Here’s something you’ll always find in my pantry: canned tuna, preferably oil-packed, and lots of it. This predates the tinned fish trend in America, by the way. I’ve been a tuna person as long as I can remember, throwing together tuna sandwiches, tuna pasta and kimchi tuna salad for lunch or dinner. (I do have a confession to make now, which is that I only recently had my first tuna melt. I just never felt like tuna salad needed melted cheese. I still don’t!)
1. Spicy Tuna and Avocado Tostadas
Topped with a cross between a chunky guacamole and a tuna salad, these tostadas are a super satisfying, no-cook lunch or dinner for a steamy summer night when turning on the stove is a no-go. Instead of fresh tuna, this recipe employs the tinned variety, making these tostadas accessible for any budget. The simple serrano and lime dressing is tart and spicy with a hint of creaminess that balances the lean nature of canned tuna. Eat the salad like a dip with a bag of totopos at your desk, or pack it up with a bottle of wine and assemble your tostadas outside for a picnic in the park or day at the beach.
By Kristina Felix
Yield: 6 tostadas
Total time: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
1 serrano chile, finely diced
1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
1/3 packed cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 large ripe Hass avocado
1/2 small red onion
1 medium tomato
2 (5-ounce) cans tuna packed in oil, drained
6 tostada shells
Hot sauce, for serving (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, mix together the garlic, serrano, lime juice, mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until well combined; set aside.
2. Make the salad: Roughly chop the cilantro, chop the avocado, dice the red onion and tomato, and place everything in the bowl with the dressing. Add the tuna and 1/4 teaspoon salt and toss until combined. Taste and add more salt as desired. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to two days.
3. When you are ready to eat, divide the filling among the tostada shells (about a generous 1/2 cup tuna salad for each tostada) and top with hot sauce, if desired.
2. Miso-Honey Chicken and Asparagus
Miso-honey chicken and asparagus. Yossy Arefi’s salty-sweet chicken is truly easy to make, and you can leave the hot sauce out of the marinade if you’re feeding anyone who won’t appreciate it. Food styled by Simon Andrews. (David Malosh/The New York Times)
This quick and easy sheet-pan meal is broiled instead of baked, which chars the marinade slightly on the chicken, browns the asparagus for maximum flavor and cuts the cooking time to around 10 minutes. The miso-honey mixture packs a punch, with lots of garlic, ginger and as much hot sauce as you like. It doubles as a marinade for the chicken and a sauce to spoon over the chicken and asparagus once cooked. Make sure to arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer, so they cook and char evenly, and keep an eye on the pan, as some broilers have hot spots. Feel free to substitute Broccolini for the asparagus, and serve with steamed rice, if desired.
By Yossy Arefi
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 20 minutes, plus marinating
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons white miso
3 tablespoons mild honey
3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons finely grated garlic
2 teaspoons chile-garlic sauce or other hot sauce
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons neutral oil
1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 large bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed
Salt and pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Cooked rice (optional), for serving
DIRECTIONS
1. Make the marinade: In a bowl, whisk together the miso, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, chile-garlic sauce, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon water. Refrigerate half the marinade for serving.
2. Place the chicken in a shallow dish or zip-top bag and pour the remaining marinade over the top. Toss the chicken until coated and let marinate in the refrigerator for up to 30 minutes. (A longer marinade may dry out the chicken.)
3. When you are ready to cook, heat the broiler with a rack set 6 inches below it. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Remove the chicken from the marinade, scraping off and discarding any excess. Place the chicken in a single layer on one side of the baking sheet, with the flatter side up. Place the asparagus on the other side. Drizzle the asparagus with remaining oil, then season the asparagus; toss to coat.
4. Broil until the chicken is cooked through with some charred spots and the asparagus is browned, about 10 minutes.
5. To serve, top the chicken with a drizzle of the reserved marinade and a sprinkle of scallions. Serve with rice, if desired.
3. Crispy Gnocchi With Sausage and Broccoli
Crispy gnocchi with sausage and broccoli. This cozy one-pan dinner from Ali Slagle is completely irresistible. Food styled by Barrett Washburne. (Kerri Brewer/The New York Times)
In this cozy, easy dinner, store-bought gnocchi, broccoli and little meatballs (made by pinching pieces of Italian sausage) roast together on a sheet pan. When everything comes out of the oven bronzed and crisp, sprinkle it with Parmesan and stir: The heat from the sheet pan will help the cheese gloss the gnocchi. Some lemon juice lightens the mix; for a little heat to balance the richness, use hot Italian sausage or a sprinkling of crushed red pepper.
