What do you cook when you decide to do something nice for yourself for dinner, something a little fancy — or that just feels a little fancy? I know what I’ll be making next time: our new recipe for chicken au poivre, a steakless version of the irresistibly peppery classic. Serve it with egg noodles, a green salad and a bottle of red wine. Be good to yourself! You’re worth it!
1. Chicken au Poivre
Chicken au poivre. Kay Chun’s version uses chicken thighs (more affordable, lower stakes, easier to get right). Food styled by Cyd Raftus McDowell. (Armando Rafael/The New York Times)
This playful take on steak au poivre features chicken thighs that are pan-fried until golden, then simmered in a peppery pan sauce until tender and juicy. The caramelized browned bits left on the bottom of the skillet from searing the chicken add deeper flavor to the sauce. Although cognac is often used in classic au poivre, there is no booze in this version. Instead, a kick of lemon juice brightens the rich, velvety sauce. Serve the chicken over egg noodles or with crusty bread to sop up all that sauce. Tuck any leftovers into sandwich rolls with lettuce and tomato, or chop and toss with pasta and grated Parmesan for a quick lunch.
By Kay Chun
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
Salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 thyme sprigs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, plus more for garnishing
Crusty bread or egg noodles (optional), for serving
DIRECTIONS
Place peppercorns in a small resealable bag. Using a mallet or the bottom of a saucepan, gently crush the peppercorns until coarsely cracked. (Alternatively, you can use a mortar and pestle.) Set aside.
In a 12-inch cast-iron or other heavy skillet, heat oil over medium. Season chicken with salt. In two batches, sear chicken until light golden all over, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate. Pour off any remaining oil in the skillet.
Add butter and shallot to the skillet and cook, stirring, until butter is melted and shallot is softened, 1 minute. Add broth, heavy cream, thyme sprigs and cracked peppercorns and mix well, stirring to lift up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
Add chicken (and any accumulated juices), bring to a simmer and cook, turning and basting occasionally with the sauce, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees, 6 to 8 minutes.
Divide chicken among 4 serving plates and discard thyme.
Add lemon juice to the skillet and stir until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and stir in parsley.
Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with more parsley. Serve with crusty bread or egg noodles, if desired.
2. Soy Sauce Noodles With Cabbage and Fried Eggs
This version of soy sauce noodles, an iconic Cantonese dish commonly enjoyed for breakfast or lunch at dim sum, is hearty enough for dinner, too. While the traditional dish features bean sprouts and often garlic chives, this recipe uses cabbage, which provides a lovely textural crunch, and plenty of scallions for an aromatic punch. The soy sauce seasoning is a simple mix of regular and dark soy sauce (or lăochōu in Cantonese). It gives the noodles its signature deep color. If you can’t find dark soy sauce, tamari works well, too. This dish is traditionally made with thin egg noodles, but in a pinch, any dried wheat noodles will do the job.
By Hetty Lui McKinnon
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
For the noodles:
Kosher salt
7 ounces dried (or 16 ounces fresh) thin egg noodles
Neutral oil, such as vegetable or grapeseed
4 large eggs
1/2 small green cabbage (1 1/2 pounds), core removed then thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions (about 8 stems), white and green parts separated and cut into 2-inch segments
White pepper
Toasted white sesame seeds, optional
For the soy sauce seasoning:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce (or tamari)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
DIRECTIONS
Prepare the noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and stir to loosen them up. Cook according to package instructions until just tender, then rinse under running water until cold. Drain and set aside.
Make the seasoning: Mix together the soy sauce, dark soy sauce and sesame oil along with 3 tablespoons of water. Set aside.
Finish the noodles: Heat a wok or large well-seasoned cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium high. When hot, add a drizzle of oil and crack in the eggs, adding however many will comfortably fit in your pan; you may need to work in batches. Reduce the heat to medium and fry until the edges are frizzled, the whites are set and the yolk is cooked to your liking. Season with a pinch of salt. Remove and repeat with the remaining eggs. Set aside.
To the same pan, add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the cabbage and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Toss the cabbage until it has softened and reduced significantly in size, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the white part of the scallions and toss for 2 minutes until they have softened. Add the noodles and soy sauce seasoning, and toss for 2 minutes until well coated. Add the green parts of scallions and toss for 1 to 2 minutes until wilted. Turn off the heat and add 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper.
To serve, place noodles in serving bowls and top with toasted sesame seeds, if using, and a fried egg.
3. One-Pan Shrimp Scampi With Crispy Gnocchi
One-pan shrimp scampi with crispy gnocchi. Garlicky, buttery scampi sauce meets crispy, chewy gnocchi – a primo pairing that just makes sense, courtesy of Melissa Clark. Food styled by Hadas Smirnoff. (Kate Sears/The New York Times)
The best part of shrimp scampi is arguably the garlicky sauce, usually poured over pasta or mopped up with bread. This recipe offers another take: Pillows of potato gnocchi are crisped in a skillet that is then used to cook the shrimp. The gnocchi add heft, and their soft yet chewy texture goes nicely with the springiness of the shrimp. Serve this with a big green salad to round out the meal.
