Japanese Ground Beef Curry

Japanese Ground Beef Curry

This one-skillet Japanese curry combines ground beef, potatoes, carrots and peas with store-bought curry roux bricks for a meal that tastes complex but comes together with little effort. A Westernized, roux-based version of curry was introduced to Japan by the British Navy in the late 1800s and, over time, evolved to become a staple in Japanese households, with a number of variations like kare udon (served over noodles) and kare raisu (served over rice). In the 1950s, store-bought curry roux bricks were created, combining the roux with curry powder and a variety of other spices. In this recipe, those store-bought curry bricks do the heavy lifting. (If you’re particularly ambitious, you could make your own Japanese curry bricks with this recipe from Sonoko Sakai.) Serve this curry over rice, udon or lo mein, or alongside a breaded pork cutlet.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

2 tablespoons sunflower, safflower or canola oil

1 pound ground beef

Salt and pepper

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped into ⅓-inch pieces

1 large russet potato, peeled and chopped into ½-inch pieces

1 (3.2-ounce) package Japanese curry roux bricks (preferably medium-hot S&B Golden Curry)

¾ cup frozen peas

Cooked rice, udon or lo mein noodles, for serving

Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add the oil and when it shimmers, add the ground beef, a generous pinch of salt and a couple pinches of ground pepper. Using a spatula, break up the beef and spread it into one layer on the skillet. Let cook undisturbed, until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. 

Stir and push the beef to one side of the skillet, add the onion to the other side and season the onion lightly with salt. Let cook, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, stir all the ingredients to combine and continue to cook, about 3 minutes more. 

Stir in the carrots and potato and cook until the edges begin to soften, about 4 minutes. 

Add the roux bricks and 2 cups of water and stir, breaking up the bricks until they melt into a sauce and start bubbling. Cover, lower heat to low and let simmer, stirring occasionally until the liquid has reduced into a rich, viscous sauce, about 15 minutes. If the sauce has reduced to the point of drying at the bottom of the skillet, gradually add up to ½ cup water, a few tablespoons at a time, to reach the desired consistency. (Sauce should be glossy and saucy, not gloopy or congealed.) 

Add peas and cook until bright green, 3 to 5 minutes. 

Serve over cooked rice, udon or lo mein noodles. Any curry leftovers will keep, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

TIP: Just made this...a classic dish sure to please children (milder roux.) I think this version is even better than the classic chicken and is really about as easy a weeknight hearty meal with many leftover meals possible. Being very familiar with Japanese cuisine, one can't resist tinkering. In my case I added a small cup of apple sauce (Japanese often add Fuji apple to boost the sweet/tart.)

*I agree 100% on the applesauce! I also like to add a bit of tomato paste before adding the water and roux blocks. In the past I’ve added a bit of unsweetened cocoa too. This recipe lends itself nicely to tinkering with the ingredients!

*we discovered Torokeru curry

Roasted Cabbage Salad With Spicy Lime Dressing

Roasted Cabbage Salad With Spicy Lime Dressing

This winter cabbage salad takes a cue from a classic Vietnamese cabbage and chicken salad and has plenty of kick from lime juice, serrano chiles and fish sauce. Tempeh and peanuts are roasted with the cabbage for varied texture and a hit of protein. Add more vegetables if you like: try halved cherry tomatoes, cucumber or charred green beans. The fish sauce and lime juice are your flavor makers, so don't be afraid to add more of either to suit your taste. The cabbage salad keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator and is great at room temperature, perfect for a quick lunch. 

Yield: 4 servings, plus leftovers

1 small green cabbage, about 1 ½ pounds

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

1 bunch scallions

2 serrano chiles

2 garlic cloves

6 tablespoons lime juice, plus more to taste (from 3 limes)

1 tablespoon fish sauce, plus more to taste

2 medium carrots

One (8-ounce) package soy tempeh

¾ cup roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil

Freshly cooked long-grain white rice, such as jasmine, for serving

1 bunch cilantro or mint leaves (or a combination)

Heat your oven to 400 degrees. If you have a convection function, turn it on.

While your oven heats, quarter the cabbage through the core, cut away and discard the core, then slice the cabbage into shreds. Place on a sheet pan and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt. Squeeze the salt into the cabbage and arrange in one layer. Allow the cabbage to sit while you prep the remaining ingredients. 

