Good morning! Today we have for you:
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A bibimbap-style soba noodle salad to start the week with big flavor
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A skillet broccoli-Cheddar rice dish to go alongside your roast chicken
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And, an apple crisp with no apple peeling required
A tip of the ball cap to you on this Sunday morning, even though the Mariners are not in the World Series.
I’m occasionally reminded by people wiser than me to avoid something called contempt before investigation. That’s a fancy way of saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” and it’s a cousin of my other beloved character flaw, self-righteous indignation. (Trust me, neither works out in the end.)
I’ll bet you’re wondering what any of this has to do with cooking. How often do you decide to kick a recipe to the curb because it has an ingredient you might be unfamiliar with, or you’re silently protesting the overuse of sheet pans, or you’re still healing because your mother made you eat terrible beef stew?
This is a call to pick a recipe this week that’s outside your comfort zone. Find something you didn’t grow up eating, or use an ingredient or technique you’re not familiar with. Consider it an act of personal growth.
Now, we’ll get to that in a minute, but I love this Yasmin Fahr recipe for crispy baked tomato-oregano chicken so much I wanted to share it. Thighs or breasts work equally well. It offers a very basic flavor profile that works for the spice-averse. Around here, we add grated garlic and lots of red pepper flakes. This is a back-pocket recipe for sure.
Featured Recipe
Crispy Baked Tomato-Oregano Chicken
Monday
So, getting back to that recipe-comfort-zone thing: I’m challenging myself to make this recipe for bibimbap-style soba noodle salad from Hetty Lui McKinnon. It calls for gochugaru (Korean chile powder) which is new to my spice rack. It gives me the opportunity to learn more about how it compares to my go-tos, like ground Aleppo pepper and guajillo chile powder.
Tuesday
I’m guessing I’ll be exhausted from all that spice homework. Ali Slagle’s skillet broccoli-Cheddar rice is an easy dish just made to go on a date with a rotisserie chicken. I sometimes use chicken stock instead of water here.
Wednesday
While we’re in easy-weeknight-meal country, here’s a one-pot creamy pasta with carrots and peas from Nargisse Benkabbou, a Moroccan food expert. This very adaptable, simple marriage of pasta, cream and vegetables is nothing you’d find in Marrakesh, but you will find it on my table.
Thursday
I know it seems as if I am in a one-pot rut this week, but there is something about the busy, slightly chilly fall season that attracts me to dishes like cheesy gnocchi with corn and pesto like an algorithm to your data. This one does have a few lingering basil and corn notes of summer, which is nice. Thanks, Carolina Gelen.
Friday
What’s something we can all make together to head into the weekend? The only correct answer is apple crisp from Genevieve Ko, an editor here at New York Times Cooking who writes recipes with the vigor and accuracy of a news reporter. She smartly leaves the peels on the apples, which gives the classic dessert so much more character.
Now, it’s a long way from pilau masala and ghost toast KitKats, but I can think of no better writerly combo than the wonderful Sarah Lyall on the minxy Susan Orlean, the longtime New Yorker staffer who has finally written a memoir. And remember, Ed People never disappoints. Just watch this compilation.
You can find lots of other recipes at New York Times Cooking. If you want help with your account, I would be the last person to ask. The fine people at [email protected] would be a much better option.
I love your emails. Send more to [email protected]. See you next Sunday.
Kim Severson is an Atlanta-based reporter who covers the nation’s food culture and contributes to NYT Cooking.
The post You Need a Back-Pocket Chicken Dinner appeared first on New York Times.
