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.

Rio’s Spicy Chicken Wings

Rio’s Spicy Chicken Wings

Ganso, a Japanese restaurant in downtown Brooklyn, is justly known for its steaming bowls of fragrant ramen. But the fiery, crunchy chicken wings there are the stuff of dreams. This recipe, from the chef Rio Irie, hits all the right notes: spicy from chile paste and fresh ginger, salty from soy sauce, funky from fish sauce, sweet from mirin. —Melissa Clark

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

For the Marinade

3 pounds chicken wings

1 large garlic clove, peeled and grated

1½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon nam pla or other Asian fish sauce

½ teaspoon mirin

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

For the Glaze

1 cup mirin

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon nam pla or other Asian fish sauce

2 teaspoons red yuzu kosho (see note)

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon grated garlic

½ teaspoon shichimi togarashi (optional)

For Serving

1teaspoon sesame seeds

Black pepper

1tablespoon chopped scallions

In a large bowl, mix together all marinade ingredients except chicken wings. Add the wings and toss to coat. Cover and let chicken marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

When ready to cook, combine all glaze ingredients in a small saucepan. Simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, until glaze reduces to a saucy consistency, about 20 minutes. Transfer to large mixing bowl and set aside.

Heat a broiler to high. Set a baking rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet and arrange wings on rack. Broil for 12 minutes, flipping wings halfway through, until they are crisp and golden.

Transfer wings to the bowl with the glaze and toss to coat. Transfer wings to a serving platter and garnish with sesame seeds, pepper and scallions. Serve hot.

Tip: If you can’t find red yuzu kosho (available at Japanese specialty markets), you can substitute 1 teaspoon of hot sauce or chile powder mixed with 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest.

Dumpling and Smashed Cucumber Salad With Peanut Sauce

Dumpling and Smashed Cucumber Salad With Peanut Sauce 

Serving as a luscious, umami sauce for pan-fried potstickers, peanut sauce yet again proves itself to be the hero of weeknight cooking. The sauce needs no cooking, just some hot water to soften the peanut butter, which also helps the sauce come together smoothly. By design, it is slightly runnier than usual, allowing it to casually drape over the dumplings. Right after whisking, the sauce may look too loose, but let it sit for a few minutes as it relaxes and thickens into the perfect consistency. Frozen potstickers — which have a flat base for pan-frying — work best, but you could use other types of dumpling too, cooking them according to their package instructions. The cucumbers are smashed and then salted, which not only draws out moisture, but also tenderizes them every so slightly, delivering just the right amount of freshness and crunch. 

Yield: 4 servings

For the Peanut Sauce

⅓ cup smooth peanut butter, well stirred

1 garlic clove, finely chopped 

½ cup just boiled water (or more as needed) 

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar 

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons chile crisp or oil (or use amount to your liking)

For the Salad

6 Persian cucumbers

Salt 

Vegetable oil or other neutral oil

1 pound frozen potsticker dumplings (not thawed)

Big handful cilantro

Toasted white sesame seeds or chopped roasted peanuts, for topping 

Chile crisp or chile oil, for serving

Prepare the sauce: Place the peanut butter, garlic and hot water into a medium bowl and whisk well to combine. (If the peanut butter separates and looks curdled, that’s OK. It will come back together after you add the other seasonings.) Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and chile crisp and whisk again until smooth and well combined. (It may look runny, but it will thicken up as it sits.)

Prepare the salad: Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and then into 2-inch lengths. Lay them cut side-down on a cutting board and, using the flat side of a chef’s knife or a rolling pin, smack the cucumbers until they break apart. Tear or cut them into bite-size pieces, if necessary.

Place the cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle with a pinch or 2 of salt. Allow to sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture.

Meanwhile, heat a large (12-inch) nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes, until very hot. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil and, working in batches, add the dumplings, flat-side down, and cook until the bottoms are lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes.

Carefully add about ¼ cup of water to the pan, just enough to cover the base of the dumplings, then immediately cover and cook until the water has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. (If your dumplings contain meat, cook for an extra 1 to 2 minutes, or according to package instructions.) Transfer the cooked dumplings to a plate and continue cooking the remaining dumplings. (If you prefer to steam the dumplings, see Tip.)

To serve, divide the dumplings among 4 plates or shallow bowls and top with the cucumbers. Spoon over a generous amount of peanut sauce, top with cilantro, sesame seeds or peanuts and a few drops of chile crisp/oil. Serve right away, while the dumplings are still warm, or at room temperature.

Tip: To steam, arrange the dumplings in a steaming basket lined with baking paper or cabbage leaves, place over a pan of boiling water and steam for 10 to 15 minutes or according to package directions.

