cook. I love how few dishes there are to wash and how much the flavor of everything benefits from the exchange of one ingredient with another. I love that my kids love a tray bake: empowered, through choosing for themselves what they’re going to reach for, to be somehow more experimental and relaxed than they might be otherwise.
Behind every apparently relaxed tray bake, though, there’s a method, or certainly a key factor at play, and that is texture. Thinking about the vital role that texture plays in cooking generally — and in tray bakes in particular — can be useful for when the next tray bake is being thrown together from what is in the fridge. It’s also a useful reminder of why you’ll never find a recipe for tray-bake hummus. Or soup. Texture is all.
ake the key players in the one-pan paprika chicken. There are lentils, chicken, kabocha squash and sour cream in the dish. Legumes, protein, squash and dairy: it’s a combination I play with a lot, but the choice of what particular component and which variety I use is key to the success of the dish.
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Starting with the chicken, the choice to use thighs, with the skin left on, does lots of useful (and delicious) things. First off, it provides a layer of fat that renders when cooked. As well as making the meat more succulent, the skin also browns and goes crispy, which adds a great textural contrast. But the best thing about starting with brown thigh meat — rich in connective tissues and fibers, which break down and release their collagen once cooked — is that it is so low-maintenance. Unlike a chicken breast, which needs much more careful attention to be cooked without drying out, thighs really can be left alone for the meat to become effortlessly, melt-in-the-mouth soft. You can be delightfully hands-off — lazy, even — if you start with thighs.
The difference between one type of lentil and another is about their respective sizes and shapes and the way these affect their texture. Although I could have used a wider, flatter variety of lentil (a split red lentil, for example, which would collapse, or a brown or green lentil, which would soften quickly), the choice for a smaller, rounder, firmer French Puy lentil, with its much finer texture, was deliberate. At the same time as absorbing the flavor of the stock and spices they’re steeped in, they’ll still keep and hold their shape when cooked. The result is wonderfully unmushy.
Similar story with the kabocha squash. This could have been butternut, or one of the many other types of winter squash available, but it is the texturally firm nature (and nutty flavor) of the kabocha that make this such a winner in a tray bake. Like the lentils, it manages to take on the flavor of what it is being cooked with but still holds its own and keeps its shape both in the tray and on the plate. This doesn’t mean that using something else is wrong — vegetables like sweet potato or celery root work really well — but thinking about the texture as much as the flavor or color will really help with the tray-bake equation.
Sour cream is another deliberate choice, all to do with texture. Sour cream is normal cream that has been given a sharp, sour edge by the addition of a bacteria culture. I could have gone for a looser yogurt or a firmer crème fraîche, each adding a creamy-lemony edge, or even a firmer-still labneh, which is yogurt that has been strained of its liquid. The difference between them all is largely one of texture, which moves along the spectrum from loose and light to firm and dense. None of them are more right than the next; they just give different results.
So, there we go. What might seem rather obvious when looking at a tasty tray bake from a bird’s-eye view is actually a series of key textural qualities. In addition to making us think about the flavors we want to combine, about what the season is outside and what the mood is inside, texture plays a crucial role in allowing ingredients to mix and combine and still remain deliciously distinct.
This oven bake requires minimal effort and is very much a meal in itself. Daqa is a vinegar-based condiment, most commonly used when making the much-loved Egyptian koshari, a hearty dish of rice, pasta and lentils. Daqa is a nifty way to brighten stews, braises and anything that needs an acidic lift. Feel free to swap out the kabocha squash for root vegetables, such as sweet potato or celery root, and serve the whole thing with nothing more than a leafy green salad.
INGREDIENTS
Yield: 6 servings
6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2¼ pounds)
¾ pound skin-on kabocha squash, seeds removed, cut into about 6 (1-inch-thick) wedges
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground sweet paprika
3 tablespoons olive oil
Fine sea salt
2 small yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted
8 ounces/1 heaping cup (uncooked) French green lentils, rinsed
2 cups chicken stock
¾ cup sour cream
¼ cup finely chopped chives
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, plus 1 tablespoon picked leaves for serving
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
PREPARATION
1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the chicken, squash, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon salt; set aside.
3. Place the onions, 2 garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 2 teaspoons paprika in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and mix to combine. Roast for 10 minutes, stirring halfway, until the onions are lightly colored. Stir in the lentils, chicken stock and 1 cup of water. Arrange the squash wedges and the chicken, skin-side up, on top and roast for another 20 minutes, until the chicken skin is deeply golden. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees and cook for another 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the squash is nicely softened.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sour cream, chives and dill; set aside.
5. To make the daqa, mix the remaining garlic and cumin with the vinegar, sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons of water.
6. When ready, remove the bake from the oven and top with spoonfuls of the sour cream mixture. Pour over the daqa and sprinkle with the extra dill. Serve hot, straight out of the baking dish.
Pasta With Morels, Peas and Parmesan is definitely a must when Morels Mushrooms are available! It is enhanced by fresh the use of fresh Spring Peas. This is definitely a must dish! It is very rich and tasty. It is a real treat. Highly recommend!
Pasta With Morels, Peas and Parmesan
New York Times
Morels are expensive, but a few go a long way and there is nothing quite like them for flavor and texture -- chewy, meaty and that aroma, earthy and exotic. Even at $30 a pound, $7 or $8 seems well worth the price.
