The weather in New York last weekend offered a chilly, gray preview of the months to come. So at my house, we did the only rational thing: My husband lit a fire while I roasted a chicken.
I also baked an apple cake — part of my slow-going efforts to use up the 41 pounds of apples we brought home from apple picking a few weekends ago. (Not a typo: 41 pounds. In the orchard I am a woman possessed.) At least I’m well provisioned for Rosh Hashana cooking and baking — apples and honey are a sticky, tart and sweet tradition for the Jewish New Year, which is this week.
1. One-Pot Chicken and Rice With Caramelized Lemon
By Dan Pelosi
This simple one-pot chicken and rice dish is topped with caramelized lemon slices that add sweet flavor and texture. Thin slices of lemon are cooked in chicken fat and oil until their pulp dissolves, their pith sweetens and their rind softens to the point of being edible. Briny Castelvetrano olives and herby dried oregano are wrapped up in creamy rice and topped with juicy chicken thighs. Fresh parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top before serving add brightness and crunch.
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 55 minutes
INGREDIENTS
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Salt and black pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 lemons
1 cup pitted Castelvetrano or kalamata olives, smashed and roughly chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium shallot or 1/2 medium onion, minced
2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
4 cups (32 ounces) chicken broth
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley, for serving
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Use paper towels to pat the chicken thighs until dry on all sides. Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon each salt, pepper and dried oregano and a pinch of crushed red pepper.
Place a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and add oil. Let oil heat up for a few minutes. Add thighs to the pot, skin side down, and let cook undisturbed until they self-release from the bottom of the pot, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
Cut 1 lemon into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Add to the pot and cook until caramelized and softened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
Add the olives, garlic, shallot and 1 teaspoon each salt, pepper and dried oregano to the pot. Cook over medium-low heat, scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, add the rice and broth to the pot, stir to combine and cover until it comes to a boil, about 5 minutes.
Remove the pot from heat, add the browned chicken thighs on top of the rice, skin side up, then cover the chicken thighs with the lemon slices. Place the pot, covered, into the oven and bake until the rice and chicken are fully cooked, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve topped with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.
2. Crispy Gnocchi With Spinach and Feta
Hetty Lui McKinnon’s crispy gnocchi with spinach and feta. Put this schmaltzy, Mediterranean-ish recipe at the top of your fall cooking list. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. (Julia Gartland/The New York Times)
By Hetty Lui McKinnon
Inspired by the herbaceous and jaunty flavors of spanakopita, the savory, ever popular Greek pie, spinach and feta headline this textural gnocchi salad. The spinach is not cooked, but is simply massaged, which softens it while ensuring it maintains its leafy structure. Incorporating some feta to the spinach massage is a functional move — the salt in the feta helps to tenderize the leaves — but it also adds a hint of quiet luxury to this dish, as the leaves become coated with the creamy, briny cheese. Be heavy-handed with your herbs and lemon, as these bring boldness and freshness that play off the saltiness of the feta. Everyday shelf-stable gnocchi from your local supermarket is perfect for crisping in the pan; if you choose to use the frozen variety, no defrosting is required.
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
5 ounces baby spinach
6 ounces Greek feta, crumbled (about 1 cup)
1 lemon, halved
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 (16- to 17-ounce) package potato gnocchi (shelf-stable, fresh or frozen)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Big handful of chopped dill
Big handful of chopped mint
DIRECTIONS
Place the spinach into a large bowl. Add half of the feta, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a big pinch of salt; rub the ingredients vigorously into the spinach to tenderize it. Leave to sit and soften further while you cook the gnocchi.
Heat a large (about 12-inch) cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high; add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the gnocchi to the pan, breaking up any that are stuck together. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing every 2 minutes, until golden and crispy all over. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes; they will further crisp as they cool.
Add the gnocchi to the spinach, along with the red pepper, scallions, dill and mint. Drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add the remaining crumbled feta and toss to combine. Squeeze the remaining lemon juice over top and serve.
3. Malaay Qumbe (Coconut Fish Curry)
Malaay qumbe (coconut fish curry). Put this schmaltzy, Mediterranean-ish recipe at the top of your fall cooking list. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell. (Armando Rafael/The New York Times)
By Ifrah F. Ahmed
Variations of coconut fish curry abound up and down the Swahili Coast, so much so that the dish is often broadly referred to as East African fish curry. Although Somalia has the longest coastline in mainland Africa, seafood is not a prominent part of mainstream Somali cuisine. But you’ll find malaay qumbe in coastal Somali towns. This version of coconut fish curry leans heavily on xawaash, a spice blend that is at the heart of Somali cuisine. The mild heat from the xawaash’s black pepper balances beautifully with the sweet, cooling coconut milk and the acidity from the tomatoes. Serve over plain white rice, or soak up the creamy coconut gravy with a flatbread like muufo. Malaay qumbe would also work well on top of soor for a hearty meal of creamy spiced coconut fish and grits.
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 pound barramundi or other firm white fish (such as halibut or cod), preferably 2 to 3 pieces
1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large white onion, finely diced
2 large roma tomatoes, finely diced
3/4 cup cilantro leaves
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons xawaash (see Tip)
1 (14-ounce) can of unsweetened coconut milk
White rice, soor or flatbread (optional), for serving
DIRECTIONS
Season the fish with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt; set aside.
