Every year, there’s the song of the summer. The drink of the summer. And now, the noodles of the summer.
The timing is ideal for these cold peanut ginger noodles from Melissa Clark, streaming as we are toward the Fourth of July and all the barbecues and other hangs that come with it. Melissa makes a powerful case for this dish as a side, but you should also consider it as a main. The dressing contains a full cup of crunchy peanut butter, which provides protein, though you could also increase the dressing and toss cubes of seared tofu or shreds of rotisserie chicken in with the noodles.
That recipe is below, along with four others for the week.
1. Cold Peanut Ginger Noodles
This is a simple, streamlined version of the classic cold noodle dish. A combination of crunchy peanut butter and sesame oil gives the dressing an earthy nuttiness, which contrasts with the heat of chile crisp and tanginess of lime juice. But the real draw is a sprinkling of chopped crystallized ginger, which adds sweet-spicy chewiness amid the noodles and cucumbers. You can make this a few days in advance: It holds up very well in the fridge. Just toss well before serving since the dressing tends to pool at the bottom of the container.
By Melissa Clark
Yield: 6 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- Salt, for the pot
- 16 ounces Chinese egg noodles, spaghetti or linguine
- 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce, more as needed
- 2 tablespoons chile crisp, more to taste
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced cucumber
- 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger, more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, more to taste
- Chopped cilantro or basil (optional), for serving
Preparation:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to package instructions. Drain, reserving about 2/3 cup of starchy pasta water.
2. While the pasta cooks, in a large bowl, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, chile crisp, sesame oil and ginger. Whisk in enough of the pasta water to make a loose, smooth dressing.
3. Add the cucumber slices to the bowl on top of the dressing, but don’t mix in. Drizzle cucumber lightly with a little more soy sauce.
4. Add the drained pasta, scallions, crystallized ginger and lime juice to the bowl and toss well, adding more pasta water if needed to make a glossy dressing. Taste and add more chile crisp, soy sauce and lime juice as needed. Top with cilantro and extra ginger if you like, then serve.
2. Tomato Basil Chicken Breasts
This chicken takes a cue from piccata then heads in a decidedly summery direction: A quick pan sauce of butter, shallots, tomatoes, capers and a splash of red wine vinegar turns rich, juicy, and bright — just the thing to spoon over the top. A handful of fresh basil at the end wilts gently in the heat of the sauce. No lemon here, but the vibes are still tangy, savory, and buttery. There’s plenty of sauce, so pair with bread or rice to help soak it all up.
By Christian Reynoso
Yield: 2 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3/4 pound) or 1 large chicken breast, halved horizontally
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons diced shallots (about 1 medium shallot)
- 12 ounces assorted tomatoes, small ones halved and medium and large cut in wedges
- 1 tablespoon capers in brine, drained
- 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- Plenty of basil leaves (large leaves torn), for serving
Preparation:
1. Season the chicken breasts all over with salt and pepper. Add the flour to a shallow bowl or plate. Dredge the chicken by placing it in the flour, then turning to coat all sides evenly.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium. When the mixture is bubbling, shake off any excess flour from the chicken and add to the skillet. Cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip the pieces over and continue cooking until cooked through, about 4 more. Transfer the chicken to two serving plates.
3. Add the shallots to the pan and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly caramelized, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and 1/3 cup water (this helps create more sauce and helps the tomatoes cook more quickly). Simmer until the sauce is reduced by about half, about 3 minutes.
4. Stir in the capers, the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the vinegar. Turn off the heat and season with salt.
5. To serve, top the chicken with the basil leaves and the tomato sauce and season with black pepper.
3. Crispy Coconut Salmon
This simple roast salmon recipe nods to coconut shrimp, omnipresent in the coastal towns of Florida and other tropical climates. A blanket of freshly toasted, honey-sweetened shredded coconut and panko creates a crunchy, golden-brown crust fused together by a single egg white. If the crust does not darken to a golden-brown hue by the time the salmon just cooks through, a minute or two under the broiler will ensure it crosses the finish line. A refreshing mix of chives, fresh chile and lime juice accompanies the juicy fillets instead of the traditional sweet chile sauce. Serve this dish with a buttery rice pilaf and cabbage salad to round out the meal.
By Ashley Lonsdale
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
For the salmon
- 1/2 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
- 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on or skinless, depending on your preference
For the chive-chile sauce
- 1/4 cup minced chives or scallions
- 1 bird’s-eye chile, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation:
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. (For skillet instructions, see Tip.)
2. Prepare the salmon topping: In a medium bowl, mix together the shredded coconut, panko and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season the mixture with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few cranks of black pepper. Spread the coconut breadcrumbs in a thin, even layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely, until golden and fragrant. (Itap fine if there are lighter patches — the breadcrumbs will have a second chance to darken once they join forces with the salmon.)
3. While the breadcrumbs cool slightly, whisk together the honey, egg white and lime zest in a small bowl. Add the breadcrumbs and mix until fully combined.
4. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Pat the salmon dry, rub with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper on all sides and place them skin-side down on the foil-lined baking sheet. Press the coconut-panko mixture into a thick layer on top of each fillet.
5. Roast for 7 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets, until the salmon is just cooked through and the coconut crust is deep golden brown. If the coconut crust is not golden brown at the end of the cook time, set the oven to broil for about 1 minute to deepen the color and encourage a crispy finish.
