By STEVE PEOPLES and AMELIA THOMSON-DEVEAUX, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — About 6 in 10 U.S. adults say President Donald Trump has “gone too far” in sending federal immigration agents into American cities, according to a new AP-NORC poll that suggests political independents are increasingly uncomfortable with his tactics.

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Views of Trump’s handling of immigration — which fell over the course of his first year — remained steady over the past month, with about 4 in 10 saying they approve of the president’s approach. But the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research also found that the Republican Party’s advantage on Trump’s signature political issue has shrunk since October.

About 3 in 10 U.S. adults trust Republicans to do a better job handling immigration, while a similar share say the same of Democrats. An additional 3 in 10, roughly, don’t think either party would do a better job handling the issue, and about 1 in 10 say both parties would handle it equally well.

The Republican president’s core supporters remain overwhelmingly supportive of Trump’s immigration tactics. But there are signs that more independents think he’s going too far.

“I am glad that immigrants aren’t just flooding across the border, but what he’s doing now in our cities, pitting the military against our people, these are gestapo tactics,” said independent Brenda Shaw, a 65-year-old human resources manager from South Haven, Michigan. “They’re shooting U.S. citizens in the face and in the back.”

The new polling comes as the nation watches the human impact of Trump’s crackdown in Minneapolis, where thousands of heavily armed masked agents have descended upon the city to find and remove immigrants in the country illegally.

There have also been numerous violent clashes with protesters, including two U.S. citizens killed by federal agents in recent weeks. About 6 in 10 Americans believe that Trump has “gone too far” when using federal law enforcement at public protests in U.S. cities, the poll found.

Republicans stay behind Trump on immigration

While about 9 in 10 Democrats and about 7 in 10 independents say Trump has “gone too far” in sending federal immigration agents into U.S. cities and using federal law enforcement at public protests, only about one-quarter of Republicans agree.

According to the new survey, about half of Republicans say that Trump’s actions have been “about right,” while about one-quarter of Republicans say he hasn’t gone far enough. Their support for the president hasn’t wavered despite the chaos in Minneapolis.

Teviss Crawford, a 20-year-old student from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, said he’s pleased with Trump’s leadership on immigration, although he wishes the president could find a way to deport more immigrants who are in the country illegally.

“I don’t think the deportations have been enough, to be honest. I think it’s much too lax,” he said of Trump’s crackdown. “If you crossed into our country illegally, it’s just not right. You’re taking things away from people who were born here.”

Crawford added that Trump “should be focusing on violent criminals, but the violent criminals are probably harder to find.”

Independents largely disapprove of the current immigration enforcement approach

Despite their strong support for Trump, Republicans are increasingly alone in supporting Trump on his immigration enforcement tactics.

People participate in an anti-ICE protest outside of the Governors Residence, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

Trump’s approval on immigration appears to have fallen among independents since last spring, from 37% in March 2025 to 23% in the new poll. There is greater variability in surveying small groups, like independents, which creates more uncertainty about the magnitude of changes. About 6 in 10 independents now say Trump has “gone too far” in deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, an apparent increase from 46% in an AP-NORC poll in April.

Most U.S. adults, including independents, have an unfavorable view of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly referred to as ICE. Overall, only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults have a favorable view of the agency, the AP-NORC poll found.

There is an large partisan gap, with independents much closer to Democrats than Republicans. Only about 1 in 10 Democrats and roughly 2 in 10 independents have a favorable view of ICE, compared to about 7 in 10 Republicans.

“Having the border shut, that’s OK. But what Trump is doing with ICE and Homeland Security? You don’t go yanking people out of cars. You don’t go shooting people,” said independent Rick Kinnett, a 60-year-old Navy veteran from Crawfordsville, Indiana.

“I spent eight years in the military. This is not what I signed up for,” he said. “This is not what we’re supposed to do. This is not constitutional.”

Trump’s weak numbers hold steady

Trump’s approval on immigration has not moved since January despite a month of immigration-related turmoil.

About 38% of U.S. adults approve of Trump’s handling of immigration more broadly, in line with an January AP-NORC poll conducted just after the death of Renee Good, the first U.S. citizen in Minnesota killed by federal agents.

