Making good use of ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise
I always have mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup in my fridge. Multiples of each, more like it: I have plain mayo and Kewpie, Dijon, whole-grain and ballpark yellow mustards, as well as a bottle of ketchup so large it really counts as two. So this week’s selection of easy and fast recipes features meals that lean on these classic condiments for flavor and depth. (I’m also including a delightful pickle soup recipe because I always have a massive jar of half-sours on hand.)
Miso-mustard Salmon
In this single-skillet recipe, miso and Dijon mustard create a one-two punch of salty and spicy to balance the sweetness of salmon and cabbage. Slather the mighty combination on the salmon fillets, sprinkle with sesame seeds for crunch, then roast on top of caramelized, crisp-tender cabbage. Serve with steamed rice or sweet potatoes if you like, then use the remaining sauce to drizzle over everything. The thinned miso mustard is also great to have around as a salad dressing for crisp lettuces, or a sauce for roasted vegetables or tofu. It will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator. — Ali Slagle Yield: 4 servings. Total time: 30 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup white miso 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon Sriracha or sambal oelek (optional) 4 (6-ounce) skin-on or skinless salmon fillets
Salt
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (any color)
2 tablespoons neutral oil 1 pound green cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces, leaves separated
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together the miso, mustard and Sriracha (if using). Season the salmon all over lightly with salt, then set on a plate, skin side down. Coat the tops with about 2 tablespoons of the miso-mustard mixture (reserve the rest), then cover with the sesame seeds; set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high. Add the cabbage and cook, undisturbed, until charred underneath, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt, stir, then spread into an even layer.
3. Add the salmon on top of the cabbage, skin side down. Roast until the salmon is cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes. (The salmon is done when a knife slides through it easily and the fish flakes, or when an instantread thermometer reaches 120 degrees.)
4. Meanwhile, thin the remaining miso-mustard mixture with about 2 tablespoons of water until pourable. Serve the salmon and cabbage with a drizzle of the miso-mustard dressing.
Chinese Stir-fried Tomatoes and Eggs
Home-style Chinese food at its simplest and, arguably, tastiest, this dish is the object of nostalgia for many Chinese immigrants (and their children). Wellseasoned eggs scrambled until just-set combine at the last moment with a sweettart ginger-tomato sauce. Serve with lots of steamed rice. When tomatoes are out of season, canned tomatoes in juice work best. — Francis Lam
Yield: 2 or 3 servings, with rice. Total time: 20 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
6 eggs
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon sugar 2 tablespoons ketchup 1 pound beefsteak tomatoes in season, or 1 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes in juice
4 tablespoons vegetable oil 3 scallions, sliced 1 teaspoon minced ginger (from about 1/4-inch nub) Steamed rice, for serving
DIRECTIONS
1. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs well with 1 teaspoon salt, sesame oil and rice wine or sherry. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until well combined, then stir in the sugar and ketchup.
2. If using fresh tomatoes, core and cut them into 1/2inch wide wedges.
3. Heat a wide nonstick skillet over high heat with 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. When the oil shimmers, add most of the scallions, saving some to garnish. Cook, stirring, until very aromatic, about 20 seconds. Add the eggs, and cook, stirring well with a spatula or chopsticks, until just set but still runny, about 45 seconds. Pour the eggs back into the mixing bowl, and wipe out the pan.
4. Reheat the pan over high heat with the remaining tablespoon of oil. When it is hot, add the ginger and cook until aromatic, about 15 seconds. Add the tomatoes and salt to taste; cook, stirring occasionally, until the flesh has softened but still has some shape and the juices have begun to form a sauce, 2 to 3 minutes. (If using canned tomatoes, add the juice as well and cook about 4 minutes, to reduce it to a saucelike consistency.)
5. Reduce the heat to medium. Give the cornstarchketchup mixture a stir in its bowl, then stir it into the pan. Cook, stirring, until the sauce returns to a boil and thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, sugar or more ketchup — you want a savory, tart-sweet sauce. Stir the eggs in the bowl to cut up the curds a bit, then return them to the pan. Cook, stirring, for a few seconds to finish cooking the eggs and to combine. Top with the reserved scallions, and serve with steamed rice.
Paneer Chile Dry
Served at restaurants on both sides of the PakistanIndia border, this spicy, sticky paneer’s popularity is testament to China’s culinary influence on the region. The word “dry” in the title references the preparation’s consistency compared with more saucy, gravy-rich dishes. Coating paneer in batter then frying it gives the mild fluffy cheese a crispy crust, then tossing it in a thick chile-soy sauce imbues it with salt and heat. Onion and bell pepper provide just enough fresh, sweet relief until the next bite. The dish forms a deluge of pleasurable textures and fiery flavor in 30 minutes. If you’d like, you can substitute tofu for the paneer and skip the batter frying. — Zainab Shah
Yield: 4 servings. Total time: 30 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chile powder (or other mild red chile powder)
1 pound paneer (storebought or homemade), cut into 3/4-inch cubes (see Tip) 2 tablespoons soy sauce (preferably dark soy sauce) 2 tablespoons ketchup 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable or other neutral oil
3 whole dried red chiles (such as dundicut or Thai), stems removed
3 fresh green Thai or serrano chiles, sliced
1 tablespoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic 1 teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger
1 bell pepper, halved, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch pieces 1 medium onion, halved and cut into 3/4-inch pieces 2 scallions, sliced
Rice (optional), for serving
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, mix flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and the Kashmiri red chile powder with 1/4 cup water to form a smooth, thick paste. Add paneer and, using your hands or a spatula, coat evenly.