Olive Oil Zucchini Bread

Olive Oil Zucchini Bread

This moist loaf, made with olive oil and yogurt, is less sweet and more complexly flavored than most zucchini breads. Grated lemon zest gives a gentle brightness, while brown sugar adds a caramel sweetness, and cinnamon makes it spicy and rich. Serve slices plain or buttered, or spread thickly with cream cheese for a more tangy and luscious variation.

Yield: One 8-inch loaf

Butter, for the pan

1½ cups/185 grams grated zucchini  

⅔ cup/140 grams light brown sugar

⅓ cup/80 milliliters olive oil (or other oil such as safflower or canola)

⅓ cup/80 milliliters plain Greek yogurt

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon/5 milliliters vanilla extract

1½ cups/190 grams all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon/3 grams salt

½ teaspoon/3 grams baking soda

½ teaspoon/2 grams baking powder

1½ teaspoons/4 grams ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon/1 gram ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon/2 grams finely grated lemon zest

½ cup/55 grams chopped walnuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, use a rubber spatula to mix together the grated zucchini, sugar, olive oil, yogurt, eggs and vanilla extract.

Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, lemon zest and spices in a separate bowl. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Fold in the walnuts if using.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 40 to 55 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. The bread will be done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and cool on a rack completely before cutting and serving.

TIP: I divided the batter in a 12-cup greased muffin pan so it's done faster at 18 minutes. Don't have walnuts, used choco chips instead. Perfection -moist and yummy.

I reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup, and added 1/2 tsp each ginger and/or cardamom. It added a nice complexity to the flavor.

The $250 Cookie Recipe

The $250 Cookie Recipe

Almost everybody has heard the one about the woman lunching at the Neiman Marcus Cafe in Dallas, who enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies so much that she asked for the recipe. For "only two-fifty," the waitress said, it was hers. But when the credit card bill arrived, the woman found the total near $300. Turns out the recipe cost $250, the story goes. In 1997, after years of enduring the myth, Neiman Marcus came up with a recipe – and gave it out for free. It's a delicious variation on chocolate chip cookies, using ground oatmeal, nuts and adding extra chocolate with a grated Hershey bar (you can use any brand you love).

Yield: About 55 cookies

1 cup butter

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2½ cups oatmeal

2 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

12 ounces chocolate chips

14 -ounce milk chocolate bar

1½ cups chopped nuts

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream together butter and both sugars. Stir in eggs and vanilla.

Finely grind oatmeal in a blender or food processor. Combine the oatmeal, flour, salt, baking powder and soda in a medium bowl, and slowly add it to the wet ingredients. Beat just until combined. Grate chocolate bar using a microplane grater and add it, along with chocolate chips and nuts to the batter. Mix just to combine.

Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.

Sheet-Pan Fish Tikka With Spinach

Sheet-Pan Fish Tikka With Spinach

Tikka marinade imbues meats and veggies with extreme flavor: Complex, layered heat comes from garam masala and red chiles, garlic adds a delicate depth and ginger a mellow freshness, while yogurt cools, tenderizes and extends flavors from the spices. Though traditionally anything with tikka marinade is cooked on coals for smokiness (see Tip), the flavors come together well in a home oven. This recipe calls for any fleshy white fish that can stand this mix of heady spices and maintain its structural integrity for 12 to 15 minutes in the oven. Lay the fish on a bed of spinach, and the marinade will flavor both. The preparation is simple for this recipe, but the flavorful results are anything but.

Yield: 4 servings

1½ pounds firm, white-fleshed fish (such as cod, basa or halibut, cut into chunks)

¼ cup olive oil or any neutral oil

2 tablespoons full-fat Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon garam masala

1 teaspoon Kashmiri or other red chile powder

1 teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger

1 teaspoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

Fine sea salt

1 pound baby spinach (about 14 packed cups)

Rice or roti, for serving

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Pat the fish dry and set aside.

Combine the oil, yogurt, garam masala, chile powder, ginger, garlic, coriander, turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and stir until the marinade is smooth.

Add the fish and coat evenly.

Arrange the spinach in an even layer on a large sheet pan. Place the fish on the spinach, dispersing it evenly.

Bake on the top rack for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the fish starts to turn golden.

Set the oven to broil and broil on high just until the fish turns golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt. Serve with rice or roti, if desired.

Tip: If the smokiness of tikka is nonnegotiable, heat a hot coal on the stove top for 3 to 5 minutes using tongs, loosely wrap it in foil and stick in the oven either on a separate rack or on the sheet pan alongside the fish and spinach. Though hookah charcoal works best for this, you can use a 1-inch cube of any charcoal.

*This turned out really quite good. I used cod, and I was worried it would be bland, as NYT recipes can sometimes be, but it's got a nice little kick to it. We find that fish alone tends to lead to 2 hour later munchies, so I added in half a chopped sweet onion and a can of chickpeas to the marinating fish and it's great. This will go on the regular household rotation for when we have cod available.

