dinner prompt

The first cold night.

November 3, 20192 Comments

The first cold weather really does sneak up on our bodies (see: Here’s Why a 50-degree Day Feels Colder in Fall Than in Spring). While we’re getting accustomed to the lower temperatures, it’s the perfect time to warm the kitchen (and house, and people) with a hearty stew for dinner, yes?

Love to Cook: If you have the time, try Jacques Pépin’s beef stew (wisdom from the comments: boil it on the stovetop long enough for the alcohol to evaporate before covering and placing in the oven). For a vegetarian (could easily be vegan) version, how about a stew of giant lima beans (the Rancho Gordo beans are worth trying to find, or ordering online).

Weeknight Reality: This relatively quick version of green chile pork stew (45 minutes) is good – and even better the next day wrapped up in a burrito. Another option might be Martha Stewart’s wine-braised chicken, which takes more time than a weeknight might allow, but it’s easy prep (and you can easily use a good spoonful of herbes de Provence instead of tying a fresh bouquet garni).

Need a Miracle: Have an Instant Pot? This spaghetti is foolproof, warm, and delicious. No Instant Pot? No problem: Make some couscous, and while it’s steaming, shred a rotisserie chicken (the go-to miracle dinner). Brown some butter (more than you think you’ll want) in a skillet, toss the chicken to coat; spoon over the couscous to serve, with some chopped some parsley or cilantro (or a mix of the two) on top. It’s not stew, but it’s warm and tasty.

Lavender

October 16, 2019October 7, 20194 Comments

There’s a few things I’ve learned in life: always throw salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for good luck, and fall in love whenever you can.

Practical Magic

Let us be clear here: no one (or almost no one) keeps lavender on hand – at least not in the typical U.S. home kitchen.

But it you want to have a special evening, and build it around a special theme (flavor), then lavender is a lovely choice if you use it sparingly. Give a hint of it in a roast chicken for dinner (though true Herbes de Provence does not include lavender), then a fuller dose in dessert (crème brûlée or ice cream). It is one fragrance that actually enhances dinner instead of detracting from it. Give it a try; you’ll see.

Love to Cook: Up for something different, and have plenty of time to source ingredients and prepare? How about a wild turkey with lavender masala. Pair with simple roast potatoes and a citrusy salad, then finish with honey lavender ice cream or lavender crème brûlée

Weeknight Reality: Melon salad with lavender and ginger can be either the start or finish or your otherwise-simple meal (roast chicken and buttered rice would do – seriously).

Need a Miracle: Lavender in a cocktail/mocktail is it. This Lavender spritzer can be made with either sparking water or sparkling wine. If you’re in a super rush, double the amount of lavender, skimp on the water, and chill the syrup with a couple of ice cubes. It won’t be as good as if you let it steep, but it will work. Dinner of cheese and bread and sausages, or perhaps a simple but dinner-worthy salad like this mixed green salad with pears, hazelnuts, blue cheese and homemade croutons (just skip roasting your own hazelnuts and making your own croutons and swap out something faster and pre-made).

Eggs

October 14, 2019October 7, 20191 Comment

Eggs are inexpensive, versatile, easy to prepare and well-suited to a multitude of flavors. From simple scrambled or baked eggs to more complicated preparations soufflés or dishes that involve hollandaise, there is an egg recipe for virtually any dinner situation.

There are so many options, in fact, that it might be hard to pick one. Here are three options, all easy, and all perfect for dinner.

Love to Cook: Eggs Florentine with a green salad
Weeknight Reality: Shakshuka with warm pita bread
Need a Miracle: Scrambled eggs with fresh herbs and goat cheese, served with cinnamon toast

Recipe Links

Classic Eggs Florentine – BBC (about 30 minutes, but requires some cooking skill)
Oeufs en Cocotte Florentine – Craig Claiborne & Pierre Franey via NYT (about 40 minutes)
Shakshuka – The Tart Tart, adapted from Melissa Clark’s NYT recipe (about 40 minutes)
Shakshuka – The Tasting Table, adapted from John Gorham, Portland (about 40 minutes)
Simple Goat Cheese & Egg Toasts with Fresh Peas & Dill – Cookie & Kate (about 15 minutes)
Baked Eggs with Fresh Herbs & Goat Cheese – Oprah (about 15 minutes)

Parting Thought

“These eggs are broken. Cracked.”
“Yes, ma’am. That happens sometimes.”
“Does it?”
“Yes, it’s the unfortunate part of being an egg.”

Peter Hedges, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (via goodreads)

Enchanted

October 12, 2019October 7, 2019Leave a comment

Scallops (or fish) in White Wine | Saffron Risotto (or rice) | Steamed Broccoli

Now that the relentless summer heat is gone, you might find fresh, local broccoli at your farmers market. Fresh broccoli is surprisingly fragile when compared to its supermarket relatives, so cook it soon after purchasing – and not for nearly as long as you need cook the conventional grocery kind. Round it out with simple scallops and risotto (or just rice, or bread), and you’re all set.

Love to Cook: Scallops don’t need much fuss; this simple recipe from Food 52 proves it. Although traditionally paired with heartier meat, saffron risotto works just as well with scallops or other seafood. (Risotto might actually be the best comfort food of all time, with cheese grits coming in a close second.) Round it out with simple steamed broccoli – if you get it from the farmers market, it won’t need anything but a touch of salt.

Weeknight Reality: If scallops are too expensive for a weeknight dinner, a firm white fish would be a good substitute. Here’s a recipe for that – one that has more flavors in it, so pairing with plain jasmine rice or even rice noodles would work.

Need a Miracle: Look for pre-marinated fish, or scallops – all you have to do it cook, which will take minutes. Pair with quick-cooking rice noodles and flash-steamed broccoli (bagged florets will work, if you’re not up for hunting down fresh broccoli), dinner can be ready in a flash.

Fingerlings

October 9, 2019October 7, 2019Leave a comment

Take a basic basic (burger and fries) and dress it up a bit, without too much extra work.

Instead of fries, upgrade to a quick potato salad that tastes great served warm. Most of the prep time is oven time (while you make the burgers), so you can get it done on a weeknight.

Use fingerling potatoes instead of anything more conventional. Yes, they look a little odd. Their flavor makes up for it.

Want to wing the potato salad instead of using a recipe? Quarter the potatoes, toss them in olive oil and salt, roast them in a hot oven for 25 minutes, then mix with Duke’s mayonnaise, a dash of cider vinegar, a chopped spring onion or two, some diced Wickles pickles, kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper. Good stuff there. Serve it on a bed of bitter greens to go heavier on the plant content. Pair with a burger (add blue cheese to beef, or maybe some green chile to turkey), and you’ve got a soul-satisfying dinner that’s easy and beyond basic.

Love to Cook: If you have the time and inclination, this recipe for blue cheese burgers with caramelized onions is worth the effort – especially when served on brioche. Since the burgers are so rich, this lighter potato salad recipe is a good companion.

Weeknight Reality: It’s hard to beat this simple blue cheese burger prep – it takes just minutes. Use the extra time (mostly roasting time) to make this tangy potato salad.

Need a Miracle: Same burger recipe as above; you’ll probably have to opt for purchased potato salad if you’re really in the ‘need a miracle’ mode; another option would be just to wash, halve/quarter, toss in olive oil and roast the potatoes while you’re making the burgers – takes only 20 minutes. Serve them plain instead of making potato salad.