The president’s overall approval rating has declined slightly since the beginning of his second term and remains low.

Overall, 36% of U.S. adults say they approve of the way Trump is handling the presidency. His approval ratings on the economy and foreign policy are similar to his overall approval and functionally unchanged from January.

Historically, such numbers would push members of a president’s party to distance themselves from him — especially heading into a midterm election season. However, Trump’s allies in Washington and in state capitals across the nation remain overwhelmingly united behind him, reflecting consistently strong support from Republicans in the polls.

But Trump’s immigration approach seems to be a particularly sore spot for independents. While he appears to have slid with independents on immigration, Trump’s approval on the economy — the other signature issue where he’s recently been criticized for failing to deliver on campaign promises — is similar to where it was last spring.

And the narrowing of Republicans’ advantage on immigration is a warning sign for Trump’s party. In October, 39% of U.S. adults said they trusted the Republicans to better handle immigration, while 26% said that about the Democrats, giving the GOP a 13-point edge. In the new poll, the difference between the parties is only 4 points.

“What he’s doing with ICE is the worst thing right now. I would say the economy is the second worst thing,” said Shaw, the human resources manager from Michigan. “I’m getting ready to retire and I’m wondering how I’m going to make it.”

“But I’m blessed,” she added. “I don’t have to hide in the basement because my skin is brown.”

The AP-NORC poll of 1,156 adults was conducted Feb. 5-8 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.

By GHAITH ALSAYED, Associated Press

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrian government forces have taken control of a base in the east of the country that was run for years by U.S. troops as part of the war against the Islamic State group, the Defense Ministry said in a statement Thursday.

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The al-Tanf base sits on a strategic location, close to the borders with Jordan and Iraq. In a terse statement, the Syrian Defense Ministry said the handover of the base took place in coordination with the U.S. military and Syrian forces are now “securing the base and its perimeters.”

The U.S. military did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press regarding the Syrian statement.

The Syrian Defense Ministry also said that Syrian troops are now in place in the desert area around the al-Tanf garrison, with border guards to deploy in the coming days.

The deployment of Syrian troops at al-Tanf and in the surrounding areas comes after last month’s deal between the government and the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, to merge into the military.

Al-Tanf garrison was repeatedly attacked over the past years with drones by Iran-backed groups but such attacks have dropped sharply following the fall of Bashar Assad’s government in Syria in December 2024 when insurgent groups marched into his seat of power in Damascus.

Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has been expanding his control of the country, and last month government forces captured wide parts of northeast Syria after deadly clashes with the SDF. A ceasefire was later reached between the two sides.

Al-Tanf base played a major role in the fight against the Islamic State group that declared a caliphate in large parts of Syria and Iraq in 2014. IS was defeated in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria two years later.

Over the past weeks, the U.S. military began transferring thousands of IS prisoners from prisons run by the SDF in northeastern Syria to Iraq, where they will be prosecuted.

The number of U.S. troops posted in Syria has changed over the years.

The number of U.S. troops increased to more than 2,000 after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas in Israel, as Iranian-backed militants targeted American troops and interests in the region in response to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.

The force has since been drawn back down to around 900.

Associated Press journalist Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed to this report.

In the coldest days of winter, I put soup on repeat. When the icy wind howls, steaming broths and molten purées are the only things I want for dinner. I simmer them up night after night, working my way through my familiar repertoire of red lentil, white bean, potato-leek and mushroom spinach.

After a while though, there’s a need to break out — not away from my soup pot, but from the sameness of things. So, I created three new recipes inspired by foods that did not start out in liquid form. I chose favorite dishes with big, powerful flavors I knew I could translate from solids into sippable elixirs that warm a body through.

I based the first on pasta with pesto, a bright, herby Italian crowd-pleaser with warm weather associations: Even just thinking about pesto makes the sky outside seem a little more blue. To add protein and heft, I stirred in some ground turkey, and a handful of baby spinach for a colorful pop. If you happen to have homemade pesto squirreled away in the freezer, this is the perfect time to use it. But store-bought pesto works just as well, its garlic and basil pungency infusing the broth like a welcome summer breeze.

