Hello, five weekday dishes. This is Krysten filling in for Emily. (Close viewers of this space will remember me as the editor of this newsletter!)
I’m sorry to say it, but New Year’s Eve just isn’t my holiday. I like to go to bed early and hate the passing of time. I don’t even really like champagne. So when I get to midnight, I toast my partner with some Martinelli’s and sign up a little later.
But I love New Year’s Day and the promise of a fresh start. Over the years, I’ve marked the day by jumping into the ocean or walking about 10 miles. And, of course, I stewed a jar of black-eyed peas with greens for luck.
This year I hope to go for a long run, and yes, simmer some beans. Later that evening — and for the week after — I’ll be looking at a menu that takes just a little longer on the stove, with recipes that feel warm but fresh, with plenty of citrus and bright, bold flavors. I’m sharing dishes in that vein this week, hoping you’ll have a bright, bold first week of 2022. In the meantime, I’m on Instagram and would love to hear from you.
1. Roasted Mushrooms in Ata Din Din
Yewande Komolafe combines bright red peppers, pickled onions and a generous spice mix with crunchy, earthy mushrooms in this flavorful dish. Serve this recipe with rice or whatever grain you have on hand so that not a drop of the pepper sauce is lost.
Check out this recipe.
2. Crème Fraîche Pasta With Peas And Scallions
I can’t get enough of citrus lately. Enter Hana Asbrink’s lemony, creamy pasta, which features scallions two (two!) different ways — caramelized and raw. It’s the kind of dish that offers both comfort and delight.
3. Arroz con Tocino
For me, a simple rice dish is the ultimate comfort. Von Diaz’s recipe, loaded with cured pork (or bacon and bacon grease), is a perfect bed for a fried egg and instantly takes me back to a cozy weeknight stand from my childhood: rice and a salty-in-all-the- right picadillo.
Check out this recipe.
4. Chicken With Artichokes And Lemon
Even more lemon! And this time from the Queen herself, Joan Nathan. And this chicken dish is just one reason she is, because just a few ingredients make something great. Use frozen artichokes here to make the preparation particularly quick. The result is brilliantly lemony – and just brilliant.
