1. Ricotta Pasta Alla Vodka
In a 1974 cookbook, Italian actor Ugo Tognazzi published a recipe for pasta all’infuriata, furious pasta, a chile-and-vodka-spiked tomato number. It’s one of the first written accounts of the Russian liquor in pasta and may be related to the penne alla vodka that has been a staple of many Italian American menus. For good reason: The alcohol is said to help fat disperse more evenly, keeping the sauce glossy and creamy, and to enhance the sharp heat and deep savory flavors of the dish. The ricotta serving suggestion draws inspiration from the creamy tomato soup with three dollops of cool, sweet ricotta on top from the now-closed Caffe Falai in Manhattan’s NoLIta neighborhood. The ricotta lends coolness both in temperature and in flavor, lending relief between bites of spicy booziness.
By Eric Kim
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon (6 ounces), coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons red-pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 large garlic cloves, crushed but left whole
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 5 tablespoons tomato paste, preferably double-concentrated
- 3/4 to 1 cup vodka, depending on how boozy you want it
- 1 pound fusilli, penne or rigatoni
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, finely grated (1 cup)
- 1 cup/8 ounces whole-milk ricotta
- Finely chopped flat-leaf parsley or basil, for serving
Preparation
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Heat a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high. Add the oil and bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy at the edges, about 5 minutes. Carefully drain all but 3 tablespoons of the fat, reserving any excess for later.
3. Lower the heat to medium. Stir in the red-pepper flakes, oregano and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, just a few seconds. Add the onion, season generously with salt and pepper and cook over medium-high, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add more bacon fat if the pan dries out. Add the tomato paste and stir constantly until slightly darker in color, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the vodka.
4. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until 2 minutes shy of al dente.
5. While the pasta cooks, turn the heat under the sauce to high and cook, stirring constantly, until reduced by three-quarters, about 2 minutes. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Take off the heat.
6. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and add to the pan with the sauce, along with 1 cup pasta water and most of the pecorino. Cook over medium-high, stirring vigorously with one hand while moving the pan back and forth with the other, until the sauce glossily drapes the noodles, 5 to 7 minutes. Add more pasta water if the sauce looks dry. Fish out the garlic cloves. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, as desired.
7. Divide the pasta among plates, sprinkling with any remaining pecorino and dolloping each serving with three spoonfuls of ricotta. Top with the parsley, which adds necessary freshness to counter the richness.
2. Lemony Greek Chicken, Spinach and Potato Stew
If your favorite Greek foods are the lively vegetable dishes, this meal-in-a-bowl stew is for you. A simple mix of lemon, garlic and lots of herbs enliven the potatoes and spinach and using ground meat ensures a lot of flavor in very little time. Ground turkey or pork would be just as good, if you prefer. Russets can be substituted for Yukon golds, but their texture will be more grainy and less creamy. Mature spinach or frozen spinach works best here because of its mellow flavor, as opposed to baby spinach, which is more tannic. Add the amount of dill that sounds best to you, or if you don’t like it, swap in a few tablespoons of fresh parsley or mint.
By Sarah DiGregorio
Yield: 4 to 5 servings
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 red or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 8 large garlic cloves, smashed and finely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 heaping tablespoon roughly chopped fresh rosemary (leaves of about 1 large sprig) or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- Black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 medium), scrubbed and chopped into 1/2-inch chunks
- 6 cups chicken broth
- Juice of 1 large lemon (about 1/4 cup juice)
- 1 (8-ounce) bunch mature spinach, stems included, chopped, or 1 1/2 cups frozen leaf spinach
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup lightly packed roughly chopped dill
- Crumbled feta and crushed pita chips, for topping
Preparation:
1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, warm the oil over high heat. Add the onion, garlic and salt and cook, stirring, until the onion and garlic are softened and just starting to brown, 5 minutes. (Decrease the heat to medium-high if necessary to prevent scorching.)