Similarly summery, three bean salads are usually the stuff of picnics and potlucks. But that same combination of canned beans and fresh green beans turn soft and silky when simmered into soup, which I season with tomato paste, ground coriander and a sprinkling of Parmesan. And just like in my favorite three bean salad recipe, I also add some lightly pickled red onions, scattering them on just before serving for acidity and crunch.

And lastly, I looked to the creamy, garlicky comfort of hummus as a starting point, knowing that I could blend chickpeas, cumin and tahini into a nutty tasting purée that was thick and satisfying. For a bit of texture, I top the soup with crunchy fried chickpeas and garlic slivers, which are salty-sweet and impossible to stop eating once you start.

Warming to eat and simple to cook, these three soups have classic, compelling flavors that transcend their forms. They’re recipes you’ll be happy to make all winter long.

Pasta Pesto Soup With Turkey and Spinach

An orzo spinach soup with ground turkey. Hummus, bean salad and pasta pesto are the inspiration for these Melissa Clark recipes, each ready to warm you right up. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich. (Linda Xiao/The New York Times)

Like its viral cousin, lasagna soup, pasta pesto soup is based on a crowd-pleasing Italian classic. Use either homemade or store-bought pesto to imbue the broth with the pungent flavors of garlic and basil. Ground turkey adds a satisfying meatiness, while baby spinach turns this into a one-pot meal. And although the ricotta is optional, a dollop or two stirred into the bowl adds a lovely creaminess that rounds everything out.

By Melissa Clark

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, more to taste
1/2 teaspoon fine sea or table salt, more to taste
1/2 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup pesto, store-bought or homemade, more for serving
1 quart vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup orzo or macaroni
5 ounces baby spinach
1 lemon, halved
Whole-milk ricotta, for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a large pot over medium-high for a minute or so to warm it up. Add the oil and heat until it thins out, about 30 seconds. Add onion, red pepper and a pinch of salt, and cook until very soft and brown at the edges, 7 to 10 minutes.

2. Add the turkey and pesto, and cook, breaking up the turkey with your spoon, until the meat is browned in spots, 4 to 7 minutes.

3. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the soup is nice and flavorful, adding more salt and red pepper, if needed, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the pasta during the last 10 to 12 minutes (check the package instructions for the pasta timing).

4. Add the spinach to the pot and simmer until soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Squeeze some lemon juice into the pot, adding as much as you like to make the soup lively and bright. If using the ricotta, add dollops to the pot but don’t stir it in — just let it sit for a minute or two to heat up.

5. Serve the soup with more pesto drizzled on top.

Three Bean Soup

A three bean soup. Hummus, bean salad and pasta pesto are the inspiration for these Melissa Clark recipes, each ready to warm you right up. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich. (Linda Xiao/The New York Times)

Three bean salads are usually the stuff of picnics and potlucks. But that same combination of canned beans and fresh green beans turns soft and silky when simmered into broth, rounded out with tomato paste for body and sweetness, ground coriander for a warm note and a sprinkling of Parmesan for depth. And just as in a classic three bean salad, a garnish of lightly pickled red onions adds acidity and crunch.

By Melissa Clark

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 large red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon fine sea or table salt, more as needed
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for serving
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more for serving
1 quart vegetable or chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can white beans, rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans or chickpeas, rinsed
8 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 3/4 cups)
Grated Parmesan, celery leaves and chopped parsley, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup of the onion slices with the lime juice and a pinch of salt and let sit, tossing occasionally, while the soup simmers.

2. Heat a large pot over medium-high for a minute or so to warm it up. Add the oil and heat until it thins out, about 30 seconds. Add remaining onion slices, celery, carrot and a pinch of salt, and cook until the vegetables are very soft and brown at the edges, 7 to 10 minutes.

3. Add the garlic, tomato paste, coriander and pepper, and cook until the paste darkens and the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.

4. Add broth, white beans and kidney beans, and bring to a simmer. Let simmer until the soup is nice and flavorful, adding more salt if needed, 15 to 20 minutes. If you like a thicker broth, you can smash some of the beans with the back of the spoon to release their starch. Or leave the beans whole for a brothier soup.

