The charm of parm, spoon salad and more
I had the good fortune to eat eggplant Parmesan for dinner this week (not made by me!), and it got me thinking about the intense pleasures of the Parm family — not just eggplant Parmesan, but the various iterations made with chicken, pork, veal, mushrooms, cauliflower or even zucchini. ( There’s also airfryer chicken Parmesan, which amplifies the crispness of that breaded crust.) That bubbling combination of meat or vegetables coated in toasted breadcrumbs, rich tomato sauce and creamy cheese is one for the ages.
Most of those dishes can’t be made quickly after work. They take some time. This is why Kay Chun’s recipe for eggplant Parmesan pasta shines like a beacon. A version of homemade Parm? On a Monday? Yes.
Eggplant Parmesan Pasta
The unassuming eggplant is the star of this comforting weeknight pasta that manages to capture the flavors of traditional eggplant Parmigiana without the fuss of frying, layering and baking. Cubed eggplant is browned with onion and garlic until golden, then simmered in a quick pantry-friendly tomato sauce until meltingly tender. Mezze rigatoni, fusilli and shells all do great jobs of capturing the thick sauce. The pasta is finished with slivers of fresh mozzarella that soften and offer cool, creamy bites, and a final sprinkling of a Parmesan breadcrumb topping offers familiar moments of crunch to contrast the creamy sauce. -- Kay Chun
Yield: 4 servings. Total time: 35 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs Kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion (from 1 small onion)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (8 cups)
2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed with your hands in a bowl
1 basil sprig, plus 1/3 cup coarsely chopped basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1 pound short pasta, such as mezze rigatoni, fusilli or shells
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-reggiano
DIRECTIONS
1. In a high-sided large (12inch) skillet with a lid, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium. Add panko, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and crispy, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Set a large pot of salted water to boil.
2. Wipe out the skillet and heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add eggplant and drizzle over the remaining ¼ cup oil. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is softened, about 8 minutes. Add in
tomato paste and stir constantly until lightly caramelized on the bottom of the skillet, about 2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, basil sprig, oregano and 1 1/2 cups of water, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
3. Cover the skillet and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally and smashing some of the eggplant, until the eggplant is very tender and the sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Discard the basil sprig.
4. Meanwhile, in the large pot of water, cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain.
5. Add cooked pasta, reserved pasta water and the eggplant sauce to the large pasta cooking pot, and cook over medium heat, stirring, until sauce thickens and coats the pasta, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of the chopped basil.
6. Add Parmesan to the panko and mix well. Divide the pasta in bowls and top each with some of the mozzarella. Sprinkle over cheesy breadcrumbs, and garnish with the remaining basil.
Quinoa and Broccoli Spoon Salad
This easy chopped salad fits loads of texture and flavor onto a spoon by combining finely chopped raw broccoli with chewy dried cranberries, crunchy pecans, fluffy quinoa and chunks of sharp Cheddar cheese. The mixture is tossed in a punchy mustard vinaigrette that soaks into the florets, only getting better as it sits. Feel free to substitute the quinoa for any grain, like brown rice, farro or buckwheat groats, though the cook time may vary. -- Sohla El-waylly Yield: 4 to 6 servings. Total time: 30 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
Kosher salt
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 lemon
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper 1 large bunch broccoli (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 medium tart and crisp
Chicken Breasts with Lemon. This is a tried-and-true recipe from one of New York Times Cooking⊙s GOATS: Pierre Franey, who wrote the long-running column 60-Minute Gourmet. apple 4 ounces sharp Cheddar 3/4 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
DIRECTIONS
1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil on high and season aggressively with salt. Add the quinoa, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer; cook until plump and tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a finemesh sieve; rinse with cool water and drain well.
2. While the quinoa cooks, finely grate the zest of the lemon into a large bowl then cut the lemon in half. Add the olive oil, mustard, honey and apple cider vinegar, plus the juice of 1/2 lemon; whisk together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Peel the stem of the broccoli and trim off the dry end. Finely chop the entire broccoli and add to the dressing. Core the apple then finely chop the apple and the cheese; add to the broccoli and toss to combine.
4. Add the cooked quinoa, nuts and cranberries and toss to combine. Taste and add more salt, pepper and lemon juice, as needed. Store, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.
Chicken Breasts with Lemon
In this recipe, which Pierre Franey brought to The New York Times in 1992 in one of his 60-Minute Gourmet columns, two teaspoons of lemon zest are added to a simple sauce of lemon juice, thyme, garlic and shallots. It is, at once, lively and elegant. To round it out, it needs a sturdy accompaniment. Franey suggested mashed potatoes with garlic and basil, with just a little olive oil swirled in.