Trim the scallions , then cut off the scallion whites and cut them in half lengthwise. Place on top of the cabbage. Chop the scallion greens and place them in a large bowl.

Cut the stems of the chiles off and discard, then quarter them lengthwise. If desired, remove the seeds, then dice the serranos and place them in the bowl with the scallion greens. Mince the garlic cloves, then toss them into the bowl. Add the lime juice, fish sauce and 1 teaspoon salt. Grate the carrots into the bowl, mix and allow to sit while the cabbage roasts. 

Transfer the sheet pan with the cabbage to the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and crumble the tempeh on top, then add the peanuts and oil and, using tongs, toss to combine. Return to the oven and roast, tossing once halfway through, until edges of cabbage and scallions are browned and peanuts and tempeh are golden, 15 to 20  minutes. 

To serve, transfer the contents of the sheet pan to the bowl with the dressing, and toss to coat. Taste for fish sauce and lime juice. Scoop a generous amount of rice into bowls and top with a very generous serving of salad. Top with cilantro or mint leaves. The salad keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator and is great at room temperature.

Salmon Gyro Bowls

Salmon Gyro Bowls

These rice bowls apply the flavor of classic gyros to tender, buttery salmon. The bowl is piled with a spiced roasted onion and tomato mixture and a simple cucumber salad; a lemony, dill and feta–flavored yogurt and mayonnaise sauce completes the dish. Rice is the base for these bowls, but you could opt out of it entirely and nestle the toppings in pita bread, serve them over a bed of salad greens, or enjoy with a side of Greek-style lemon potatoes. 

Yield: 4 servings

For the salmon

¼ cup olive oil

1 lemon, juiced (about ¼ cup)

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves

3 large garlic cloves, grated

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 (5- to 6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets 

1 medium red onion, sliced

3 large vine tomatoes, chopped 

Cooked white rice, for serving 

For the white sauce

¾ cup plain Greek yogurt

½ cup crumbled feta

¼ cup mayonnaise 

1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

2 large garlic cloves, finely grated 

½ medium lemon, juiced 

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Black pepper, to taste 

For the cucumber salad

1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced

¼ large red onion, sliced crosswise 

⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

Black pepper, to taste 

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and arrange racks in the upper and lower third of the oven. Line one large sheet pan with parchment paper and another with aluminum foil.

Prepare the salmon: In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Dip the salmon into the marinade until evenly coated. Transfer the salmon to a plate and set aside. 

Add the onions and tomatoes to the large bowl and mix until coated. Spread the onion-tomato mixture evenly on the foil-lined sheet pan and roast for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice as needed.

After the onion-tomato mixture has roasted for 20 minutes, transfer the salmon, skin side down, to the remaining sheet pan along with any leftover sauce. Add to the oven to roast until the fish is tender and flakes easily; continue roasting the onion-tomato mixture until it has softened significantly and gets slightly browned around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes.

While everything roasts, combine the ingredients for the white sauce in a medium bowl. 

Once the salmon and vegetables are done roasting, combine all the ingredients for the cucumber salad and lightly toss. 

To serve each portion, place the amount of rice you’d like into a bowl. Top with salmon, the roasted tomato-onion mixture and cucumber salad, and finish off with a generous dollop of white sauce. 

Lamb Biryani

Lamb Biryani 

In India, you’re just as likely to have biryani as a lunchtime delivery at the office as you are to see it as a stunning centerpiece at a wedding feast. The dish is pervasive, with many modern interpretations and regional permutations rooted in Muslim communities of the subcontinent. Hyderabad is famous for its style of biryani, which traditionally involves a layer of raw meat and gravy that cooks the rice as it steams in a tightly sealed pot. This Sindhi-style biryani is the one I make for special Sunday lunches and parties. With multiple layers of parcooked rice, fresh herbs, caramelized onion, saffron-infused milk and braised lamb, it’s a project, but a rewarding one. Two tips: Meat on the bone isn’t a rule, but it’s consistently better than meat off the bone. Potatoes are welcome; add a pound of small boiled potatoes to the cooked meat if you want to stretch the pot and feed a few extra people.

