I recently wrote about a specific variety of cooking burnout: You don’t mind being in the kitchen, but you’re out of ideas for what to actually do in there. Several of you wrote in with your own antidotes, including digging around not for new ideas, but for recipes you used to love that you haven’t made in many years. (For me, Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi’s chicken with caramelized onion and cardamom rice, from the cookbook “Jerusalem,” immediately springs to mind.)
This is a great suggestion. It reminds you that food is more than sustenance, that recipes carry memories and that even the mundane, day-to-day ones can be happy. It can be enough to bring you back to the stove.
Still, we’re in the ideas business here at New York Times Cooking, sharing new dishes to cook and helping you figure out what to make every day.
For instance, new to me: my Times colleague Melissa Clark’s suggestion that you can instantly turn marmalade into a drink by heating it with water until itap syrupy, then mixing it with seltzer or more water and ice. And for everyday use, we have a collection of our top-rated recipes that use boneless chicken breasts, including Ali Slagle’s five-star recipe for fajitas below. That one goes out to everyone who feels we are too into chicken thighs over here and clamors for recipes that use white meat.
1. Chicken Fajitas
You might think fajitas are too fussy for a weeknight, but this easy, foolproof version roasts on a sheet pan and can be ready in an hour. Because the ingredients are thinly sliced, everything cooks in a flash — and with little attention required. Smoked paprika, chipotle chiles and a quick stop under the broiler provide the smoky flavor that would traditionally come from the grill. This recipe is very adaptable: Chicken is called for here, but you could also use shrimp or skirt steak. For a vegetarian version, substitute fresh corn kernels, mushrooms, poblano peppers or zucchini for the meat. Cut the vegetables into sizes you’d want in a taco, coat them in the lime-chipotle marinade, roast until cooked, then broil until charred.
By Ali Slagle
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lime, zested and juiced (about 2 teaspoons zest and 2 tablespoons juice)
- 1 to 2 chipotle chiles in adobo, to taste, coarsely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin or crushed cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
- 3 bell peppers, any color or a combination
- 1 large red onion
- 8 flour tortillas, plus more as needed
Preparation:
1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together 4 tablespoons oil, the lime zest and juice, chipotle chiles, cumin and paprika with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the chicken, toss to coat and set aside to marinate while you prepare the vegetables.
2. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise, remove stem and seeds and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Peel and halve the onion and cut it into 1/4-inch slices. On a sheet pan, toss the bell peppers and onion with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. Gently shaking off excess marinade as you go, transfer the chicken to a second sheet pan. Roast the chicken and vegetables until the chicken is cooked through and the peppers are soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Once the chicken is out of the oven, move an oven rack close to the broiler. Turn on the broiler and transfer the sheet pan of vegetables to the rack. Broil until charred to your liking, 2 to 5 minutes.
5. While the vegetables are broiling, place the tortillas directly on a free oven rack until warm, about 1 minute, flipping once halfway through. Wrap the tortillas in a kitchen towel or foil to keep them warm.
6. Serve chicken and vegetables with tortillas and desired toppings.
2. Cod With Caper-Orange Sauce
This simple fish dinner is all about contrast: tender, flaky white fish over a bed of spinach, paired with a vibrant, citrusy sauce thatap equal parts briny, sweet and gently spiced. The sauce comes together in minutes; olive oil gets infused with garlic, orange zest and turmeric, then balanced with vinegar, honey and plenty of chopped capers. The result is bright and aromatic, with just enough richness to coat the fish beautifully. The olive oil gives it a smooth, rounded depth, while a touch of butter ties everything together into a silky, golden sauce. Itap the kind of meal that feels fresh and nourishing but still quick enough for a weeknight. Serve it with rice, couscous or plenty of bread to soak up every last bit.
By Nargisse Benkabbou
Yield: 4 servings
Ready in: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- Grated zest of an orange, plus 1/4 cup orange juice (from 1 orange)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- Fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons nonpareil capers, chopped, plus whole ones for garnish
- 8 cups/11 ounces packed spinach leaves, stemmed and roughly torn if large, or use baby kale or chopped stemmed collard greens
- 4 (5- to 7-ounce) skinless cod fillets (or other white fish such as haddock or hake)
- 1 tablespoon butter
Preparation:
1. Make the caper orange sauce: In a medium bowl, add 3 tablespoons olive oil, the garlic, orange zest, orange juice, vinegar, honey, turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Use a fork to whisk until emulsified, then add the chopped capers. Set aside.
2. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the spinach and cook, tossing frequently, until just wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm.
3. Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt on all sides.
4. In the same pan over medium heat, pour the caper-orange sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the butter and keep stirring until it has melted.
5. Add the cod fillets and cook on one side, 2 to 4 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillets. Use a spatula to gently flip the fillets and continue cooking for another 2 to 4 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
6. Before serving, drain the spinach (if it has released any liquid) and spread across a large serving plate. Arrange the fish fillets on top and spoon the warm sauce over. Garnish with extra capers and serve immediately.
3. Pasta With Tomato-Poached Eggs
This pasta is a simple luxury: rich and satisfying after a busy day and even ideal for brunch on the weekend. It starts with a glossy, buttery tomato sauce, punchy with capers, that clings to the pasta and feels indulgent. Eggs are poached right in the sauce until just set, adding a velvety richness to every bite. The sauce is tossed with steaming spaghetti, then finished with a handful of torn basil and a splash of lush olive oil for a meal thatap elegant in its ease.
