By Emily Weinstein, The New York Times
The temperature in New York climbed close to 50 degrees last week. That was warmer, yes, but spring is still not here. Here are recipes for the drawn-out shoulder season — some very fast for anyone who’s done with cooking for the moment, others vaguely springy but still hearty. Nothing too heavy, all of it bright and satisfying, even if you live in a warmer place.
Skillet Hot Honey Chicken With Hearty Greens
I made this recipe for dinner recently, and it was great. Cooking the chicken on the stove got us a nice sear on the skin, but the greens, tossed in the pan schmaltz with honey and cider vinegar, were what we really loved. We ate it drizzled with bottled hot honey, although any hot sauce would do, and biscuits would be ideal on the side.
By: Ali Slagle
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 to 6 thighs)
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small hot chile, thinly sliced (such as jalapeño, Fresno or serrano), or to taste
- 1 large bunch or head of hearty greens, such as escarole, mustard greens or kale (about 6 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Preparation
1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, then season both sides with salt and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil into a large skillet, then add the chicken thighs skin side down.
2. Set over medium heat and cook, without moving them, until the skin is crisp and deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. If you can’t stand leaving the chicken untouched for this long, use your tongs to press the chicken down into the pan, which promotes even browning.
3. Flip the thighs over and swirl the chile into the rendered chicken fat. Cook until the meat is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, stem and tear the hearty greens into big bite-size pieces. In a big bowl, toss them with salt and pepper.
5. Transfer the chicken to serving plates, leaving the fat in the pan. Off the heat, stir the honey and vinegar into the fat until the honey’s melted and everything’s combined. Dress the greens with enough of the sauce to lightly coat, seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. (Feel free to eat the chile peppers or leave them behind.) Serve the chicken with the salad, spooning more sauce over the chicken and salad as desired.
Vegan Coconut-Ginger Black Beans
The combination of beans and coconut is woven throughout countless cuisines, found in dishes like frejon, for instance. That pairing inspired this recipe, a light and delicious vegan main course, and something you could vary or garnish any number of ways.
By: Ali Slagle
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin or coriander
- 1 (3-inch piece) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1 (13-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/2 cup plantain chips or toasted coconut flakes
- 1 teaspoon lime zest plus 2 tablespoons juice (from 1 lime)
- Hot sauce, for serving (optional)
Preparation
1. Rinse 1 can of black beans, and set aside. In a large saucepan, heat the coconut oil over medium. Add the cumin and half of the ginger and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the rinsed black beans and the remaining whole can of black beans (including the liquid), and the coconut milk; season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are soft and the mixture is flavorful, 15 to 20 minutes. (If you want a thicker consistency, smash some of beans with the back of a spoon as the mixture cooks, and simmer longer.)
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, crumble the plantain chips into bite-size pieces. Add the lime zest and a few generous grinds of black pepper, and stir to combine.
4. Remove the beans from the heat. Stir in the remaining ginger and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the lime juice a little at a time until the beans taste bright but the coconut flavor is still rich. Top with the seasoned plantain chips and serve with hot sauce for more kick.
Pasta With Green Puttanesca
An ode to spring in pasta form, this recipe takes the olives, anchovies and garlic of classic versions, removes the tomatoes and adds spinach. The sauce comes together in the time it takes for the water to boil and the spaghetti to cook — the best kind of weeknight pasta dish.
By: Melissa Clark
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 pound spaghettini or spaghetti
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 10 anchovy fillets
- 1/4 cup drained capers
- 1 cup pitted and sliced green Cerignola or Picholine olives
- 10 fat green garlic cloves, peeled, sliced 1/4-inch thick or use 8 regular garlic cloves
- 1/3 cup chopped scallions including greens
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 12 cups baby spinach leaves (11 ounces)
- 1/2 cup torn basil leaves
Preparation
1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is not quite al dente, 5 to 8 minutes. Reserve a cup of cooking water, then drain the pasta.
2. While the pasta is cooking, warm 1/4 cup of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the anchovies and capers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the capers start to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup oil, olives, garlic, scallions and red pepper flakes; increase heat to high if using green garlic (leave it at medium high for regular garlic) and cook until garlic is golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the pasta and toss for 1 minute. Add a splash of pasta cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Season with salt, if necessary. Toss in the basil leaves.
Shrimp Étouffée
This shortcut version of étouffée uses shrimp instead of crawfish and omits the traditional roux. The resulting dish is no less alive, the celery-onion-bell pepper sauce flavored with peppery Creole seasoning.
By: Vallery Lomas
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce, or to taste
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons store-bought or homemade Creole seasoning (see tip)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 scallion, green parts chopped
- White rice, for serving
Preparation
1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery and bell pepper, and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 more minute.
2. Sprinkle the flour over the ingredients and stir constantly until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, and stir and cook for 1 more minute.
3. Pour in the stock and 3/4 cup water. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the hot sauce, bay leaf, Creole seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, and cook until the mixture starts to thicken, about 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the shrimp and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer until the shrimp is cooked through and opaque, about 5 minutes, turning each piece halfway through. Remove from the heat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle the scallions on top. Serve warm over rice.
TIP: To make your own Creole seasoning, combine 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon chile powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or less, if desired), 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl and stir together. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