Yield: 8 servings

For the Lamb

4 green finger chiles (or serrano chiles), stems removed

8 garlic cloves, peeled

1 (4-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered

2 Roma tomatoes, quartered

1 cup full-fat yogurt

1 cup fresh mint leaves

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon Kashmiri chile powder, plus more as needed

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed

2½ to 3 pounds lamb chops (or boneless or bone-in lamb shoulder pieces)

3 (½-inch) Indian cinnamon sticks, or 1 large cinnamon stick

12 whole black peppercorns

6 cloves

6 green cardamom pods

1 tablespoon garam masala

For the Fried Onions

1 cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola

2 yellow onions, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon kosher salt

For the Rice

Kosher salt

3 cups basmati rice

For Assembly

6 tablespoons whole milk

½ teaspoon saffron threads

2 cups mixed fresh cilantro and mint leaves

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced

Prepare the lamb marinade: Add the finger chiles, garlic and ginger to a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the onions and tomatoes, process until smooth, and scrape into a bowl that will hold all the lamb and fit in your fridge. Add the yogurt, mint, cilantro, coriander, cumin, chile powder, turmeric and salt, and stir to combine. Add the lamb to the bowl and toss to coat in the marinade, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

Prepare the fried onions: In a Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat the oil over medium. Add the onions, season with salt, and sauté until browned, stirring occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer fried onions to a paper towel-lined plate. Using your hands, pull apart the fried onions to separate to prevent them from sticking together, and set aside.

Add the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves and cardamom to the remaining hot oil, and fry over medium until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the meat, its marinade and 1 cup water, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and the sauce is very thick and dark, about 2½ hours, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a low simmer. Stir in the garam masala and taste, adjusting with salt and chile powder as needed. Set aside.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the rice: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add the rice. Stir well and cook for 3 minutes, transfer to a colander in the sink to drain. Run some cool water on top to cool the rice; set aside.

Prepare the saffron milk for assembly: Warm the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat just until it steams. Remove from heat and add the saffron, crumbling it with your fingertips as you drop it into the milk. Set aside.

In a large, heavy, lidded pot, add about a third of the meat mixture in an even layer covering the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle the meat with a third of the herbs and a third of the rice, assembling lightly without packing the layers. Drizzle 2 tablespoons saffron milk over the rice and add about a third of the fried onions. Build two more layers of meat, herbs, rice, saffron milk and onions. Top with pats of butter and cover the pot with foil.

Put the lid on the pot of rice, transfer to the oven and bake until piping hot, about 1 hour. Let rest for about 10 minutes, then serve hot, digging all the way to the bottom of the pot with the serving spoon. To reheat, warm the biryani covered in the oven, or microwave.

TIP: I was intrigued by this recipe but had no lamb. I substituted bone-in chicken thighs and basically followed recipe with a few changes. I browned chicken thighs before browning onions (scraping off the marinade and drying the thighs with a paper towel) and then, at the point of assembling the biryani, I deboned the chicken, discarding the skin and shredding the meat. Flavors were excellent. I highly recommend. 

*the oil is for deep frying the onions, but you wouldn’t need that if it’s going to simmer for over 2 hours. It won’t change the taste and lamb has enough of its own fat to cook in.

Eliminating the butter on top of the rice may leave it less rich,

But having made biryani growing up, it’s still going to be really really delicious without.

These seem like restaurant style additions that sacrifice health for additional flavor.

Save yourself the 2600 calories. It’s still going to be awesome.

*Am I reading this correctly that in Step 3 we're supposed to use ALL of the remaining 1 cup of oil? In other words, the finished biryani has 1 full cup of oil (in addition to the 6 Tbsp of butter)? If so, it is what it is (no judgement) but just wanted to confirm.

Chocolate Zucchini Loaf Cake

Chocolate Zucchini Loaf Cake

This simple, one-bowl loaf cake is a sweet way to make the most of zucchini season. Chocolate cake batter is flecked with shreds of raw zucchini and studded with bittersweet chocolate chips for a summertime cake that’s fit for either breakfast or dessert. While some recipes call for squeezing the excess water out of the shredded zucchini, this loaf cake takes full advantage of the summer vegetable: The zucchini is taken directly from the grater to the bowl for additional moisture. The resulting cake strikes the perfect balance; it's rich and fudgy, but still maintains a tender crumb. The cake will keep on the counter for 4 to 5 days, loosely covered, and only gets better with age.