By Melissa Clark
Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 pound gnocchi (fresh, frozen or shelf-stable)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
1/2 cup dry white wine (or clam juice, or broth)
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
1 pound large or extra-large shrimp, shelled (deveined, if you like)
1 lemon
1/2 cup chopped parsley
DIRECTIONS
In a large, preferably nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Add gnocchi to the pan, breaking up any that are stuck together. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, tossing every 1 to 2 minutes, so they get golden and crispy all over. Transfer to a bowl or plate.
In the same skillet over medium-high, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and all of the butter, letting it melt for a few seconds. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add wine, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and all of the red-pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, and let the wine reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
Add shrimp and sauté until they just start to turn pink, 2 to 3 minutes, depending on their size.
Return gnocchi to the pan and add another 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using a Microplane or other fine grater, grate the zest from the lemon into the pan. Add parsley, tossing well. If your pan looks dry, add a splash of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing to combine, then remove pan from the heat.
Cut the naked lemon in two and squeeze in the juice from one half, gently tossing to combine. Taste and add more salt if you like. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges for serving.
Top with more olive oil and more red-pepper flakes, if you’d like, and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
4. Bean and Cheese Burritos
Bean and cheese burritos. This hand-held dinner from Kay Chun is easy to make using canned refried beans, and perfect for kids with its oozing cheese. Props styled by Megan Hedgepeth. Food styled by Hadas Smirnoff. (Linda Xiao/The New York Times)
Mexican refried beans are a cinch to make at home on a weeknight, thanks to some staple pantry items and a few basic fresh ingredients. Buttery canned pinto beans are perfect in this dish, breaking down into a creamy, silky mixture. (Black beans would also work great.) While the beans are often fried in lard or bacon drippings, this vegetarian version builds flavor with caramelized onion, bell pepper, garlic and smoked paprika instead. Pico de gallo adds a touch of tang to counter the rich beans. Pan-frying the wrapped burritos guarantees a golden, irresistibly crispy exterior and an interior that oozes with melted cheese.
By Kay Chun
Yield: 6 burritos
Total time: 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons safflower or canola oil
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion (from 1/2 medium onion)
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper (from 1/2 pepper)
Salt and black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, 1/2 cup of bean liquid reserved and the rest drained
1/2 cup store-bought or homemade pico de gallo or salsa
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
6 (9- to 10-inch) flour tortillas
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar (8 ounces)
Sour cream and hot sauce, for serving
DIRECTIONS
In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium. Add onion and bell pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden and tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, 1 minute. Add pinto beans, pico de gallo, smoked paprika, reserved bean liquid and 1/2 cup of water, and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring and mashing occasionally with a potato masher or the back of a spoon, until liquid is absorbed and mixture is thick, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer refried beans to a bowl, and wipe out skillet.
Spread 1/2 cup of the refried beans in the center of each tortilla and top each with 1/3 cup of the cheese. Fold the short sides of the tortilla over the filling; fold the bottom of the tortilla up and over the filling and tightly roll.
In the skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium. Add 3 burritos seam side down and cook until golden, turning occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to serving plates and repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 3 burritos. Serve warm with sour cream and hot sauce on the side.
5. Sheet-Pan Sausages and Brussels Sprouts With Honey Mustard
Sheet-pan sausages and brussels sprouts with honey mustard. This is a dinner for all ages, and the addition of honey mustard is what makes it an amazing one. Food styled by Monica Pierini. (Linda Xiao/The New York Times)
This hearty pan of sticky, honey mustard-glazed sausages, Brussels sprouts and potatoes only adds to the argument that sheet-pan dinners make the best weeknight meals. As the sausages roast, they yield a delicious fat that coats and seasons the caramelized vegetables. Use any fresh sausage you like, as long as it pairs well with the honey mustard. Feel free to substitute or add other vegetables like squash, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, carrots or cabbage. The mustard seeds and nuts provide texture and crunch, but leave them out if you prefer.
By Ali Slagle
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 pound fresh sausage, such as sweet or hot Italian, or bratwurst
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1 pound small potatoes, like baby Yukon gold or red potatoes, halved
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds (optional)
1/4 cup almonds or walnuts, chopped (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 450 degrees, and place a sheet pan in the oven. Score the sausages in a few places on both sides, making sure not to cut all the way through. Transfer to a large bowl with the Brussels sprouts, potatoes and 2 tablespoons olive oil, and stir until coated. (If the mixture seems dry, add a little more oil.) Season with salt and pepper.
Spread the mixture in an even layer on the heated baking sheet, and arrange the vegetables cut-sides down. Roast 15 minutes, until the Brussels sprouts and potatoes start to soften. (The sausages will not be cooked through yet.)
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the honey, mustard and mustard seeds, if using.
Drizzle the honey mustard over the sausages and vegetables, and toss or shake to coat. Flip the sausages. Sprinkle with almonds, if using. Roast until the sausages are cooked through and the vegetables are golden and tender, another 10 minutes or so. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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