By Ali Slagle
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 (12- to 18-ounce) package shelf-stable potato gnocchi
1 large head broccoli (about 1 pound), florets cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces, stems thinly sliced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
Salt
Crushed red pepper (optional)
1 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/2 lemon
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a sheet pan, toss together the gnocchi, broccoli, olive oil and garlic until well coated. Season with salt and crushed red pepper, if using. Spread into an even layer. Pinch off pieces of the sausage that are roughly the size of the gnocchi and place them on top of the gnocchi and vegetables. Roast until the sausage and broccoli are golden and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Squeeze the lemon half over the top (about 1 1/2 tablespoons juice) and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Stir until the cheese has melted. Serve topped with more Parmesan and crushed red pepper as you like.
4. Quick Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry
Quick shrimp and asparagus stir-fry. You can also make this Genevieve Ko recipe with snap peas, rather than asparagus. Food styled by Spencer Richards. (Kerri Brewer/The New York Times)
Savory and a little sweet, this light dinner tastes like spring but can be made any time of year — and any night of the week if you keep a stash of shrimp in your freezer. By quickly thawing them under running water, then dry-brining them with salt for a minute, you end up with juicier, snappier shrimp that taste incredibly fresh. Asparagus spears also cook fast until they’re as crisp-tender as the shrimp. By slicing them at a sharp angle, you reduce any stringiness in the stalks. For a spicy stir-fry, use the chile and keep the seeds in. For a little less heat, remove the seeds after slicing. Stirring a final pat of butter into the sauce, which is sweetened with onion and salty with soy, binds together all of the ingredients with a touch of richness. Serve over rice to sop up that sauce or over tender, leafy greens for a warm salad.
By Genevieve Ko
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Total time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 pound peeled and deveined frozen shrimp (16-to-20-count; see Tip)
Salt
Canola or grapeseed oil
1 sweet onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 small red hot chile, thinly sliced (seeds removed for a milder heat)
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut at a sharp angle into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon butter
DIRECTIONS
1. Rinse the shrimp in a colander under running cold water until no longer rock hard, 3 to 4 minutes. Very generously sprinkle with salt and toss in the colander. Let stand for 1 minute, then rinse well. Pat dry with paper towels.
2. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add enough oil to generously coat the bottom, then add the onion, garlic and chile. Sprinkle with salt and cook, stirring, until the onion starts to turn translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until curled more tightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the asparagus, soy sauce and sugar, and cook, stirring, until the asparagus are just tender, 1 to 3 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat, add the butter and stir until melted. Serve immediately.
Tips:
If using shell-on shrimp, start with 1 1/4 pounds. If you can’t find a 16-to-20-count package of shrimp, go with smaller ones, such as a 21-to-30-count. (Shrimp are labeled by number of shrimp per pound, such as 16-20 or 21-30.) If using smaller shrimp, reduce the cooking time slightly.
5. Braised White Beans and Greens With Parmesan
Braised white beans and greens with parmesan. Lidey Heuck takes canned beans and upgrades them in very smart ways to deepen flavor. Food styled by Julia Gartland. (Julia Gartland/The New York Times)
Inspired by the Italian dish of sautéed puntarelle (an Italian variety of chicory) and white beans, this recipe makes a satisfying vegetarian main course or a hearty side dish for roast chicken or sausages. It opts for canned white beans, for the sake of weeknight convenience, and Swiss chard, which is much milder than puntarelle and easier to find in the U.S. Kale or escarole would also work well, if that’s what you’ve got. On that note, grated Pecorino Romano cheese gives the broth a more pungent element, but Parmesan will work in its place. Serve in shallow bowls with toasted country bread to mop up the garlicky broth.
By Lidey Heuck
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and small-diced
1 small yellow onion, small-diced
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or thyme
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
1 large or 2 small bunches escarole, kale or Swiss chard, stems removed (10 to 12 ounces)
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed
2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (optional)
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, plus more for serving
Toasted country bread, for serving
DIRECTIONS
1. In a 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the fennel, onion and rosemary, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Begin adding handfuls of the greens, cooking and stirring until leaves wilt.
3. Add the white beans, broth and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer, mashing some of the beans with a wooden spoon, until the liquid has reduced and thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, then the mozzarella, if using, and Pecorino Romano. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Divide among shallow bowls and top with more Pecorino Romano. Serve with toasted bread and a dish of red-pepper flakes on the side.
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