Yield: 1 loaf (about 8 servings)

Nonstick cooking spray or neutral oil

2 large eggs

1½ cups/330 grams packed light brown sugar

¾ cup/180 milliliters neutral oil (such as vegetable or safflower)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

2 cups/280 grams lightly packed coarsely grated zucchini (from about 1 large or 2 small zucchini)

1¾ cups/223 grams all-purpose flour

⅔ cup/63 grams unsweetened natural cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup/173 grams bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon coarse sugar (such as turbinado or Demerara)

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over the long sides to create a sling.

In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the eggs, light brown sugar, oil, vanilla extract and salt until smooth and glossy, about 30 seconds. Add the grated zucchini and mix with a rubber spatula until incorporated.

Using a fine-mesh strainer, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda directly into the bowl and stir with a rubber spatula just until combined and no pockets of unincorporated flour remain. (Try not to overmix.) Add all but 1 tablespoon of the chocolate chips to the batter and stir until evenly distributed.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar and the reserved chocolate chips, pressing them in slightly so they stick. Bake until the cake puffs slightly and a skewer or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached or with smudges of melted chocolate chips (the chips will be dark brown versus the lighter color of uncooked cake batter), 75 to 80 minutes.

Let the loaf cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Using the parchment paper, lift the cake out of the pan and let cool completely on a rack before slicing, about 2 hours.

Tip: The cake can be baked in a 9-by-2-inch round cake or springform pan. Grease the pan and line the bottom with a parchment paper round. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, 50 to 55 minutes.

* Last week I asked about substituting fat-free Greek yogurt for some of the oil. I figured it out and it was perfect - instead of 6oz of oil I used 2oz oil and 3oz of yogurt. Delicious, and eliminated 2/3 of the oil. Super moist and chocolatey.

I have tried many zucchini breads and cakes, but was always bothered by their oiliness. I have now made this one twice substituting the 3/4 cup oil with 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1/4 cup either oil or melted butter or combination of the two ( to equal 1/4 cup). Found that hint on the King Arthur baking site. It really works well.

So very good! I also like that the zucchini doesn’t have to be drained. I used bittersweet chunky chips and I made these as muffins. It made 15 regular muffins and I baked them at 350 for 30 minutes.

Spicy Turkey Stir-Fry With Crisp Garlic and Ginger

Spicy Turkey Stir-Fry With Crisp Garlic and Ginger

This quick-cooking stir-fry is packed with umami from fish sauce and soy sauce, and heat from both red-pepper flakes and fresh chile. Pungent and herbal, it’s a terrific weeknight dish that’s fast but never bland. The key here is to let the turkey get deeply brown, so don’t move it around in the pan too much. Serve it over rice for a substantial meal, or a bed of crisp lettuce if you want something lighter.

Yield: 4 servings

2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as safflower or grapeseed

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 (2-inch) knob ginger, cut into matchsticks

Fine sea salt

2 tablespoons coconut oil or more neutral oil

3 scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced

¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste

1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat (or use ground pork)

2 tablespoons lime juice, plus more to taste

1 tablespoon fish sauce

½ teaspoon soy sauce, plus more to taste

½ teaspoon sugar or honey (optional)

Cooked sticky or white rice, for serving

⅔ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, for serving

⅓ cup torn basil leaves (or use more cilantro), for serving

1 fresh bird’s-eye or serrano chile, thinly sliced, for serving

In a cold 12-inch skillet, combine oil, garlic and ginger. Place over medium heat until sizzling, then continue to cook, stirring frequently, until garlic and ginger are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle lightly with salt.

Add coconut oil to pan, then stir in scallion whites and cook until starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in red-pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in turkey, raise heat to medium-high, and cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until golden and crisp, about 7 minutes. Don’t stir the meat too much, so it can turn deep brown.

Remove pan from heat and stir in lime juice, fish sauce and soy sauce. Taste and add more lime juice, red-pepper flakes, soy sauce and sugar or honey if you like.

Gently mix about two-thirds of the fried garlic and ginger into the turkey. Serve turkey over rice, topped with cilantro, basil, scallion greens and fresh chile, and garnished with remaining fried ginger and garlic.

