Chicken and Red Lentil Soup With Lemony Yogurt

Chicken and Red Lentil Soup With Lemony Yogurt 

If you’re feeling a bit worn down, one bowl of this hearty lentil soup will bring you back to life — or at least fool you into thinking so. The broth is simply (and deeply) flavored with charred onions and six garlic cloves, plus a generous pinch of turmeric that stains the soup gold. As they cook down, the lentils melt into the broth, making it thick and rich. A healthy dose of black pepper brings gentle heat to clear your head, and the final sprinkle of fresh dill and parsley adds a bright, herbal finish. This soup is soothing and satisfying on its own, but feel free to add a few extras: hearty greens like kale or spinach to wilt, a soft-boiled egg, or even chile oil for some heat. 

Yield: 4 servings  

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

2 large onions, thinly sliced 

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs 

1½ cups red lentils, rinsed 

1 teaspoon ground turmeric 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

1 cup finely chopped mix of parsley, dill and mint 

1 cup plain full-fat regular or Greek yogurt 

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until deeply charred around the edges and tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the chicken, lentils and turmeric, and season generously with salt and lots of pepper. Toss everything a few times so that the turmeric can coat the other ingredients.

Pour in 8 cups water, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Then, adjust heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils have split and collapsed into the broth in a golden mush and the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.

Using tongs, remove the chicken thighs, let them cool slightly, then shred and return to the pot. Sprinkle in the herbs, taste and season with salt and pepper as necessary.

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt and lemon juice and season with salt. (If using Greek yogurt, thin with water until it reaches a runny consistency.)

Ladle the soup into bowls, then spoon the lemony yogurt over before serving.

TIP: This dish is very similar to a typical daal. Overall the broth was a little bland, so I chose to spice it up with some cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes. It was a hearty soup perfect for a cold night. This was really great- the herbs really brighten things up, and the lemony yogurt is a lovely addition.

My only suggestion would be to let those chicken thighs simmer for closer to 45 minutes before shredding. They will shred after 25 minutes, but you’ll have to work at it a bit and the meat will be tougher. In contrast, after 45 minutes, they will be barely able to hold together, making the shredding a trivial affair, and therefore not costing you so much additional time in the end.

Quick Turkey Chili

Quick Turkey Chili

Can this be considered chili if it’s ready in half an hour? For a completely fresh take, yes — yes, it can. Right when it’s done, the kale, cilantro and peppers remain green as grass with a bright bite. The turkey is still tender and juicy, the tomatoes tangy and the spices tingly. Those distinct lanes of flavor merge if you keep the pot over low heat for an hour or more, or if you pack up leftovers and reheat them throughout the week. Thickened with lentils and a whole pound of kale, this chili is hearty with protein and fiber, making it as satisfying as it is satiating.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Grapeseed or canola oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 Hatch or Cubanelle peppers, seeded and diced

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 serrano or jalapeño chile, seeded for mild if desired, finely chopped

Salt and black pepper

1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 pound frozen kale, thawed

2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles

2 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed

1 (15-ounce) can lentils, drained and rinsed

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped (including stems)

Lime wedges, sour cream or yogurt, cheese and rice (optional), for serving

Heat a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over high until hot. Add a very thin sheen of oil and swirl to coat. Add the onion and spread in a single layer. Cook, without stirring, until the bottoms are deeply charred, 2 to 3 minutes.

Drizzle more oil into the pan. Add the peppers, garlic and serrano. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Push the vegetables to one side of the pot.

Coat the empty side of the pot with oil, and then add the turkey and spread it over that half of the pan. Sprinkle the turkey and vegetables with the chili powder, coriander and cumin. Cook, smashing the spices and aromatics into the meat and breaking the meat into tiny pieces, 2 to 3 minutes. The spices should smell toasted.

