This happens all the time to me — I come across a recipe on New York Times Cooking while I am searching for something else, and I just really have to have it for dinner that night.
The recipe in question this time: roasted tofu and green beans made magical with chile crisp, the clumpy, crunchy, allium-flecked chile oil that can take something plain (whether it’s steamed white rice or vanilla ice cream) and make it thrum. This is a really good dinner you can make with astonishing ease. I keep chile crisp in stock at home, and if you don’t already, I think you should — spoon it over olive oil-fried eggs, swirl it into fettuccine Alfredo, use it as a marinade for chicken cutlets or tuck it in dumplings (and dip those dumplings in it, too).
1. Tofu and Green Beans With Chile Crisp
Chile crisp, a fiery hot-pepper condiment born in the Sichuan province of China, generally relies on fried shallots and garlic for texture, and on any number of umami-rich special ingredients for distinction and oomph. It’s magical: a boon to noodle soups and kitchen-sink stir-fries, to eggs and cucumbers, to plain steamed fish. Here, it is used as the base of a marinade and topping for baked tofu and green beans, with black vinegar, a little sesame oil, a wisp of honey, minced garlic and ginger, along with scallions and cilantro. But you could use the mixture on a mitten and have a very nice meal.
By Sam Sifton
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons chile-crisp condiment, plus more for serving
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped scallions
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained and sliced crosswise into 8 (1/2-inch-thick) slabs
- 3/4 pound green beans
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed
- White rice, for serving
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a baking dish or casserole, whisk together the chile crisp, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, scallions and cilantro.
2. Add the tofu slices to the dish, and coat them with the sauce, then allow to marinate for as long as it takes to heat the oven and trim the green beans.
3. Add the green beans to a large sheet pan, then drizzle the neutral oil on top and toss to coat. Slide the green beans to the sides of the pan, and arrange the slices of tofu in an even layer in the center of the pan. Pour remaining marinade over the tofu, and place in oven.
4. Roast until the green beans start to blister, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately with rice and extra chile crisp on the side.
2. One-Pan Crispy Chicken and Chickpeas
This speedy, no-fuss meal comes together in one pan with a minimal ingredient list — and barely requires any chopping. The chicken skin crisps as it roasts and the chickpeas, garlic and spinach soak up any juices at the bottom of the pan. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end brightens up the whole dish. Make sure to stir the chickpeas and spinach together gently at the end to avoid breaking up the chickpeas too much. For added flavor, you could dust the chicken with smoked paprika, ground turmeric or your favorite spice blend before cooking. Serve this dish with yogurt and hot sauce on the side, and flatbread, if you like.
By Yossy Arefi
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 3/4 pounds)
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more as needed
- 2 (15-ounce) cans of chickpeas, rinsed
- 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 4 (packed) cups or 1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach
- 1 large lemon, halved
- Yogurt and hot sauce (both optional), for serving
Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees with a rack in the center.
2. Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Put the chicken thighs in the skillet, skin-side down, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until light golden brown. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
3. Add the chickpeas and garlic to the skillet and stir to coat in the oil and juices. If the pan seems at all dry, drizzle in a bit of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Place the chicken on top of the chickpeas, skin side up, in an even layer and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until the chicken is deeply golden and cooked through.
5. Remove the chicken to a clean plate, put the pan back on the stovetop over medium heat and add the spinach to the chickpeas in the pan, one handful at a time, stirring it until just wilted. Add the chicken back to the pan and squeeze a lemon half over the top; cut the remaining lemon half into 4 wedges. Serve the chicken, chickpeas and spinach with the lemon wedges on the side, and yogurt and hot sauce for serving, if you like.
3. Salmon With Avocado and Cilantro Salad
For nights when you need a sparkle of color, this dish is just that, in both appearance and taste. First, roast a side of salmon, rubbed with coriander and garlic, and topped with lime slices to infuse it with flavor. As it cooks, prepare this simple and bright avocado salad, spiked with lime juice, jalapeños and scallions, and tossed with gentle greens, to balance the richness of the salmon. Serve with lightly oiled pearled couscous or orzo, plain rice or cilantro rice, or crusty bread.