2. In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, ketchup, rice vinegar and remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch; set aside.
3. In a large frying pan or wok, heat the oil for 45 seconds on high. Add paneer pieces and fry undisturbed until paneer starts to change color, 10 to 30 seconds. Flip to fry the opposite side until paneer starts to turn golden, 10 to 30 seconds more. Remove paneer pieces and set aside.
4. To the same pan, stir in dried red chiles, fresh green chiles, garlic and ginger; cook for 30 seconds. Stir in bell pepper and onion and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until onion and bell pepper soften, 3 to 5 minutes. 5. Return the paneer to the pan and stir until everything is thoroughly mixed. Stir the soy sauce mixture then pour it into the pan. Cook, stirring, until the sauce evenly coats the paneer, onion and bell pepper, about 3 minutes. Top with additional black pepper and the scallions. Serve with rice or on its own. Tip: If you’re using storebought paneer, soak the cubes in warm water for 10 minutes for a light and fluffy texture.
Roasted Chicken Thighs With Tangy Apricots and Carrots
This streamlined recipe takes advantage of the best qualities of mayonnaise. Here, serving as both chicken marinade and cooking fat, mayonnaise underpins a sweet and tangy sauce warmed through with chili powder (the spice blend used for chili, not powdered chile peppers). Dried apricots, rehydrated in the pan juices, add delightful morsels of tangy wonder. This recipe features roasted carrots, but you could use any vegetable you like: Sliced red onions and parboiled fingerling potatoes are just a couple of ideas. Serve with white rice or other grains. — Eric Kim
Yield: 4 servings. Total time: 30 minutes, plus 30 minutes’ marinating.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste 1 tablespoon fish sauce 2 teaspoons chili powder Kosher salt and black pepper 1/2 cup dried apricots (about 3 1/2 ounces) 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, each cut in half 3 to 4 medium carrots, thinly sliced into coins (about 1 pound) Fresh herbs, such as cilantro, parsley and mint, for topping
Cooked white rice, for serving
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the apricot preserves, mayonnaise, lemon juice, fish sauce, chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until smooth. Tear each dried apricot in half at its seams, so each apricot becomes 2 flatter pieces. Add the apricots and chicken to the bowl; toss to evenly coat. Cover and refrigerate to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
2. When ready to cook, heat the oven to 425 degrees with a rack set in the center position. Line a large sheet pan with parchment.
3. Add the carrots to the chicken mixture and toss to evenly coat. Spread the chicken and carrot mixture in a single layer on the sheet pan. Roast, rotating the pan halfway through, until the chicken is light brown and the carrots begin to shrivel, 20 to 25 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and lemon juice as desired. Top with fresh herbs and serve with rice.
Pickle Soup (Ogórkowa Zupa)
Sour flavors are common in Polish cooking, as with the subtle tang of white borscht and red borscht and with the vinegary sauerkraut found in dishes like bigos. Ogórkowa zupa fits perfectly into that tradition. There are as many variations as there are Polish cooks, but the key component — sour dill pickles — is always present. Here, the pickles are grated and gently cooked with garlic and bay leaves, then added along with their brine to a hearty blend of root vegetables in broth. In Polish households, soups usually start off most meals; the generous helping of vegetables in this version makes it a full meal. Serve with some good crusty bread, and feel free to add shredded chicken or even kielbasa if you’d like. — Kasia Pilat Yield: 6 to 8 servings. Total time: 45 minutes.
INGREDIENTS
6 to 8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
3 large carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small celery root, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 medium parsnip, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 7 sour dill pickles (8 to 9 ounces) with 1 1/2 cups brine from the jar (see Tip) 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 dried bay leaves
Salt and black pepper
1/4 cup sour cream, for serving (optional)
Chopped fresh dill, for serving (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large pot, combine 6 cups stock with the carrots, potatoes, celery root and parsnip. The vegetables should be covered with stock, so add more as needed.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Rapidly simmer until all of the vegetables are fork tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
2. While the vegetables are cooking, coarsely grate the pickles. You should have about 1 cup densely packed grated pickles. Melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat until it starts to brown. Stir in the garlic and bay leaves, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the grated pickles and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring once, until the pickles become softer, 8 to 12 minutes.
3. Add the pickle mixture to the pot with the vegetables, along with 1 cup pickle brine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper. The soup should already be salty from the broth, pickles and their brine, so add salt carefully. Add up to 1/2 cup more brine if you want a more sour taste. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
4. If using sour cream, temper the cream so it doesn’t curdle: In a cup, mix the sour cream with 1 to 2 tablespoons of cold water, stirring well after each addition, then repeat with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the soup. Add the tempered cream to the pot. Bring to a simmer and heat through, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
5. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Top with chopped dill and black pepper.
Tip: If looking for Polish pickles, be sure to buy ogórki kiszone (cucumbers in brine), such as those sold by the Polonaise brand. Do not buy Polish dill pickles (ogórki konserwowe). If substituting other pickles, use dill pickles that are low in vinegar.