There are certain foods that have the power to stop me when I roll by them at the grocery store, even if they’re not on my shopping list.
One of them is paneer, the firm, fresh Indian cheese. I picked it up last week and knew immediately that I’d use it in mattar paneer, with its creamy, spiced tomato sauce suffused with ginger and garlic. Our version on New York Times Cooking is streamlined for easy prep on busy nights.
That recipe is below, along with others that will hopefully grab you, delight you or just plain help you out.
1. Mattar Paneer (Peas and Paneer in Spiced Tomato Gravy)
By Zainab Shah
Traditionally, roasted and crushed cashews are puréed with cooked onions and tomatoes to make the base for this comforting vegetarian dish. This version skips the hassle of puréeing and instead uses a hefty amount of cashew butter for the same nutty flavor and creamy texture. Red chile powder, ginger and garlic provide the perfect backbone for the sauce. Substitute tofu for paneer if you like; the mildness of either lends itself well to this unexpectedly luxurious dish that is so much more than the sum of its parts.
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1/4 cup ghee or neutral oil
1/2 pound paneer or extra-firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes and patted very dry
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3/4 teaspoon kashmiri or other red chile powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
3 medium plum tomatoes, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons cashew butter
8 ounces frozen (no need to thaw) or fresh green peas (about 1 3/4 cups)
3 tablespoons heavy cream or cashew cream (optional)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
Rice or roti, for serving
Preparation:
1. Heat ghee in a large frying pan or medium wok on high for 30 seconds, or until it is melted. Lower heat to medium and lightly fry paneer or tofu cubes, turning frequently, until they are golden on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel.
2. In the same frying pan or wok, add onion, ginger and garlic, and cook on medium, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until onions are translucent.
3. Add cumin seeds, chile powder and turmeric, and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and salt. Add 3/4 cup water. Simmer on medium until the mixture thickens slightly, about 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Lower the heat to medium-low, and stir in cashew butter. Add peas and paneer. Stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes or until it reaches your desired thickness. Top with heavy cream in a swirl, if you like. Sprinkle with garam masala. Serve with rice or roti.
Seared chicken thighs with cherry tomatoes and olives. Skip the final step of broiling the chicken to crisp the skin if you just need to get dinner done. Food styled by Barrett Washburne. (Rachel Vanni/The New York Times)
2. Seared Chicken Thighs With Cherry Tomatoes and Olives
By Carolina Gelen
In this one-pan meal, freshly seared chicken thighs simmer in their own schmaltz alongside bursting tomatoes and salty olives. Those sweet and bright tomato juices serve as a starting point for a delicate sauce. To make the most of the leftover olive brine, this recipe uses it in lieu of salt to season the sauce, as well as to deglaze the pan and extract the rich flavors that stick to the bottom when you sear chicken. Tarragon sprigs add their irresistible peppery aroma. If tarragon is impossible to find, fresh rosemary or marjoram make equally tasty alternatives.
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 to 6 thighs)
Salt
1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as avocado or grapeseed oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 (6-ounce) jar pitted green olives, drained, brine reserved
1 (6-ounce) jar pitted Kalamata olives, drained
1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes
3 fresh tarragon sprigs
Crusty bread, for serving
Preparation:
1. Pat dry the chicken using a paper towel and season with salt on all sides.
2. In a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high, heat the oil. Place the chicken skin-side down in the skillet and sear for 7 to 9 minutes, until crispy, golden and the skin easily releases from the bottom of the skillet. Flip the chicken thighs and continue cooking for 5 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer the seared chicken to a plate.
3. Remove all but about 3 tablespoons of schmaltz from the skillet and add the shallots. Decrease the heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently, until translucent and soft, about 3 minutes.
4. Add 1/3 cup of the green olive brine to the skillet and scrape to loosen the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the green olives, Kalamata olives, tomatoes and tarragon. Partly cover with a lid and bring the mixture to a simmer, occasionally stirring and crushing some of the tomatoes with the back of a spoon to release their juices.
5. When the mixture reaches a simmer, tuck the chicken thighs in between the cherry tomatoes and olives, skin-side up. Partly cover with a lid and simmer over medium for 12 minutes, until the tomatoes have released most of their juices and have burst and softened.
6. Meanwhile, place an oven rack as close to the broiler as possible and set the oven to broil.
7. Remove the lid and place the skillet under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, until the chicken skin is slightly charred in places and crispy.