Green Goddess Roasted Chicken

Green Goddess Roasted Chicken

Green Goddess dressing — a creamy, piquant blend of herbs, garlic and anchovies — is good to eat on salad. And it’s wonderful as a dipping sauce for vegetables. But its best use may be as a marinade for roast chicken. The mild chicken absorbs all the zippy flavors of the dressing, to emerge from the oven fragrant and golden, flecked with green. To intensify the herbal flavor, some of the green goddess mixture is set aside to use as a sauce. You could even pour a little on a salad or some vegetables on the side, and enjoy the best of all the Green Goddess variations in one savory bite.

Yield: 4 servings

1½ cups buttermilk or plain yogurt

1 cup packed basil leaves

¼ cup packed chives

2 garlic cloves, peeled

2 anchovy fillets (optional)

1 scallion, white and green parts

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 (4- to 5-pound) chicken, halved through the breast and back bones, patted dry with paper towels

1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

In a blender, purée buttermilk, basil, chives, garlic, anchovies (if using), scallion, lime zest and juice, salt and pepper until smooth.

Put chicken halves in a bowl or large heavy-duty resealable plastic bag and cover with three-quarters of the Green Goddess marinade. (Save the rest to serve as a sauce.) Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to overnight.

Heat oven to 500 degrees. Remove chicken from the marinade, shaking off as much liquid as possible, and lay the halves on a rimmed baking sheet. (Discard the used marinade.) Pat chicken tops dry with paper towels and drizzle with oil. Roast until cooked through, about 30 to 45 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving, with some of the reserved sauce if you like.

TIP: I make this with thighs and roast them for about 25 mins at 500. It makes the house smell so good. The longer I marinate the chicken, the more succulent it is. I try to buy the best buttermilk I can; it seems to make a difference. This has been a winner in my house and for guests. The hardest thing to remember when I want to make it is that needs time to marinate.

500ºF? That was way too hot for my oven. The chicken was pretty well cooked at 20 minutes ... 148ºF internal temperature at the breast. I finished it at 350º for seven minutes and the chicken was perfectly cooked. The Green Goddess dressing was superb! A definite keeper ... but keep an eye on the temperature!

I have prepared this twice and both times it was fantastic. The first was with boneless skinless breasts, but it didn't marinade as long. A few days ago, I marinated chunks of boneless skinless breasts for a full day and grilled them on skewers.... So yummy and succulent!!

I prefer greek yogurt for this and it makes the marinade super thick and tangy.

Going to become one of my go-to chicken dishes!

Pumpkin Spice Honeycomb Cake

Pumpkin Spice Honeycomb Cake

This take on bánh bò nướng, a classic Vietnamese dessert, is spiced with comforting fall flavors and doused in white chocolate — and integrates pumpkin purée. Also known as honeycomb cake, this dessert has a dense, chewy interior, with a crusty exterior that makes it so snackable. Besides the irresistible flavor and texture, the recipe offers a delicious gluten-free option for your dessert table. The batter requires a few rounds of straining through a large fine-mesh sieve, so make sure to set up your work station for success, with two large bowls that can accommodate the batter. Try to not overmix, and use gentle stirring motions to prevent too many bubbles forming in the batter. A reliable nonstick Bundt pan will make unmolding the cake a breeze.

Yield: 12 servings

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon/142 grams canned pumpkin purée

1 tablespoon pumpkin spice, plus more for topping

1 ⅓cups/266 grams granulated sugar

1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups/255 grams tapioca starch

¼ cup/31 grams white rice flour (not sweet rice flour)

2 teaspoons baking powder 

5 large eggs

3 tablespoons coconut oil

4 ounces/113 grams white chocolate, chopped

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a 10-inch nonstick Bundt pan in the oven to preheat.

To a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the pumpkin purée and pumpkin spice. Cook, stirring frequently, until a film forms on the bottom of the pan and the pumpkin purée is smooth and glossy, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat.

To the saucepan, add the sugar, coconut milk, vanilla and salt. Place over medium heat and whisk for 1 minute until the sugar has dissolved. (Avoid bringing the mixture to a boil.) Set aside to cool slightly.

Place a large, fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl. Add the tapioca starch, rice flour and baking powder and sift, then whisk to combine. Place the sieve over another large bowl. Add the eggs to the sieve. Using a silicone spatula, gently mix the eggs to pass through the sieve, using delicate, long stirring motions to incorporate as little air as possible. This process will take a few minutes.