By Christian Reynoso
Yield: 4 servings
Ready in: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- Salt and pepper
- 2 large eggs (preferably at room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 shallot, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 1 teaspoon)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained if brined (rinsed if salt-packed)
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Fresh basil leaves, as desired, for serving
Preparation:
1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta according to package instructions until very al dente (about 2 minutes less than the instructions on the packaging) and drain. Crack each egg into a separate small bowl (this will make them easy to slide into the tomato sauce later).
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium (2- to 3-quart) saucepan over medium-low. Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and slightly golden at the edges, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, crushed red pepper and capers, and once aromatic, 15 to 30 seconds, stir in the tomatoes and butter. Season with salt and give a good stir.
3. Adjusting the heat as needed, bring the tomato sauce to a gentle simmer. Working with one egg at a time, slide the eggs into the saucepan so they have some space (1 to 2 inches) between them. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the eggs until the whites are set and the yolks are soft and still a little runny (or cook to your preferred doneness), about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a plate.
4. Add the drained pasta to the tomato sauce and cook, stirring regularly with tongs, until the sauce thickens slightly and the noodles are al dente, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and season with salt to taste.
5. Transfer the pasta to the serving plates or bowls and top with the poached eggs. Finish with black pepper, basil leaves and more olive oil drizzled over, if desired.
4. Gochujang Tofu, Squash and Brussels Sprouts Bowls
This roasted sheet-pan take on bibimbap drapes golden squash, Brussels sprouts and tofu in a gochujang-apple cider vinaigrette, then piles everything on top of nutty whole grains. Tossing the vegetables and tofu in the sauce, as opposed to spooning the sauce over bowls, ensures every nook soaks up the spicy tang. Thin slices of apple and shallot are in there too for bites of crisp freshness. And while the recipe calls for precubed butternut squash for ease, you can use any winter squash you have. Just cut it into 1/2-inch wedges or 1-inch cubes, and feel free to leave the peel on for another layer of texture.
By Ali Slagle
Yield: 4 servings
Ready in: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 1 (15-ounce) block extra-firm tofu
- 1 pound 1-inch cubes butternut squash (peeled or unpeeled)
- Salt
- 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 to 4 tablespoons gochujang
- 1 teaspoon gochugaru or other crushed red pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 crisp apple, like honeycrisp, fuji, or pink lady
- 1 shallot
- 4 cups cooked whole grains (such as farro or brown rice), warm or room temperature
- Toasted sesame seeds and cilantro, for serving (both optional)
Preparation:
1. Arrange a rack in the bottom of the oven and heat to 425 degrees. Cut the tofu in half lengthwise, then slice crosswise into 6 sections. (You’ll have 12 squares total.) Pat dry and transfer to a sheet pan.
2. Add the squash to the tofu and toss to coat with salt and 2 tablespoons oil. Spread in an even layer and roast for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, trim and halve the Brussels sprouts, or quarter if large.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup oil, vinegar, gochujang and gochugaru. Thinly slice the apple and shallot and add to the dressing, then taste a piece of apple and adjust seasonings with gochujang, gochugaru and salt until savory and spicy to your liking.
5. To the sheet pan, add the Brussels sprouts, 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch of salt. Use a spoon or spatula to spread into a single layer, arranging the sprouts cut sides down. Roast until the vegetables are tender and golden underneath, another 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Add everything on the sheet pan to the bowl of dressing. Toss to coat, then eat on top of grains, with a spoonful of the vinaigrette, plus sesame seeds and cilantro if you like.
5. Crispy Chickpeas With Beef
Related to a classic chili, this fast-cooking recipe combines legumes, meat and spices, with excellent results. This dish works equally well with canned or home-cooked chickpeas; if you like a bit more kick, double or triple the ancho chiles or chile powder. Turmeric or saffron also work well. Don’t want to use ground beef? Ground turkey, chicken or pork would sub in well here; add a little oil to the pan first. For a bit more flavor, add a clove or two of chopped garlic to the browning meat. The point is: improvise.
By Mark Bittman
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 to 1 pound ground beef or other meat
- 4 cups cooked chickpeas (about 1 28-ounce can), drained (reserve 1 cup liquid)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 ancho or chipotle chile, soaked, stemmed, seeded and minced; or 1 teaspoon good chile powder
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Minced cilantro or parsley for garnish (optional)
Preparation:
1. Turn heat to high under a large, deep skillet, and add meat a little at a time, breaking it into small pieces as you do. Stir and break up meat a bit more, then add chickpeas. Keep heat high and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until chickpeas begin to brown and pop, 5 to 10 minutes. Don’t worry if mixture sticks a bit, but if it begins to scorch, lower heat slightly.
2. Add cumin, chili or chili powder and garlic. Cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add reserved cooking liquid and stir, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits. Season with salt and pepper, then turn heat to medium-low. Continue to cook until mixture is no longer soupy but not dry.
3. Stir in olive oil, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Garnish if you like and serve immediately with rice or pita bread.
This article originally appeared in .