5. Add the green beans to the pot and simmer until tender, 4 to 8 minutes.

6. Top each bowl with some of the pickled onions and a little of the lime juice if you like, plus a generous shower of Parmesan, more pepper, celery leaves, parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

Hummus Soup With Crispy Chickpeas

This rich soup was inspired by the creamy, garlicky comfort of hummus, blending chickpeas, cumin and tahini into an easy, nutty-tasting soup that’s thick and satisfying. It’s a natural fit, given that hummus has long found its way into soup (the Turkish Cypriot humus çorbası comes to mind). Here, a topping of crisp fried chickpeas and garlic slivers is salty-sweet and impossible to stop eating. Sprinkle it on the soup just before serving to preserve the delightful crunch.

By Melissa Clark

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for serving
1 teaspoon fine sea or table salt, more as needed
4 garlic cloves, 2 thinly sliced, 2 finely grated or minced
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
Large pinch of crushed red pepper, more as needed
1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin, more to taste
3 to 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/3 cup tahini, more for serving
1/2 cup cilantro or dill
1 lemon, halved
Pita chips and sweet or smoked paprika, for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Place a can’s worth of chickpeas on a clean kitchen towel or a double layer of paper towels, and pat them dry.

2. In a large soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high. Add the chickpeas and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisped, 6 to 10 minutes.

3. Add another tablespoon of oil, sliced garlic, cumin seeds and crushed red pepper to the pot (save the grated garlic for later). Cook until the garlic is golden brown at the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chickpeas and garlic to a plate. While the crispy chickpeas are still hot, sprinkle them with more salt to taste.

4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pot and heat until it thins out, about 30 seconds. Add onion, ground cumin and a pinch of salt, and cook until very soft and brown at the edges, 5 to 7 minutes.

5. Add 3 cups broth, remaining chickpeas and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the soup is nice and flavorful, adding more salt to taste if needed, 10 to 15 minutes.

6. Stir in the tahini, cilantro and grated garlic. Using an immersion or regular blender or a food processor, purée the soup, making it smooth or leaving it chunky, as desired, then add it back to pot if necessary. If it seems too thick, thin it down with some or all of the remaining broth.

7. Squeeze some juice from the lemon halves into the pot, adding as much as you like to make the soup lively and bright. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve topped with the crispy chickpeas and a drizzle of olive oil or more tahini, and a sprinkling of paprika if you like, with pita chips on the side.

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Chili has no season, really. Yet once we hit February it seems we all need a bowl of it, consciously or not, with the same urgency with which we need a clean slice of watermelon no later than July 1.

I didn’t grow up eating chili; it wasn’t a staple at my house. But I have come to love it deeply in its many manifestations. We have many good chili recipes on New York Times Cooking — helpful intel, since the Super Bowl is coming up on Sunday — but among the fastest and most cooked is the vegetarian skillet chili from Melissa Clark below, which you can truly make after work even if you’re dead tired. As with all bowls of chili, I believe you should garnish as maximally as you can.

1. Vegetarian Skillet Chili

If you keep canned beans, tomatoes, onion and garlic in your pantry, you can make this dish on any weeknight without having to shop. The pickled onions aren’t strictly necessary, but they are simple to make and add a welcome tangy contrast to the beans. Pickled peppers are a fine substitute. If you have a bell pepper or jalapeño or two, chop them up and sauté them with the onions. And if you want to be fancy, grate the zest off the lime before juicing for the pickles, and stir it into the sour cream.

By Melissa Clark

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the Pickled Onions:

1 lime
1 red onion or shallot, thinly sliced
Large pinch of kosher salt
Small pinch of granulated sugar

For the Chili:

Olive or grapeseed oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, or to taste, minced
1 teaspoon chile powder, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano, plus more to taste
2 (15-ounce) cans beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with their juices
Kosher salt
Fresh cilantro, diced avocado and sour cream, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the pickled onions: Squeeze lime juice into a bowl, and add onion, salt and sugar. Let rest while you make the chili.

2. Prepare the chili: Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add the oil. When hot, add onion and sauté until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, chile powder and oregano and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add beans and tomatoes and a few large pinches of salt and let simmer until the tomatoes break down, about 20 minutes.