Add the kale and cook, stirring, until any liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chicken broth and bring to a boil. For a thicker chili, smash the lentils a bit. Stir in the lentils and return to a boil. Turn the heat down to maintain a simmer and stir in half of the cilantro. At this point, the chili is ready and will taste light and fresh with crisp green vegetables. You also can keep simmering it for hours over the lowest heat setting for a softer, stewier chili. If the mixture dries out, add more broth or water.

Serve the chili with the lime wedges, sour cream, cheese and remaining cilantro, over rice if you’d like.

Spinach Fried Rice

Spinach Fried Rice

Ingredients:

For the rice:

1 1/2 cups (312 grams) short- or medium-grain white rice 

2 cups water 

2 tablespoons (20 to 28 grams) salted butter, cut into 3 pieces, divided

We used 20 grams of butter tonight

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt 

5 tablespoons Kikkoman Hon Tsuyu soup and sauce base 

For the eggs:

1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil

3 large eggs

¼ teaspoon sugar (optional)

¼ teaspoon salt (optional)

For the spinach:

1 pound (454 grams) flat-leaf spinach, chopped fine 

For the beef:

8 ounces (227 grams) thinly sliced beef brisket, pat-dried, cut into rough 2‑inch pieces

(hot pot shabu beef rolls work well too)

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar 

1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce 

Sesame oil

Instructions (summarized):

1. Cook rice as normal in rice cooker or over the stove. Cool down and refrigerate for at least a day.

2. Season and beat eggs. Scramble eggs in pan and set aside. 

3. Cook and dry out the rice: Melt 1/3 of the butter in the pan, add rice, and break up clumps. Add in remaining butter on top and mix to coat. Season with sugar and salt, and cook until excess moisture is removed. Set aside.

4. Cook and dry the spinach: Cook spinach on high heat until wilted. Blot away all liquid with paper towels until completely dry.

5. Combine rice, spinach, and eggs: Return rice to the pan, mix with spinach, then add tsuyu and toss until evenly coated. Add scrambled eggs and cook until the rice starts to crisp.

6. Cook the beef: In another pan, cook the beef quickly until mostly browned but still slightly pink. Blot excess liquid, then add sugar and soy sauce to coat. Cut into small pieces.

7. Assemble and serve: Spoon the spinach fried rice into bowls, top with beef, drizzle with sesame oil, and serve hot.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake With Coffee Frosting

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake With Coffee Frosting

Tieghan Gerard, who runs the wildly popular Half Baked Harvest blog, posts a new recipe nearly every day, all year round, but her favorite season is (of course) fall, when she brings out the pumpkin-shaped pots, pumpkin-scented candles and toasted pumpkin seeds. Even if you don’t identify with the P.S.L. set, separating the pumpkin spice (cake) from the latte (frosting) makes this a delicious snack cake. Pumpkin purée makes it very moist, so test to be sure the batter is baked all the way through. —Julia Moskin

Yield: 1 (8-inch) cake

For the Cake

½ cup/120 milliliters coconut oil, melted, plus more for greasing

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée

⅔ cup/146 grams packed light or dark brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1½ cups/192 grams all-purpose flour

1¼ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¾ teaspoon fine pink Himalayan salt or fine sea salt

For the Frosting

½ cup/1 stick salted butter, at room temperature

2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1½ cups/185 grams confectioners’ sugar

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on two opposite sides. Grease the parchment with coconut oil.

Make the cake: In a stand mixer, beat together the pumpkin, brown sugar, melted coconut oil, eggs and vanilla on low until combined, about 1 minute. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg and salt. Mix on low speed until completely smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until the center is just set, 25 to 30 minutes. Carefully use the parchment paper overhang to remove the cake from the pan and place it on a cooling rack. Let cool for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the frosting: In a stand mixer, beat together the butter and cream cheese until combined, 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar, espresso powder and vanilla; beat until the frosting is fluffy, 2 to 4 minutes more.

Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Slice, snack and enjoy! Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

TIP: The recipe makes way too much frosting. You could cut in half. And double the coffee. I used instant decaf. But the cake itself is so moist and wonderful, you could drop the frosting all together!