By Yasmin Fahr
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 (1-1/2-pound) salmon fillet, skin on or off
- 2 limes (1 thinly sliced crosswise)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- Salt
- 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 jalapeño or Fresno chile (optional), thinly sliced into rounds
- 2 avocados, halved, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise
- 3 packed cups watercress, baby arugula or baby spinach
- Torn fresh cilantro leaves and delicate small sprigs, for serving
Preparation:
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. On a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, set the salmon, skin side down, along with the lime slices. Drizzle all with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Rub the top of the salmon with the garlic and coriander; season with salt. Arrange the lime slices on top of the salmon in an even layer.
2. Roast until the salmon is just cooked through and the thickest part of the salmon can easily be pierced with a fork without meeting resistance, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon. (The cooked lime slices can be eaten, or discarded after cooking.)
3. Meanwhile, zest and juice 1 lime into a medium mixing bowl. Add the scallions, cumin and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and mix to combine; add salt and jalapeño to taste, if using. Add the avocado slices to the bowl; season with salt and gently toss.
4. Remove the salmon from the oven and let cool slightly.
5. Add watercress to the bowl with the avocado salad and gently toss to coat; season to taste with salt. Transfer to a serving plate. Break the salmon apart into large chunks, separating from the skin if on, and transfer to the serving plate. Drizzle any liquid from the bowl on top.
6. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.
4. Garlicky Alfredo Beans
This five-ingredient recipe transforms canned beans into a no-fuss, comforting meal that’s easy to whip together at the end of a long day. The beans are doused in a creamy, garlic-infused sauce that’s inspired by Alfredo, and topped with crunchy garlic chips. Choosing the right beans for this recipe might feel intimidating, but the most important thing to remember is texture. Beans that hold their shape and won’t immediately disappear in the sauce are ideal: butter (or lima), Great Northern or garbanzo beans will make great contenders for this recipe. When pan-frying the sliced garlic into chips, you’ll want to mix attentively for the best results, since the delicate garlic chips can burn very easily. Crunchy and flavorful, they’re worth the effort.
By Carolina Gelen
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, plus 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- Kosher salt
- 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, rinsed
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup/2 ounces finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Preparation:
1. Line a small plate with a paper towel.
2. In a medium pot over medium heat, combine the butter and sliced garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes. Once the butter starts to foam, start lifting the garlic to check its color and continue cooking and stirring until it starts to turn golden, another minute. (The garlic can burn very easily — and can continue to darken and cook after it’s been removed from the heat — so make sure to keep an eye on the pot and remove the garlic before it reaches a dark golden color.)
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic chips to the paper towel-lined plate and season with salt.
4. Add the beans, heavy cream, Parmesan and a hefty pinch of salt to the pot; stir to combine.
5. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook, stirring gently but frequently, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
6. Stir in the grated garlic and continue simmering for 2 minutes, until fragrant.
7. Divide among bowls. Top with additional Parmesan and the garlic chips.
5. Quick Jambalaya
This recipe makes quick work out of jambalaya by using leftover rice, and it tastes great with freshly cooked grains, too. To make this meal meatless, use vegan andouille sausage or stick with pork sausage, if you prefer. Either option, along with creole seasoning and the classic trinity of creole cooking — onion, celery and green bell pepper — result in a dish that is unmistakably Louisianan. Though many jambalaya recipes skip tomatoes, this version uses a blend of tomato paste and diced tomatoes to add bulk, and an acidity that helps lighten up the otherwise hearty one-pot meal.
By Vallery Lomas
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 links pork or vegan andouille or chorizo sausage (6 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups cooked long-grain white rice
- 1 tablespoon creole seasoning
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons sliced scallions
Preparation:
1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the sausage and cook until starting to brown, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, then add the celery and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until very fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Reduce the heat to low and add the cooked rice. Sprinkle with the creole seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes and hot sauce and cook until warmed through. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the scallions and serve with more hot sauce.
TIP: This recipe is a great use of leftover cooked rice, but if you are making the rice from scratch, cook the grains in vegetable stock with 2 teaspoons creole or Cajun seasoning for an extra kick of flavor.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.