2. Decrease the heat to medium-high and add the chicken, rosemary, oregano, red-pepper flakes and several generous grinds of black pepper. Cook, breaking up the chicken into crumbles, until the meat starts to lose its translucent pinkness and is turning white, about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and stir well to combine. Add the chicken broth and half the lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Bring to a rolling boil and then lower the heat to maintain a very brisk simmer. Simmer until the potatoes are nearly tender, 15 minutes.
3. Add the spinach and dill, to taste. Continue to simmer briskly until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes more. Taste and add some or all of the remaining lemon juice, as well as more salt and pepper, if desired. Serve in bowls topped with feta and crushed pita chips.
3. Bacon, Egg and Cheese Fried Rice
Bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches and fried rice are each beloved for their simplicity and affordability, but also because they deliver great comfort and satisfaction. They typically offer a combination of salty meat, creamy eggs and a carb in the form of bread or rice, but each dish is infinitely adaptable. In this playful weeknight meal, the two come together. Rendered bacon fat is used to cook the dish’s components, infusing the vegetables and rice with smokiness. Eggs are beaten with nutty grated Parmesan to create rich, fluffy scrambled eggs that add an extra layer of savoriness to the dish. Any type of leftover rice will work, as would other leftover grains like farro or barley.
By Kay Chun
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 ounces bacon, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick strips
- Neutral oil, if needed
- 1 pound napa cabbage, chopped into 1-inch pieces (6 packed cups)
- 1 1/4 cups chopped scallions
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon peeled minced ginger
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 4 cups cooked and cooled rice (such as jasmine or basmati), preferably day-old
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup thawed frozen peas (optional)
- Hot sauce, for serving
Preparation
1. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and crispy, 7 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and transfer the bacon fat to a small heatproof bowl (you should have about 3 tablespoons of bacon fat; if short, add enough neutral oil to make 3 tablespoons).
2. Return 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat to the skillet and heat over medium-high. Add cabbage and 1 cup of the scallions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender and lightly golden and all of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine eggs and cheese and beat until well blended.
4. Reduce heat to medium and add rice and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until well incorporated and rice is warmed through, about 2 minutes. Push rice mixture to one side of the skillet. To the empty side, add the remaining 1 tablespoon bacon fat and the egg mixture, and allow it to set a little before stirring. Cook, stirring occasionally, until scrambled, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir scrambled eggs and the remaining 1/4 cup scallions and the peas (if using) into the rice mixture until well blended.
5. Divide fried rice among bowls and top each with some of the reserved crispy bacon. Serve with hot sauce.
4. Butter-Poached Shrimp With Dill Mayonnaise
Poaching shrimp in a combination of butter, lemon juice and white wine gives them a bright, tangy flavor and plump, succulent texture, and it takes only about five minutes. Served in bowls with a little of their broth and a dollop of dill-speckled mayonnaise, they’re rich and soupy, perfect with a hunk of crusty bread on the side to mop up every last drop.
By Melissa Clark
Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
For the shrimp:
- 2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup dry white wine, plus more if needed
- 1 pound shelled large shrimp
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Pinch of fine sea or table salt
For the dill mayonnaise:
- 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
Preparation
1. Using a mortar and pestle or a cutting board and the flat side of a knife, crack the coriander seeds. Add to a large dry saucepan over medium heat and toast for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
2. Add butter and wine to the coriander in the pan, and swirl until butter has melted, about 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add shrimp, lemon juice and pinch of salt. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the shrimp. If needed, add a splash more wine to the pan.
4. Gently poach shrimp for 2 minutes, then flip. Poach for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until they turn pink and are just cooked through.
5. While shrimp are poaching, make the dill mayonnaise: In a small bowl, whisk together lemon zest and juice, dill, mayonnaise and salt. Taste, and add more salt and lemon juice if needed.
6. Pour shrimp and all of their juices into a shallow bowl, and top with dollops of dill mayonnaise. Garnish with dill fronds and serve.
5. Mattar Paneer (Peas and Paneer in Spiced Tomato Gravy)
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.
By Zainab Shah
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.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
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