Yield: 4 servings. Total time: 25 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup flour for dredging Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
2 tablespoons olive oil 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 cup chicken broth, fresh or canned
2 tablespoons butter
DIRECTIONS
1. Season flour with salt and pepper, and dredge the chicken all over. Remove the excess flour.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet large enough to hold the chicken pieces in one layer. Add chicken and cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. Flip the chicken and cook for 5 minutes more, or until cooked through. Carefully remove the oil from the skillet, leaving the chicken. Discard the oil.
4. Add the thyme, shallots and garlic, and cook for about a minute. Do not burn the garlic. Add the lemon rind, the lemon juice and the broth.
5. Scrape the skillet to dissolve the brown particles that cling to the bottom. Add the butter, and cook for 3 minutes longer. Serve immediately.
Sheet-pan Tofu and Brussels Sprouts With Hoisin-tahini Sauce
Two powerhouse pantry ingredients — hoisin sauce
and tahini — come together to turn this vegetarian sheet-pan dinner into a memorable meal. Hoisin, which is made with fermented soybeans, is often used as a sweet and savory glaze for meat, but it also injects big, deep flavors into vegetable-based dishes. Here, it is mixed with tahini to create a tangy, creamy sauce that is reminiscent of one served with fried rice noodle rolls at dim sum. This dish could be served with rice or noodles, or you could add a few spinach leaves for a salad-leaning meal, but the crispy, earthy Brussels sprouts and toothsome golden tofu are more than hearty enough on their own. -- Hetty Mckinnon
Yield: 4 servings. Total time: 40 minutes.
INGREDIENTS For the brussels sprouts and tofu:
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
2 (14-ounce) packages extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
For the sauce:
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce 3 tablespoons tahini
1 garlic clove, grated
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 450 degrees, and arrange the racks in the bottom and middle positions.
2. You will need two rimmed sheet pans. Place the Brussels sprouts on one sheet pan and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a few turns of black pepper. Toss to ensure the sprouts are well coated.
3. On the second sheet pan, drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil and tilt the pan so the oil coats the surface. Place the tofu slices onto the pan and season well with about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and several turns of black pepper. Drizzle the tops of the tofu with more olive oil.
4. Place the two sheet pans into the oven, on the middle and bottom racks, and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, switching the pans halfway through. When ready, the Brussels sprouts will be tender and crispy in spots and the tofu will be lightly golden.
5. Meanwhile, place the hoisin, tahini, garlic and 3 tablespoons of water in a small bowl and whisk until combined. The sauce should be thick, but with a pourable consistency. (If it looks too thick, you can add a touch more water.)
6. Serve the Brussels sprouts alongside the tofu and drizzle over the hoisintahini sauce. Eat warm or at room temperature.
Pan-seared Pork Chops With Charred Pineapple
In this quick skillet dinner, which is reminiscent of sweet and sour pork and tacos al pastor, boneless pork chops are seared with just a bit of sugar to promote browning, then pineapple chunks cook in the drippings until caramelized but still crisp. Once the pork is cooked, a spicy soy sauce is poured on top to add juiciness. It’s a perfect combination: The tangy, sweet pineapple cuts the richness of the pork, while the soy sauce balances the sweetness of the pineapple. You could also use tofu, boneless chicken thighs, thinly sliced pork tenderloin or shoulder, or a firm fish in place of the pork chops. Eat with rice, noodles, sliced cucumbers or sautéed greens. -- Ali Slagle
Yield: 4 servings. Total time: 20 minutes.
INGREDIENTS 1/4 CUP SOY SAUCE
1 tablespoon white vinegar 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 hot green or red chile, thinly sliced, or 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
Sugar
6 thin (1/2-inch) boneless pork chops (about 1 1/2 pounds total), patted dry Salt
2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as grapeseed)
3 cups of 1 1/2-inch pineapple pieces (from 1/2 a pineapple)
Handful of cilantro leaves and stems, coarsely chopped, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, chile and a pinch of sugar; set aside. Season the pork chops all over with salt and 1 teaspoon sugar.
2. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add the pork and cook until browned underneath, 3 to 4 minutes. Press the meat with your tongs or spatula so it doesn’t buckle. Flip and cook until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, transfer the pork to a lipped plate or platter and pour over the soy sauce dressing.
3. Set the skillet over medium and cook the pineapple, undisturbed, until golden and charred underneath but not soft or cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Nestle the pineapple in the dressing among the pork chops. Eat right away or let sit for up to 15 minutes. Serve the pork and pineapple with a spoonful of the dressing and the cilantro on top.