INGREDIENTS
Yield: 2 servings
Salt and ground black pepper
½ cup fresh shelled peas
4 tablespoons butter
¼ pound morels, about 8 medium
8ounces pasta
1 cup finely grated Parmesan
1. PREPARATION
2. Bring to a boil 2 pots of water, one small and one large, and salt both. Cook the peas for 1 minute in the small pot; drain and cool quickly by submerging in ice water.
3. Meanwhile, melt half the butter in a skillet. Cut the morels into 4 pieces each, the long way, and brown them lightly in the butter, seasoning them with salt and pepper.
4. Cook the pasta until it is nearly done. Just before draining, toss the peas and remaining butter with the morels and turn the heat to medium. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with the morels and peas, adding a little water if necessary to make the mixture saucy. Toss with the Parmesan and lots of black pepper and serve immediately.
Garlicky Pork Chops is a great recipe! We loved the addition of Pomegranate Seeds. Even more than that we LOVED we learned a new way to extract the seeds from the Pomegranate and it is super easy and not messy.Simply put: Cut the pomegranate in half through the equator, hold a half cut side down in your hand over a dish or bowl and whack it — firmly, confidently — with a wooden spoon.
Really, that’s it. Just make sure you’re hitting the fruit with the underside of the bowl of the spoon, rather than the edge, which is more likely to crack it. If you want to be a little extra, you can roll the fruit around on your counter before cutting to help loosen the seeds, though I didn’t bother. If you’re worried about splatters, use the biggest, widest bowl you have. (And don’t do this while wearing white.)
It took me a less than two minutes per half to remove all the seeds, no prying required. Just periodically turn the halves over to see where you need to focus your efforts to ensure all the seeds come out. Very little of the membrane or white flesh ended up in the bowl, and whatever did was easily picked out. If I shook the bowl like I was tossing a salad, the extra bits rose to the top or spun to the edges, making it even simpler, no water needed. After that, it was easy to transfer the seeds to an airtight container in the refrigerator, where they should be good for at least five days, though I’ve pushed it longer. If you want to freeze the seeds for a few months, be sure to place them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet and then pack them in a bag or container once they’re frozen.
Our friend Kashmera had sent us over some delicious Rice and was perfect with this dish! Try it, you will like it!
Garlicky Pork Chops
Dinner in One
SERVES 3 OR 4
½ tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, divided
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
2 bone-in pork chops, about 1½ inches thick (1¾ pounds total)
1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed and cut into bite-size florets
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Fresh cilantro, mint, or parsley leaves and tender stems, torn, for serving
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds, for serving
Lemon wedges, for serving
A blast in a very hot oven is what gives this pork-and-
veg dinner its caramelized appeal. Both the chops and the
cauliflower get deeply bronzed at the edges but stay nice and
juicy inside. Seasoned with cumin, garlic, and a spark of red
pepper flakes and topped with sweet magenta pomegranate
seeds, it's a gorgeous, full-flavored meal without a lot of
effort on your part. It's just as good for company as it is for a
cozy family dinner.
1. Heat the oven to 450°F. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, salt, 1 teaspoon of the cumin seeds, the ground cumin, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and garlic until it resembles wet sand.
2. Smear the mixture all over the pork and let sit at room temperature while the cauliflower roasts, or in the refrigerator or up to 24 hours.
3. On a rimmed sheet pan, toss the cauliflower with the oil and a large pinch each of salt and black pepper. Spread the mixture out into one layer and roast for 15 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon cumin seeds over the cauliflower and give the florets a stir. Add the pork to the same pan, nestling the chops in with the florets. Roast for 10 minutes.
5. Flip the chops over and give the florets another stir. Continue roasting until the pork is cooked through and the cauliflower is browned and tender, 5 to 10 minutes longer.
Transfer the pork to a cutting board and slice the meat off the bones. Serve the pork and cauliflower sprinkled with the herbs and pomegranate seeds, with the lemon wedges on the side for squeezing
Tuna au Poivre With Red Wine Sauce
New York Times
INGREDIENTS
Yield: 6 servings
1½ pounds fresh tuna, cut into 6 steaks about 1-inch thick
Salt
2 garlic cloves, smashed to a paste
½t easpoon coriander seeds, lightly toasted and ground
½ teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly toasted and ground
2 teaspoons coarsely crushed black peppercorns
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 shallots, finely diced
½ cup red wine
2½ cups chicken broth
PREPARATION
1. Season tuna steaks with salt. Sprinkle with garlic, coriander, fennel and black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Rub to coat evenly with spices on both sides. Let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 4 hours and bring to room temperature before cooking).
2. Make the red wine sauce: Melt butter over medium-high heat and add shallots. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add wine and simmer until reduced by half. Add chicken broth and reduce until 1 cup sauce remains, about 10 minutes. Season with salt, set aside and keep warm.
3. Set a wide cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat (or use 2 smaller pans). When hot, lay in steaks and sear for 2 minutes, until nicely browned. Flip and cook 1 minute more for rare, 2 minutes for medium rare. Arrange tuna on a platter or individual plates. Spoon wine sauce over each steak.