3. Taste and add more salt, chile powder and/or oregano to taste. Serve with the pickled onions and any of the garnishes you like.

2. Sheet-Pan Gochujang Chicken and Roasted Vegetables

Gojuchang Chicken with Roasted Vegetables, a sheet pan recipe. Food Stylist: Chris Lanier. Prop Stylist: Carla Gonzalez-Hart. (Christopher Testani/The New York Times

Gochujang, a Korean fermented chile paste, enlivens a straightforward dinner of roast chicken and vegetables with a salty, spicy and umami-rich layer of flavor. Freshly grated ginger, sliced scallions and quick-pickled radishes elevate the flavor even further. This recipe calls for a wintry mix of squash and turnips, but equal amounts of root vegetables like carrots, potatoes and beets, or lighter vegetables like cauliflower, Brussels sprouts or broccoli will work well, too.

By Yewande Komolafe

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons gochujang
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (about 1 tablespoon)
3 tablespoons neutral oil, like grapeseed or canola, plus more for drizzling
2 pounds squash, such as butternut, acorn or delicata, unpeeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 5 loose cups)
1 pound turnips, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 3 1/2 loose cups)
10 scallions, ends trimmed, green and white parts separated, but not chopped
Kosher salt
2 1/2 to 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, drumsticks or breasts, patted dry
1 bunch radishes (about 10 ounces), trimmed
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)
Steamed rice (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine the gochujang, soy sauce, ginger and 3 tablespoons oil in a medium bowl or resealable bag. Add the squash, turnips and scallion whites, toss to coat with glaze, or seal bag and shake to coat. Lightly season with salt and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.

2. Season the chicken with salt and toss to coat in whatever is left of the glaze in the bowl or bag. Arrange the chicken pieces skin-side up between the vegetables on the sheet.

3. Roast until vegetables are tender, chicken is cooked through and the skin crispy and browned in spots, about 40 minutes.

4. While the chicken cooks, thinly slice the scallion greens. Using a sharp knife or a mandoline, cut the radishes into thin rounds. In a small bowl, toss the sliced scallion greens and radishes with the rice vinegar and sesame oil, if using. Season to taste with salt and set aside to lightly pickle.

5. Top the roast chicken and vegetables with the quick-pickled scallion-radish mix and transfer to serving plates. Serve with steamed rice, if desired.

3. One-Pan Roasted Fish With Cherry Tomatoes

One-Pan Roasted Fish With Cherry Tomatoes. Food Sylist: Barrett Washburne. (Andrew Purcell for The New York Times.)

In this quick, elegant dinner, cherry tomatoes are roasted with garlic, shallots, sherry vinegar and a drizzle of honey, turning them into a sweet and savory condiment for simple roasted fish. This versatile, year-round recipe is delicious with juicy end-of-summer tomatoes or even with a pint from the grocery store. Thick white fish such as cod or halibut work best here. Serve with rice, couscous or your favorite grains, and a green salad.

By Lidey Heuck

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots (about 1 large)
2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 large cloves)
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 tablespoon sherry or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
4 (6-ounce) skin-on mild white fish fillets, such as cod or halibut
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest (from about 1/2 lemon)
Chopped fresh basil, for serving
Chopped fresh mint, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the tomatoes, shallots and garlic in a 9-by-13-inch nonreactive baking dish. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Pour over the tomatoes and toss to combine. Roast until the tomatoes have collapsed and the shallots are translucent, about 15 minutes.

2. While the tomatoes roast, pat the fish dry with paper towels, brush all over with olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper.

3. Toss the tomatoes, move them to the sides of the dish and place the fish fillets, evenly spaced, in the center. Roast until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, 10 to 12 minutes.

4. Sprinkle the entire dish with the lemon zest, basil and mint. Serve the fish with the tomatoes, spooning any remaining juices on top.