8. Serve right away, with bread on the side.
Lemon-garlic linguine. Garlic goes big in this simple pasta from Ali Slagle. Food styled by Simon Andrews. (Christopher Testani/The New York Times)
3. Lemon-Garlic Linguine
By Ali Slagle
This bright and creamy pasta is a weeknight go-to that can be embellished with seared scallops, shrimp or mushrooms to make it something special. Grated garlic, lemon zest and black pepper sizzle and bloom in melted butter to which starchy pasta water is added to create a thick sauce. A hit of lemon juice at the very end keeps it punchy. Linguine, which is not as thin as spaghetti or as thick as fettuccine, works well here, but if you have another pasta shape on hand, feel free to swap it in.
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound linguine
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 large lemon
Black pepper
Grated Parmesan, lemon zest, crushed red pepper, parsley or a combination, for garnish (optional)
Preparation:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente. Reserve 2 cups pasta water, then drain the noodles.
2. Dry the pot, then return to low heat and add the butter. While the butter melts, grate the garlic over the butter. Stir until the garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Finely grate the zest of the lemon into the pot, and add a few grinds of black pepper. When the pepper is sizzling, add 1 cup pasta water and the cooked pasta. Increase heat to medium-high and toss vigorously. As the liquid in the pot evaporates, add another few tablespoons of pasta water. Repeat, tossing vigorously and adding pasta water, until the pasta is glossed in a thick sauce, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, squeeze in the juice of the whole lemon, and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Optionally, top with Parmesan, lemon zest, crushed red pepper and/or parsley as you like.
Sheet-pan chile crisp salmon and asparagus. Yasmin Fahr coats salmon with a mixture of chile crisp, soy sauce and honey for fish with a sweet, hot bite. Food styled by Barrett Washburne. (James Ransom/The New York Times)
4. Sheet-Pan Chile Crisp Salmon and Asparagus
By Yasmin Fahr
A mixture of chile crisp, soy sauce and honey coats salmon bites that roast alongside scallions and asparagus for a quick and colorful weeknight dinner. While the salmon doesn’t need to be cubed, it’s an easy and enjoyable way to eat it; the bite-size pieces can be served over rice, cooked grains or big salads. Much like a grain bowl component, this recipe is versatile, and works as an add-on or base. Finish it as you’d like: Try some gently torn fresh cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, flaky sea salt, lime slices or an extra drizzle of chile crisp.
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon store-bought or homemade chile crisp, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey
2 pounds skinless, center-cut salmon (1 to 1 1/2-inch thick), cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 bunch scallions, light green and white parts thinly sliced (dark greens reserved for another use)
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Cooked grains or salad greens (optional), for serving
Preparation:
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the chile crisp, soy sauce and honey. Add the salmon and sliced scallions; toss to coat.
2. Add the asparagus to a sheet pan; season with salt and toss with the olive oil until shiny. Add the salmon mixture to the pan, nestling the salmon between spears or on top, if needed. Place any larger cubes near the edges of the pan, so they’ll cook evenly.
3. Roast in the oven until the salmon is just cooked through and the asparagus crisp-tender, about 12 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Serve with cooked grains or salad greens, if desired.
Roasted broccoli with shrimp. This five-star recipe is a weeknight gift from Melissa Clark, requiring one pan and about 25 minutes of your time. Food styled by LIza Jernow. (Tara Donne/The New York Times)
5. Roasted Broccoli With Shrimp
By Melissa Clark
Here is a fast, delicious one-pan supper that could not be simpler, or tastier. Just coat your ingredients with a generous amount of olive oil, seasoning well with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and place them on a baking sheet. Put it in the oven at a high temperature (in this recipe 425 degrees) and let the heat do the work. The vegetables will soften and caramelize, offering real depth of flavor. Here, we add shrimp at the end, which cooks quickly, to deliver an easy weeknight meal.
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
2 pounds broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot chile powder
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 1/4 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
Lemon wedges, for serving
Preparation:
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1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss broccoli with 2 tablespoons oil, coriander, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and chile powder. In a separate bowl, combine shrimp, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, lemon zest, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
2. Spread broccoli in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. Add shrimp to baking sheet and toss with broccoli. Roast, tossing once halfway through, until shrimp are just opaque and broccoli is tender and golden around edges, about 10 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges, or squeeze lemon juice all over shrimp and broccoli just before serving.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.