I assume there are quite a few moms reading, so I’m going to curry favor by saying something nice about mine. My mom is a fantastic cook, and the only thing better than her skill is her curiosity. When I was a kid, she made one new recipe each week for our family, clipping recipes from Bon Appétit, Sunset magazine and The San Francisco Chronicle. Of course, I didn’t appreciate her love of cooking back then, because I was a kid and would have sold my soul for some Lunchables.
As an adult, however, I understand how impressive this “try something new all the time” attitude is, and have been inspired to do the same for my household of two. So this week I’m sharing five New York Times Cooking recipes that have caught my eye and I want to make in the near future. They’re all easy and fast and look so, so delicious. Shall we?
1. Golden Tofu Noodle Bowl
Fresh and brimming with crisp textures, this Vietnamese-style rice noodle bowl is inspired by bun cha, the pork and vermicelli dish from Hanoi. This vegan version offers golden cubes of turmeric-coated tofu, served with crunchy raw vegetables and a zesty dipping sauce. The sauce is a vegan take on the Vietnamese staple nuoc cham sauce, relying upon lime, maple syrup, soy sauce and garlic to replicate the complex umami and signature sour-sweet-spicy notes of the original. Serve with the sauce on the side, so each person can dress the salad to their liking. Don’t skimp on the herbs, as they add an essential herbal aroma to the dish.
By Hetty Lui McKinnon
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
For the Salad
- Salt and black pepper
- 8 ounces rice vermicelli noodles
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 (15-ounce) block extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 medium carrots (about 5 ounces), coarsely grated
- 2 Persian cucumbers, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch slices
- 1/2 head (about 6 ounces) romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- 1 handful fresh basil leaves, for serving
- 1 handful fresh cilantro leaves, for serving
For the Vegan Nuoc Cham
- 1/2 cup lime juice (from about 4 limes)
- 5 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 Thai red chile, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
Preparation:
1. Start the salad: Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the rice noodles and cook according to package instructions until tender, using a wooden chopstick or tongs to gently separate the noodles. Drain, refresh under cold water, and drain again.
2. Meanwhile, add the olive oil, turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt and a big pinch of black pepper to a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add the tofu and toss gently to coat.
3. Heat a medium skillet on medium high for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tofu cubes and cook until golden all over, about 2 minutes per side (depending upon the size of your pan, you may need to cook in batches).
4. Make the vegan nuoc cham: Place the lime juice, maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, Thai chile and salt into a bowl and whisk to combine.
5. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the noodles, season with a pinch of salt and toss them to loosen them up. Divide the noodles among four wide bowls or rimmed dinner plates. Nestle bundles of the tofu, carrots, cucumbers and lettuce on top, along with small handfuls of peanuts, basil and cilantro. Serve with a bowl of the nuoc cham on the side.
Tip: The noodle bowls and the sauce can all be prepared 24 hours ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to serve. Since the sauce is not added until the time of eating, everything stays fresh and crisp.
2. Tangy Chicken, Tomato and Couscous Salad
This salad gathers all the great parts of a tagine dinner onto one bowl or plate: fluffy, spiced couscous, sweet, chewy prunes and savory bites of chicken. The “salad” part of the dish is a crown of marinated cherry tomatoes, which add juicy, cooling bites. Heating finely chopped rotisserie chicken in salted water creates an instant stock of sorts to plump the couscous, and extracts and distributes even more savory flavor throughout the dish when time is scarce.
By Ashley Lonsdale
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes, halved (4 cups)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 cups cooked chicken, finely chopped (about 8 ounces)
- 8 sun-dried tomato halves packed in olive oil, roughly chopped, plus 1/4 cup olive oil from the jar (or more extra-virgin olive oil as needed)
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped dried fruit, such as pitted prunes, raisins, apricots or dates
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups couscous
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
- 2 tablespoons capers, plus 2 to 3 teaspoons caper brine
Preparation:
1. In a medium bowl, toss the cherry tomatoes with salt, pepper, parsley and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil reserved from the sun-dried tomato jar. Set aside.
2. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of sun-dried tomato oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add the chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, prunes, cumin and ginger and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until sizzling and fragrant. Add the water, bring to a boil over high heat and season the liquid with salt to taste. Stir in the couscous, cover, remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes, until liquid is fully absorbed.
3. Fluff the couscous-chicken mixture with a fork and stir in the lemon juice, capers and caper brine. Spoon the warm couscous and chicken onto a platter and top with the marinated tomatoes.
