Though there are plenty of obvious upsides to being an interim restaurant critic for The New York Times, I’ve found one major drawback: I cook less. As much as I adore the convivial adventures of dining out, I still miss the cozy cadence of nights in with my family — dicing onions, mincing herbs, mixing our own drinks while spilling the tea. Cooking has been my creative, therapeutic and family time for as long as I can remember, and doing less of it has only made it more precious.
This reviewing gig has changed my cooking, too. Restaurant meals are generally larger, richer and more meat-heavy than what I’d whip up on a Wednesday. So whenever I’m back at the stove I steer toward lighter, meatless fare that’s exuberantly flavored and fun to cook.
Case in point, the prep for my cauliflower shawarma with spicy tahini keeps things to a conversational pace. Just toss cauliflower florets with oil and spices and then put them in the oven to roast while you chat. As they soften and caramelize and wrap you in their cumin-y perfume, you can catch up on the headlines of the day (OMG, she did what in chem lab?) while whisking the harissa-flecked tahini sauce. Then you can enjoy family dinner, homework monitoring, maybe an episode of Kaos (OMG, she did what in the underworld?), all without a reservation.
Featured Recipe
Cauliflower Shawarma With Spicy Tahini
If it’s still shawarma when you take the chicken out, then it’s still Alfredo if you put some chicken in. Naz Deravian’s chicken Alfredo adds slices of seared boneless, skinless white meat to bowls of Parmesan-laced pasta Alfredo for protein and heft. Don’t ignore Naz’s tip to use freshly grated cheese, because the pre-grated stuff often has additives that make it hard to emulsify into the sauce.
There’s just a whisper of meat in Kay Chun’s garlicky broccoli pasta: She sautés chopped salami along with breadcrumbs to make a crispy, savory topping for orecchiette that’s liberally studded with soft, green bits of broccoli and chives. But Colu Henry’s emerald-hued farro and green bean salad with walnuts and dill is inherently, wonderfully vegan with its nubby texture and snappy flavors. That is, unless you want to sprinkle in some feta cheese, which Colu mentions as a briny off-menu option.
Madhur Jaffrey’s recipes have long been a source of home-cooked comfort for me, and her shrimp pullao is a perfect example of why. The yellow turmeric rice is dotted with green chiles and tender pink shrimp, all suffused with garam masala. Serve it with some salted yogurt on the side for a creamy, tangy contrast to the homey carbs. Five stars, absolutely worth staying in for.
I may be cooking lighter but I’m not giving up dessert, oh no. Lisa Donovan’s stone fruit clafoutis is like a juicy, fruit-forward flan that’s a breeze to whip up in a skillet with whatever late summer peaches, plums or nectarines you’ve got. Then revisit the recipe in the fall when ripe pears make an alluring seasonal substitute.
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Lidey Heuck supplies this week’s one-pot recipe — technically a one-pan recipe, since her roasted fish with cherry tomatoes comes together in a baking dish. Made with fillets of your favorite kind of fish seasoned with honey, shallots and lemon zest, this is a colorful, 30-minute meal with verve to spare.
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