6. While the salmon roasts, make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the chives, chile, lime juice, garlic, honey and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Allow the salmon to rest for a few minutes. Serve hot, drizzled with the chive-chile sauce.
Tip: This recipe can also be made in a cast-iron skillet. On the stove over medium heat, toast the shredded coconut, panko and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet, then proceed with preparing the coconut breadcrumb topping. Wipe out the skillet and briefly heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the pan, swirling to coat, before laying the fillets skin side down in the skillet and roasting as directed.
4. Silken Tofu With Peanut Chile Crisp
Custard-soft silken tofu becomes a weeknight stunner when smothered in a quick homemade chile crisp, creating an irresistible interplay of disparate textures. Toasted peanuts add crunch, while the unexpected addition of panko creates delicate crispness in every bite. The chile crisp comes together quickly using an “oil sizzle” technique used in Chinese cooking, in which hot oil is poured over aromatics — here, cinnamon, star anise, chile flakes and garlic — to bloom their potent flavors in seconds. Soy sauce, rice vinegar and agave nectar round things out with salty-savory, tangy and lightly sweet notes. Serve as a starter with spoons for scooping, or spoon over hot rice for a satisfying meal that contrasts both textures and temperatures.
By Nisha Vora
Yield: 6 to 8 appetizer servings (or 3 to 4 main-dish servings)
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts (salted or unsalted), finely chopped
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
- 1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick, broken in half
- 1 whole star anise
- 2 teaspoons Sichuan chile flakes or gochugaru (see Tips)
- 4 garlic cloves, finely grated or finely minced
- 1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
- 2 (12- to 16-ounce) packages silken tofu, refrigerated (see Tips)
- 1/4 cup/56 grams neutral-flavored oil of choice, such as avocado oil or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- Hot white rice, for serving (optional)
Preparation:
1. Heat a small or medium frying pan over medium heat until hot, then add the peanuts, panko and sesame seeds. Stir frequently until the sesame seeds and panko are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.
2. In a small to medium heatproof bowl, layer the cinnamon stick halves, star anise, chile flakes and finally the grated garlic. Set this bowl near your stove and place the finely chopped cilantro next to the bowl.
3. Arrange the blocks of tofu on a large plate or a shallow bowl with a lip (see Tips for how to get silken tofu out of its package).
4. Once everything is prepped, heat the oil in your smallest saucepan over medium heat until it registers 350 degrees (this should take 3 to 4 minutes). If you don’t have a thermometer, add a piece of grated garlic to the oil — if it sizzles immediately, the oil is ready. Carefully pour the hot oil over the garlic mixture and let it sizzle, then immediately stir in the cilantro. Let rest for 1 minute, then use a spoon to pick out the cinnamon stick halves and star anise and discard.
5. Add the soy sauce, vinegar and agave to the infused oil, then pour everything over the peanut-panko mixture and stir well.
6. Carefully tip out any water that has accumulated underneath or around the tofu, then pour the chili crisp on top of the tofu, including all the liquid in the bowl. Dig in with spoons and serve with hot rice, if desired.
Tips
Sichuan chile flakes are a medium-hot vibrant red chile flake with a toasty flavor. They are not the same as Sichuan peppercorns, which have a citrusy flavor and a numbing, tingly quality. For mild heat, use gochugaru (Korean chile flakes). You can purchase both at East Asian grocery stores or online; some well-stocked grocers sell gochugaru as well.
Silken tofu is sold both in shelf-stable aseptic packages and in the refrigerated section with block tofu. You can choose either, though the latter is preferable for both flavor and texture.
If your silken tofu is tightly packed in its container, invert the package and use scissors or a paring knife to snip off a little piece at each of the four corners to create some air; slice open the front packaging wrapper; invert the plate or bowl on top of the tofu, carefully flip over and gently wiggle the package to slide the tofu onto the plate. Repeat with the second block of tofu. If your tofu is packed in water, drain it and invert the tofu onto the plate or bowl. If the tofu breaks apart, don’t worry, as it will taste the same, and you can just slice the tofu into large cubes.
5. Hot-Sauce Shrimp
So much more than a condiment for your morning eggs, hot sauce can add kick to dips, soups, marinades, sauces and more. Because most include vinegar and salt in addition to chiles, all hot sauce needs to become a silky pan sauce is fat. Thatap the approach used in this super-quick recipe, which tastes like a cross between Buffalo chicken wings and chile shrimp. After charring some scallions in the skillet, shrimp are cooked until plump and pink, then both are tossed with butter and hot sauce until glossy. Because hot sauces vary greatly in terms of heat, start with one tablespoon, then add more as you wish. If itap too spicy for you, add more butter, or serve it with rice, crusty bread, beer, yogurt or ranch dressing to cut the heat.
By Ali Slagle
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined or shell-on
- Kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (like vegetable or grapeseed), plus more as needed
- 6 scallions, trimmed, white and green parts cut crosswise into 1-inch segments
Preparation:
1. Pat the shrimp dry and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Put the butter and hot sauce in a large bowl.
2. Heat the oil in a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet over high. Add the scallions and cook until softened and browned in spots, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the scallions to the bowl with the butter and hot sauce.
3. Add the shrimp to the skillet in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, adding more oil if the pan is dry. Flip and cook until opaque all the way through, 1 to 2 minutes more.
4. Transfer the shrimp and any juices to the butter, hot sauce and scallions. Toss vigorously until the butter is melted and the shrimp is glossy. Taste, and add more hot sauce and salt as needed.
This article originally appeared in .