4. BBQ Pepper Shrimp

BBQ pepper shrimp. Food styled by Hadas Smirnoff. (Armando Rafael/The New York Times)

This dish, inspired by the BBQ pepper shrimp at the Lobster Pot — the busy seafood restaurant in Provincetown, Massachusetts, that the McNulty family began operating in 1979 — is a rich, satisfying shrimp dinner that comes together quickly. The chef and owner Tim McNulty came up with the idea for the dish after trying New Orleans-style BBQ shrimp. He blends those spicy flavors with the richness of beurre blanc, a classic French butter sauce. “It’s a big seller for us,” McNulty says of the dish, which has been on the menu for more than 10 years. The sauce is an ideal topping for pasta or crusty bread and is a perfect match for any seafood: “It’s a great base recipe and you can add scallops or lobster to it instead of the shrimp.” The sauce also makes a luscious topping for steak, similar to an au poivre.

Recipe from Tim McNulty

Adapted by Korsha Wilson

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium shallot, diced small (about 1/4 inch)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 rosemary sprig
1 thyme sprig
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cayenne hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
Crusty bread or cooked pasta, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the butter in the freezer until ready to use.

2. Pat the shrimp dry on a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt. In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high for 2 minutes. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom. Add half of the shrimp and cook until lightly golden in spots and starting to curl (they’ll be almost cooked through), 2 to 3 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate. Repeat with the remaining shrimp, using the remaining tablespoon of oil to coat the pan. Transfer the remaining shrimp to the plate.

3. Adjust heat to medium and add the garlic and shallot. Cook, stirring, until shiny and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine, rosemary and thyme and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Let simmer until the skillet is almost completely dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cream, Worcestershire, hot sauce, lemon juice and black pepper. Continue to simmer and let reduce until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust salt if desired.

4. Remove the butter from the freezer. Adjust heat to low and add half the butter. Stir until completely melted, and then add the remaining butter. Stir constantly until butter is melted and sauce is smooth.

5. Return the shrimp to the pan and cook, stirring to coat in the sauce, until shrimp is piping hot and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately with crusty bread (or over pasta), with lemon wedges alongside.

5. Preserved Lemon Pasta

Preserved Lemon Pasta. Food styled by Spencer Richards. (Rachel Vanni/The New York Times)

While preserved lemons are often used as a background flavor to invigorate stews, soups and salads, they take on a starring role in this zesty and lively pasta. Fresh lemons add brightness, but cured ones bring deep, complex umami to a dish, brimming with heavy floral notes from the tamed peel. While some recipes suggest using the peel only, whole lemons are used here, minced so finely they almost melt into the buttery sauce. The brine is a valuable ingredient, too, and incorporating a couple of tablespoons adds tang, further reinforcing the pickled attitude of this dish. You can also use preserved lemon paste, where the whole fruit has been puréed, incorporating it in the same quantity (no brine necessary). While there is no substitute for the deep funky saltiness — or silky texture — of preserved lemon, in a pinch, see the tip below on how to make a quick version.

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Salt and pepper
1 pound spaghetti, linguine or other long pasta
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, grated
1/3 cup finely chopped preserved lemons (see Tip for a shortcut version), plus 2 tablespoons of brine
1 cup grated Parmesan or pecorino, plus more for topping
Extra-virgin olive oil
Handful basil leaves

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of pasta cooking water.

2. Place the pot back on medium heat. Add the butter, garlic and preserved lemon and stir until the butter has melted. Add the pasta, preserved lemon brine, Parmesan and 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water and toss to coat the pasta; if it looks dry, add another 1/4 to 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water to loosen it up. Taste and, if needed, season lightly with salt, season very generously with pepper, and give it a final toss.

3. To serve, divide among plates, drizzle with olive oil, top with more grated Parmesan and scatter basil leaves over the top.

Tip: To make a quick preserved lemon substitute at home, wash and dry 2 unwaxed lemons. (Unwaxed lemons won’t be shiny and their skin is a duller yellow; you could use regular lemons but make sure to scrub the skin well.) Remove any stems. Slice one lemon crosswise into thin rounds; discard any seeds. Juice the other lemon; you should get 2 to 3 tablespoons of juice. Place the lemon slices and any juice from the cutting board, the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of fine sea salt into a small saucepan and place on low heat. Stir until the salt has dissolved and then cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through. Chop up the peel and flesh as instructed above, and add the liquid in place of the brine. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for 1 week.

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