Pour the warm (or room temperature) pumpkin mixture through the sieve over the eggs, then gently whisk to combine.

Place the sieve over the dry ingredients. Pour the pumpkin-egg mixture over the dry ingredients. Gently whisk just until a mostly liquid batter forms, with many dry flour lumps all over.

Place the sieve over the empty bowl and pour the batter through, gently pushing the batter with a silicone spatula through the sieve. Repeat one more time until batter is completely smooth, with no flour lumps. Stir in 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil.

To the preheated Bundt pan, add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil and brush the pan to coat. Pour the batter in the pan. Bake, without opening the oven door for the first hour, until the cake looks golden and feels springy on top, 1 ¼ hours to 1 ½ hours. (When the cake is done, a toothpick inserted into its center should come out clean, without any raw batter.) Allow the cake to rest for 10 minutes in the pan, then carefully flip onto a serving plate. Let cool to room temperature.

To a small microwave-safe bowl, add the white chocolate and the remaining 2 teaspoons of coconut oil. Microwave, stirring at 15-seconds intervals, until ¾ of the chocolate is melted. Mix to combine, using the residual heat to melt the chocolate.

Slowly drizzle the melted chocolate on the cake, going in circles around the cake, slowly pushing the chocolate toward the sides. Using a small sieve, lightly sprinkle with more pumpkin spice on top. (The cake is best served fresh the day of, but can be stored at room temperature, covered, up to 3 days.)

TIP: @C it can be and is often eaten without any sauce. Some people (myself included) like to eat it with a drizzle of coconut sauce which is sometimes referred to as Nuoc Cot Dua if you’re looking for a recipe. That said, as a Vietnamese person, I plan to make the version in this recipe. The white chocolate drizzle is a playful nod to the traditional coconut sauce which I think is novel and would be a hit with my family.

Another uncommon/non-traditional trick is to grill the slices which makes it even more transcendent. This is done at the James beard award-winning Vietnamese restaurant, Berlu in Portland, OR.

Enjoyed this even more than the original recipe for Banh Bo Nuong in the Times, as the technique is very slightly more refined and gave much better results. Do not skip the pumpkin pie spice sprinkle and do yourself a favor and either buy a fresh jar or grind together a batch yourself; it really elevates the flavor to a new level. I used leftover butternut squash instead of canned pumpkin and it worked great, something to think about when looking at those Thanksgiving leftovers.

Chicken au Poivre

Chicken au Poivre

This playful take on steak au poivre features chicken thighs that are pan-fried until golden then simmered in a peppery pan sauce until tender and juicy. The caramelized browned bits left on the bottom of the skillet from searing the chicken add deeper flavor to the sauce. Though Cognac is often used in classic au poivre, there is no booze in this version. Instead, a kick of lemon juice brightens the rich, velvety sauce. Serve the chicken over egg noodles or with crusty bread to sop up all that sauce. Tuck any leftovers into sandwich rolls with lettuce and tomato, or chop and toss with pasta and grated Parmesan for a quick lunch.

Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)

Salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons minced shallot

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

½ cup heavy cream

3 thyme sprigs

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, plus more for garnishing

Crusty bread or egg noodles (optional), for serving

Place peppercorns in a small resealable bag. Using a mallet or the bottom of a saucepan, gently crush the peppercorns until coarsely cracked. (Alternatively, you can use a mortar and pestle.) Set aside.

In a 12-inch cast-iron or other heavy skillet, heat oil over medium. Season chicken with salt. In two batches, sear chicken until light golden all over, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate. Pour off any remaining oil in the skillet.

Add butter and shallot to the skillet and cook, stirring, until butter is melted and shallot is softened, 1 minute. Add broth, heavy cream, thyme sprigs and cracked peppercorns and mix well, stirring to lift up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.

Add chicken (and any accumulated juices), bring to a simmer and cook, turning and basting occasionally with the sauce, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees, 6 to 8 minutes.

Divide chicken among 4 serving plates and discard thyme.

Add lemon juice to the skillet and stir until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and stir in parsley.

Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with more parsley. Serve with crusty bread or egg noodles, if desired.