*This was delicious. Made exactly as instructed with fresh halibut. The fish came out so moist and tender.

Tip: make sure all spinach sits directly below fish pieces to soak up fish/sauce moisture. Loose spinach pieces on edge will dry out and crisp.

*Made exactly as written with half tilapia and half pacific rockfish. AMAZING! Just the right amount of kick to the spice and absolutely delicious flavour. Spinach was cooked to perfection and paired so well. It had absorbed just the right amount of the marinade. Served with jasmine rice. Our 8 year old found it a little bit too spicy, but ate it easily with a cup of chocolate milk : ) Will be a regular in the house!

Pineapple-Marinated Chicken Breasts

Pineapple-Marinated Chicken Breasts

Bromelain, the group of enzymes in fresh pineapple, is excellent at breaking down the connective tissues in thick, fibrous chicken breasts. In this simple marinade, grated pineapple completely alters the texture of the breast meat, resulting in something that’s akin to luscious dark meat. Briefly marinating here is important: Leave it too long and the chicken will fall apart during cooking, becoming shreddy and a little gluey. Fifteen minutes is the sweet spot. The accompanying pineapple salsa is a bright topping for the juicy morsels of aromatic chicken and rice.

Yield: 4 servings

3 packed tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for cooking

1 teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

¼ to ½ teaspoon ground cayenne

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 cup diced fresh pineapple (½-inch chunks)

¼ cup finely diced red onion

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons finely grated fresh pineapple, including accumulated juices

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1½-inch chunks

Cooked white rice, for serving

In a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, garlic powder, ground cayenne and black pepper. Transfer 1 tablespoon of this marinade mixture to a separate medium bowl and add the diced pineapple, red onion and cilantro. This is your salsa; toss until well mixed and set aside.

Add the grated pineapple and its juices to the marinade mixture in the large bowl, then add the chicken and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes (and no longer).

Once the chicken is done marinating, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high and add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken pieces, leaving any marinade behind, in a single layer so that they don’t touch and let cook until the bottoms are browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides and no longer pink on the inside, 4 to 5 minutes more.

Serve the chicken over rice and top with the reserved pineapple salsa.

TIP: 

Step 1 is hard to parse. Rewritten below by me (a professional writer of technical instructions):

Step 1a: Marinade base

In a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, garlic powder, ground cayenne and black pepper.

Step 1b: Salsa

Transfer 1 tablespoon of the marinade base to a medium bowl and add the diced pineapple, red onion and cilantro. Toss until well mixed and set aside.

*The large bowl with the GRATED pineapple is the marinade. The medium bowl with 1 Tbsp, DICED pineapple, red onion, and cilantro is the salsa.

*Step 1a: Marinade base In a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, garlic powder, ground cayenne and black pepper.

Step 1b: Salsa Transfer 1 tablespoon of the marinade base to a medium bowl and add the diced pineapple, red onion and cilantro. Toss until well mixed and set aside.

The salsa has 1 CUP of diced pineapple, not 1 Tbsp, according to the recipe.

*No, the salsa is the diced pineapple with red onion and cilantro and 1 tablespoon of the liquid you made in step one. The marinade is all the rest of that liquid and the grated pineapple.

Sheet-Pan Japchae

Sheet-Pan Japchae

Though readily available at restaurants today, japchae — the royal Korean stir-fried glass noodle dish — is traditionally a banquet affair, eaten just a few times a year at holidays and special occasions because the labor to produce it is so high. Each vegetable, among a rainbowed array, is ordinarily stir-fried individually, but in this variation, all of the vegetables roast together on the same sheet pan in color-blocked sections for ease and deliciousness. The roasted vegetables caramelize with less effort, and then need only to be tossed with the noodles and sauce, making japchae a dish within reach for any night of the week. The spinach, mushrooms and bell pepper recall key flavors of typical japchae, but you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand or prefer. Frozen spinach might not be a conventional ingredient, but it roasts beautifully and ends up tasting almost like umami-rich kale chips or roasted seaweed. You can add a drop of toasted sesame oil, if you’d like, but the toasted sesame seeds here lend enough of that quintessential aromatic nuttiness that makes japchae taste so regal.

Yield: 4 servings

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced

1 orange or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

Olive oil

Salt and black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce, plus more to taste

1 packed tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, plus more for serving

6 ounces dangmyeon (sweet potato noodles; see Tip)

Position a rack in the top third of the oven and heat the oven to 425 degrees.

On a large sheet pan, arrange the spinach, mushrooms and bell pepper in three separate sections. Generously drizzle all with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Roast until charred in spots, gently stirring the vegetable sections one by one and rotating the pan halfway through, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, maple syrup and sesame seeds and set aside.