In a large pot over medium-high, heat oil until loose and rippling, about 1 minute.
Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until completely soft, about 8 minutes. When the onion is soft, stir in tomatoes and cover. Stir and smash down tomatoes every once in a while until they cook down completely, about 7 minutes.
When the tomatoes have disintegrated, stir in cilantro, garlic, xawaash, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, then the coconut milk. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the fish, making sure it’s immersed in the coconut milk. Cover and cook until the fish is tender, white and flaky, about 8 minutes. Take the curry off the burner as soon as the fish is done, so it doesn’t overcook.
Serve over rice, soor or accompanied by a flatbread of choice.
Tips: To prepare your own xawaash blend, add 8 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom to a small nonstick pan. Toast over low heat, stirring continuously, for 1 minute or until the spice mix becomes fragrant, then stir in 1 teaspoon ground turmeric. (This makes 4 tablespoons xawaash.)
4. Honey-Habanero Pork Chops With Carrots
Honey-habanero pork chops with carrots. Put this schmaltzy, Mediterranean-ish recipe at the top of your fall cooking list. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. (Armando Rafael/The New York Times)
By Ali Slagle
In this sweet-and-spicy skillet dinner, lean boneless pork chops and carrots are glossed in a simple yet impactful trio of honey, habanero chiles and lime. The combination of ingredients is classic throughout the Yucatán, like in cochinita pibil, for a reason. Habanero chiles and honey are hot and sweet, sure, but they’re also upbeat, floral and fruity. Charring the chiles alongside the pork adds a hint of smokiness, while lime zest and juice add even more high notes. Eat on top of grits or mashed potatoes.
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
4 thin (1/2-inch) boneless pork chops (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
Salt
1/4 cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed
4 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 lime
2 habanero chiles, halved and seeded
1/4 cup honey
Chopped cilantro, for serving
DIRECTIONS
Pat the pork dry and season all over with the paprika and a big pinch of salt. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add the carrots, season with salt and stir occasionally until crisp-tender and charred in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Scrape the carrots onto a plate and zest the lime over the top. Cut the lime in half.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet over medium-high. Add the pork and the chiles. Cook, pressing the meat with tongs to prevent buckling, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until firm to the touch, 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer the pork to the plate (leave the chiles in the skillet).
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the honey and juice from half the lime. Stir constantly until thickened and dark like maple syrup, 1 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the pork, carrots and any resting juices back to the skillet. Turn to coat in the glaze. Serve sprinkled with the cilantro.
5. Plantains With Jammy Tomatoes and Eggs
Plantains with jammy tomatoes and eggs. Put this schmaltzy, Mediterranean-ish recipe at the top of your fall cooking list. Food styled by Hadas Smirnoff. (Linda Xiao/The New York Times)
By Yewande Komolafe
Plantains are nutrient-rich starches that can sweeten as they cook, and, in many parts of the world, they find their way into the best stews and porridges. This recipe is based on “tomato eggs,” a dish popular in Lagos, Nigeria, and across West Africa. Tomato eggs can be made with yams or plantains, and here, firm yellow plantains work best because they hold their shape and texture while absorbing the flavors of the surrounding stew. It’s a perfect meal for days when you want something hot but not too heavy or filling. Any herbs you have on hand will work well, and the dish can be made vegan by substituting medium-firm or soft tofu for the eggs.
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 firm yellow plantains (about 1 pound)
3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
1 Scotch bonnet pepper or 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
1 (14-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
4 large eggs
1/2 cup fresh herbs, such as dill or flat-leaf parsley, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Cut off the ends of each plantain. Use a sharp knife to slice the peel along the length of each plantain without cutting into the flesh. Remove peels and discard. Cut each plantain into 2-to-3-inch-long pieces, and then cut each piece in half lengthwise.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium until it shimmers. Place the plantains in the skillet with the long cut side down. Sear until the cut sides are deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the plantains to a plate and set aside.
Pour in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the roasted red peppers and bay leaf, and drop in the Scotch bonnet pepper. Season to taste with salt. Cook, stirring, until the liquid from the roasted peppers evaporates, about 2 minutes.
Add the whole peeled tomatoes with their liquid. Use a spatula to carefully break the tomatoes into smaller pieces in the skillet. Fill the can with 1 cup water, swirl to rinse it and pour the liquid into the skillet. Raise the heat to high and bring the sauce to a simmer. Allow the sauce to reduce, stirring occasionally, until thickened and about three-quarters its original volume, about 5 minutes. Season with additional salt if necessary.
Reduce the heat to medium and return the plantains to the skillet, nestling each piece in the sauce seared side up until almost submerged. Cook until the plantains are just soft and the tomatoes are jammy, 4 to 6 minutes. When you poke the plantains with a fork, there should be little resistance.
Remove and discard the bay leaf and Scotch bonnet pepper. Make four wells in the sauce, spaced out evenly, and gently crack the eggs into the wells one at a time. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil. Cook until the whites of the eggs are set and the yolks runny, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. Garnish with the herbs and serve immediately.
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