3. Brothy Corn and Salmon Chowder
Filled with tender pieces of salmon, sweet corn kernels, and cubed potatoes and tomatoes, this lovely soup is both satisfying and easy to make. In the summer, itap a perfect vehicle for fresh corn, and you can simmer the cobs in the broth to bolster the flavors. But itap just as good with frozen corn whenever you’re craving a light, herby soup with a horseradish kick.
By Melissa Clark
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds skinless salmon fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea or table salt, divided, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 teaspoons prepared horseradish, divided, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 1 pound small Yukon Gold or red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 quart vegetable broth
- 3 cups corn kernels (from 3 to 4 ears of corn, save the cobs), or use frozen corn
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or cubed plum tomatoes
- 1/4 cup chopped basil, dill or chives (or a combination)
- 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, more to taste
- Heavy cream or plain yogurt (or both), for serving (optional)
Preparation:
1. Season salmon lightly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a generous grinding of black pepper, then smear the pieces with 2 teaspoons horseradish. Set aside to marinate briefly.
2. In a soup pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots and 3/4 teaspoon salt, and cook until golden, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes, broth and corn cobs, if you have them, to the pot. Bring liquid to a simmer and let cook for 15 minutes; the potatoes should be almost cooked through.
4. Remove cobs from the pot if you’ve used them. If you like, you can let the cobs cool and squeeze their liquid back into the pot.
5. Add salmon, corn kernels and tomatoes to the pot and cook until the salmon is just cooked through and the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes longer.
6. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon horseradish, herbs and lemon juice. Taste and add more salt, horseradish and lemon, if needed.
7. Serve in bowls, drizzled with heavy cream or dolloped with a little yogurt (or both), if you like.
4. Chermoula Bean Salad
Chermoula, the North African green sauce made of soft herbs, ground spices and chile, is often eaten with seafood, but it also adds brightness and warmth to this no-cook, vegan bean salad. The robust chermoula, which comes together in the food processor, and canned butter beans take it into real meal territory. You can make it ahead, and the crunchy carrots and chewy dates make it fun to eat. Eat this for lunch or dinner with something creamy like yogurt, hummus or burrata, as well as greens, grains or a grilled protein.
By Ali Slagle
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 packed cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 1 packed cup parsley leaves and tender stems
- 1 serrano chile, roughly chopped (seeds removed if desired)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/3 cup lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt
- 2 (15-ounce) cans butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced into bite-size rounds or half-moons
- 3 Medjool dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
Preparation:
1. In a food processor, pulse the cilantro, parsley, serrano and garlic until finely chopped. Add the paprika, cumin, lemon juice, olive oil and a big pinch of salt. Pulse until saucy. (Makes 1 cup.)
2. In a large bowl, combine the sauce, beans, carrots and dates. Stir to combine, then taste for salt. Salad will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days refrigerated.
5. Harissa Shrimp With Greens and Feta
For any ingredient lucky enough to float its way, harissa offers so much beyond the bright red tint it lends. A fruity concentrate of pureed peppers, garlic, spices and oil, this jammy paste deepens in flavor once itap kissed by the heat of a broiler. This sheet pan shrimp dish, complete with roasted greens and topped with fresh avocado, feta, onion and cilantro, can be a quick lunch or light dinner. The shrimp is marinated briefly here, but if you have time, you can cover and refrigerate the shrimp for up to 24 hours.
By Yewande Komolafe
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
- 1/4 cup harissa paste
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 limes, divided
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 bunch fresh chard or kale (about 8 ounces), leaves and stems chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium avocado, sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Couscous or rice (optional), for serving
Preparation:
1. Move a rack in the oven about 3 inches from the top. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, harissa, garlic, cumin and 1 tablespoon oil. Zest and juice 1 lime right into the bowl and cut the other into wedges and set wedges aside. Season shrimp mixture lightly with salt and pepper, toss and marinate for 10 minutes. (If you have time, you can cover and refrigerate the shrimp to marinate for 30 minutes and up to 12 hours for a deeper flavor.)
3. Place the greens on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss and coat the greens and spread in an even layer. Pour 1/2 cup water into the baking sheet.
4. Roast on the top rack, rotating once and stirring with a pair of tongs, until the greens are wilted and stems softened with a slight crunch, about 10 minutes. Move the greens to one side of the baking sheet and turn the oven setting to broil.
5. Add the shrimp in a single layer on the other side and drizzle the shrimp and greens with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
6. Broil on the top rack, rotating the pan once, until the shrimp are just cooked, brown around the edges and the greens are brown in spots, 8 to 10 minutes.
7. Toss the shrimp and greens together. Top with avocado, onions, feta and cilantro. Serve immediately, over couscous or rice if you’d like, with lime wedges for squeezing.
This article originally appeared in .