TIP: Made this last night but used cognac instead of lemon, and had to sub sour cream for the heavy as that was what I had. Deglazed with cognac and then sprinkled a little on before serving. Yum!

Chocolate Lava Cake for Two

Chocolate Lava Cake for Two

Chocolate lava cakes gained popularity in the late 1990s thanks to the chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and they have stuck around on dessert menus for good reason: They are rich chocolate cake and velvety sauce all in one, and they are surprisingly easy to make in under an hour. If you like to plan ahead, you can prepare the batter a day in advance, refrigerate it, then pop the cake into the oven when you are ready for dessert. This recipe, made in a 10-ounce baking dish, is meant for sharing, but you can also make it in two 6-ounce ramekins. Just cut the baking time to 7 to 9 minutes. Also, be sure to use chopped chocolate bars or chocolate fèves rather than chocolate chips here. Chips are made with stabilizers that inhibit melting and will negatively affect the texture of your dessert.

Yield: 2 servings

3 ounces/85 grams bittersweet chocolate, 70 to 74 percent cacao (not chips), chopped (about ½ cup)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus more for the ramekin

3 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus more for the ramekin

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Confectioners’ sugar, to serve (optional)

Heat oven to 425 degrees and butter a 10-ounce ramekin. Dust the buttered ramekin with granulated sugar.

Combine the chocolate and 3 tablespoons butter in a heat-safe bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. (Alternatively, combine in a bowl and microwave in 30-second blasts, stirring in between, until melted and smooth, about 1 minute.) Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the 3 tablespoons sugar, egg, egg yolk, vanilla and salt. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is thick, foamy and pale, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour until smooth.

Using a spatula, add the chocolate to the egg mixture and stir gently until combined.

Pour the mixture into the ramekin. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until the edges are set and puffed, but the center is still soft when lightly pressed. (You can also cover and refrigerate the batter up to a day in advance. Add an additional minute or 2 to baking time if you are baking the cake directly from the refrigerator.)

Use an offset spatula or small knife to loosen the edges of the cake from the ramekin. Place a plate over the ramekin and carefully invert the warm cake. Use an oven mitt or clean kitchen towel to remove the ramekin, dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar and serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

TIP: The article above the recipe says you can use 2 - y ounce ramekins and cut the baking time to 7-9 minutes. My first attempt was also over cooked. 7 minutes was a flop. On the third attempt, I turned the temp down to 400, baked 9 minutes - perfection!

P.S. a doubled recipe made 6 muffin tin sized cakes, which were in the oven for 8ish min.

Taverna Salad

Taverna Salad

This colorful, meal-of-a-salad from Lidey Heuck’s cookbook, “Cooking in Real Life” (S&S/Simon Element, 2024), is inspired by two dishes: classic Greek salad (also known as horiatiki) and fattoush, the Lebanese salad of vegetables and pieces of fried pita. The ingredient list may look long at first, but each ingredient contributes to the harmony of the salad: bell pepper and cucumbers for crunch; shallot, olives and capers for a bit of tang; chopped tomatoes for sweetness. Pan-fried halloumi adds richness and heft, but you can skip the searing process and instead opt for a 6-ounce block of feta, if desired. To save even more time, you can add a large handful of crumbled pita chips instead of making your own.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon minced garlic (1 small clove)

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper

3 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced into ½-inch pieces (or 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes)

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed

1 orange or yellow bell pepper, halved, seeded and diced into ½-inch pieces

½ large English cucumber, halved, seeded and diced into ½-inch pieces

½ cup pitted Kalamata olives

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup minced red onion or shallot

2 tablespoons (drained) capers, coarsely chopped

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 (6-inch) pita

1 (8-ounce) block halloumi cheese, patted dry and cut into ¾-inch-thick slices

In a small bowl, combine ⅓ cup olive oil with the vinegar, garlic and oregano. Whisk vigorously to combine then season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, chickpeas, bell pepper, cucumber, olives, parsley, red onion, capers and scallions. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.

Chop the pita into 1-inch pieces and place them in a small bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Heat an 8-inch skillet over medium. Add the pita pieces and cook, tossing often, until toasted and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Return to the small bowl to cool, reserving the skillet.

Place the halloumi slices on a small plate and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the halloumi until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut the slices into bite-size cubes.

Add the pita and halloumi to the salad, toss well and serve.