On a recent Tuesday, I approached a friend’s apartment, bags of ice and seltzers in hand, for a casual dinner in. A slate veil had cloaked Brooklyn, the diffuse glow of street lamps piercing through sporadically. It was barely 6 p.m.
The four of us groaned about the earlier sunsets careening toward us as we tucked into a platter of feta, herbs and bread. More than brisk daily walks, more than a good night’s sleep, the trick to staving off the winter blues, our host suggested, is get-togethers just like this. We need something to look forward to on dreary weeknights. We need a seasonal depression-thwarting supper club.
I’ve been thinking about what to cook when my hosting shift arrives, recipes in the hour-or-less category that get everyone excited but spare me any stress. Christian Reynoso’s white skillet lasagna is built for these sorts of intimate gatherings, neither a super-simple sheet-pan number nor a chore. Filled with soft and sweet leeks, it is charmingly rustic, something I can realistically prepare after a day in the office in time for a very reasonable 7 p.m. call time.
White Skillet Lasagna
A skillet meal is ideal for having people over, shareable and centerpiece ready. Hetty Lui McKinnon’s chickpea, spinach and feta pie, which comes together seamlessly in one pan, also leans on leeks, as well as the familiar flavors of spanakopita. Topped with intentionally crumbled and broken phyllo dough that transforms into golden peaks when baked, it requires no preciousness on your part. On even busier days, I love a breezy skillet gnocchi — with miso butter and asparagus, with spicy tomato sauce and melty cheese, with corn and pesto — alongside a tart salad simply dressed with sherry vinegar, olive oil, garlic and almonds.
Nisha Vora’s crispy tofu shawarma, with plenty of sumac onions and tahini sauce, is a worthwhile candidate for a crowd that delights in assembling their own bowls or wraps. Super-firm tofu is thinly sliced to mimic the traditional shaved meat, then tossed with soy sauce, dusted with cornstarch, pan-fried and sprinkled with a shawarma spice blend. Buy some at the store or make your own: You’ll need cumin, sweet or hot paprika, coriander, garlic powder, turmeric, cinnamon and a little cardamom.
Dan Pelosi is on the party-planning beat lately, and he’s got a fall-ready recipe for the occasion: his roast squash with chickpeas and feta. With just a handful of ingredients, you’ll create a meal that is equal parts sweet and savory, creamy and crunchy, tangy and salty, comforting and fresh. “An intriguing mix of flavors!” wrote one reader. “End result looks restaurant-quality. Will make again.” OK, it is, technically, a sheet-pan recipe. It won’t feel like one, though!
Skillet Gnocchi With Miso Butter and Asparagus
Crispy Tofu Shawarma
Roast Squash With Crispy Chickpeas and Feta
One More Thing!
You’d be hard pressed to walk into a coffee shop these days and not find matcha swirled and whirled into baked goods and smoothies. In just a few short years, a worldwide matcha craze has upended the ceremonial values long associated with the tea and brought forth a litany of counterfeiters. Pete Wells asks: Can it survive its own popularity?
Thanks for reading, and see you next week!
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Tanya Sichynsky is an editor for the Food and Cooking sections of The Times and the author of The Veggie, a weekly vegetarian newsletter.
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