When the vegetables are almost done roasting, add the noodles to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions, then drain and add directly to the sheet pan with the roasted vegetables. Using kitchen shears, cut the noodles once or twice directly on the sheet pan for easier handling.

Pour the sauce over and toss until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt, soy sauce and sesame seeds if you like. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tip: Dangmyeon (pronounced DAHNG-myun) are wonderfully bouncy, chewy, translucent noodles made from sweet potato starch. Available online and in any Korean grocery store, they come in large plastic bags, as the dried noodles are long and stiff until they’re cooked. Often labeled as glass noodles or Korean vermicelli, starchy dangmyeon become slack, slippery and beautifully shiny once boiled.

*This was great. Made (almost) to the recipe. Added a pile of slivered carrots to the sheet pan and sprinkled all with sesame seeds for the last 5 minutes. I also added 1 tsp of sesame oil to the sauce. I tossed everything together in the pot where I had cooked the noodles, which seemed easier than doing all on the sheet pan. Served with chili crisp and a fried egg on top. Delicious and easy.

*A great easy way to make Japchae. The only thing I changed is the oil. Using olive oil doesn't work that well with asian cooking as the flavour stands out too much. Use canola, vegetable or any other neutral oil. I'm not sure why the NYTimes recos olive oil in asian food. Yes, you can taste the difference.

Beef Biryani With Cumin Raita

Beef Biryani With Cumin Raita

This cheater version of biryani allows you to enjoy the wonderfully fragrant and complex dish on a busy weeknight. The shortcut method here gives the rice a head start in a Dutch oven, while a ground beef mixture comes together quickly in a skillet. Don’t be deterred by the long ingredient list, as most of the ingredients are dried spices that don’t require any prep work. Aromatic garlic, ginger and spices are bloomed in ghee to extract as much flavor as possible, and there’s a nice hit of heat from the chile powder (so use half the amount if a milder dish is desired). A tangy cumin raita is a lovely finishing drizzle that brightens the meal.

Yield: 4 servings

1 ½ cups basmati rice, rinsed

5 cardamom pods

1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick

2 whole cloves

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Kosher salt and pepper

3 tablespoons ghee

½ large white onion, thinly sliced (about 1 ½ cups)

1 tablespoon tomato paste 

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

2 teaspoons garam masala

½ teaspoon ground Kashmiri chile powder or ¼ teaspoon cayenne

¼ teaspoon ground fennel

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 star anise

½ teaspoon cumin seeds, divided

1 pound ground beef (preferably 20 percent fat)

¾ cup Greek-style plain yogurt, divided

¼ cup whole milk

½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, divided

In a large Dutch oven, combine rice, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, broth and ½ teaspoon of salt over medium-high heat; cover and bring to a boil. Once it boils, reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium. Add onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant and well blended, 2 minutes. 

Push onion mixture to one side of the skillet and melt the remaining 1 tablespoon ghee in the empty side. To the melted ghee, add garlic, ginger, garam masala, chile powder, fennel, turmeric, star anise and ¼ teaspoon of the cumin; stir until well blended, 30 seconds. 

Mix the spices into the onion mixture until well combined, then add beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat into small pieces, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes (it will finish cooking with the rice). Turn off heat and stir in ¼ cup of the yogurt until well incorporated.

Drizzle milk evenly over the rice, then add the beef mixture on top in an even layer. Scatter over half of the cilantro, cover and cook until the beef is tender and rice is cooked through, 8 minutes longer. 

Meanwhile in a small bowl, combine the remaining ½ cup yogurt, ¼ teaspoon cumin and 2 tablespoons of water and season with salt and pepper. Mix well. 

Gently fluff the rice with a fork and discard star anise and any other visible whole spices. Divide biryani among 4 bowls and garnish with the remaining cilantro. Serve warm, with the cumin raita on the side.

TIP: I have spent a lot of time making biryanis over the years. This recipe results in an excellent version in a quarter of the time (assuming you have the spices on hand).

*This was lovely. Cut recipe in half because there are just two of us but kept spices for full recipe.

Changes I made beside the spices were to infuse the milk with some saffron treads ( warm the milk and add 1/4 teaspoon or so of threads and let sit for 10 min)

I also sauted some Chopped cashews and currents ( you could use raisins) in some ghee until well browned/reddish and added it to the top before serving

*Small changes I made:

- I used ground lamb as this is closer to my old fashioned lamb biryani.

- I doubled the spices. I’ll admit to loving spice-filled biryanis.

- I doubled the garlic and ginger. To save a lot of time, you can buy garlic / ginger paste from Amazon (I like Rani brand). It keeps forever and is useful in many recipes.

- it’s an extravagance, but to add a little crumbled roasted saffron in the milk that’s poured over the rice at the end makes it even more authentic