As some suggested, I added an egg. I also subbed 1/2 the coconut oil for buttermilk and my cake is not dense. Also halved the icing and used fresh brewed espresso so tweaked the frosting to accommodate the extra liquid.

I cooked the recipe exactly, other than slightly extending the cooking time. Cake is great IMO - actually the texture I expected and wanted, not too dense but not light and cakey, either. Exactly the right amount of frosting, also, and no need for extra liquid at all.

I made 12 cupcakes and with the leftover batter, I covered the bottom of a pie plate. No frosting. It's really good - reminiscent of ginger bread. My variations: 1/4 olive oil plus 1/4 room temperature butter instead of coconut oil, 1 cup of AP flour plus 1/2 cup of ground hazelnuts for the flour, 1/2 t of kosher salt instead of Himalayan pink salt.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Pumpkin purée and pumpkin spice make these chewy, cake-like cookies the ultimate cozy fall treat. The cookies are great on their own, but a cap of pumpkin spice frosting makes them even better. In keeping with the autumnal theme, the frosting includes a little bit of pumpkin purée, which imparts a creamy orange hue and well balanced flavor. If you don’t keep a pumpkin spice blend on hand, cinnamon is a great substitute.

Yield: About 30 cookies

For the Cookies

½ cup/113 grams unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup/150 grams light brown sugar

¼ cup/50 grams granulated sugar

½ cup/115 grams pumpkin purée

2 teaspoons pumpkin spice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

1½ cups/135 grams old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup/128 grams all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

For the Frosting (optional)

½ cup/113 grams unsalted butter, softened

1 cup/120 grams powdered sugar

1 tablespoon pumpkin purée

1 teaspoon pumpkin spice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees and line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Place your racks in the top and bottom third of the oven.

Prepare the cookies: Using a large bowl and electric mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Mix in the pumpkin purée, pumpkin spice, vanilla and salt until well combined.

Add the oats, flour and baking soda and mix on low speed until moistened, then switch to a flexible spatula to mix just until combined.

Scoop the dough in heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between scoops. Use damp fingers to gently press and slightly flatten each portion; they will not spread much.

Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until the cookies are matte and slightly golden on the edges, rotating the pans from front to back and switching racks halfway through. Cool completely on the baking sheets.

While the cookies cool, prepare the frosting (if using): In a medium bowl, combine the butter, powdered sugar, pumpkin purée, pumpkin spice, vanilla and salt. Mix on low with an electric mixer until the sugar is moistened, then adjust speed to medium-high and mix until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as necessary, about 3 minutes.

Spread about 2 teaspoons of frosting onto each cooled cookie. Store frosted cookies in an airtight container, layering with parchment or wax paper, and keep in the fridge or at room temperature.

TIP: Make your own Pumpkin Spice Blend:

3 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. ground ginger

2 tsp. nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp. ground allspice

1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Store the extras in a jar for next time.

Everything Bagel Cottage-Cheese Dip

Everything Bagel Cottage-Cheese Dip

Creamy, tangy and full of pep, this quick snack brings new life to your cottage cheese. Scallions, capers and everything bagel seasoning are stirred into cottage cheese, then torn arugula is scattered on top for a peppery crunch. Scoop into it with any combination of crackers, pretzels, toast and raw vegetables like cucumbers or celery — or eat it on a toasted bagel or English muffin. A batch, minus the arugula, keeps for up to two days in the fridge, so keep it on hand for anytime you need a pick-me-up.

Yield: 4 servings

16 ounces cottage cheese 

3 scallions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons drained capers 

2 teaspoons everything bagel seasoning, regular or no-salt, plus more for serving (see Tip)

Salt and black pepper 

1 packed cup baby arugula

Crackers, toast, pretzels, bagel chips or raw sliced vegetables, or a combination, for serving 

In a medium bowl, stir together the cottage cheese, scallions, capers and everything bagel seasoning. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (You can refrigerate this mixture for up to two days.)

When ready to eat, rip the arugula into bite-size pieces and sprinkle on top of the cottage cheese, along with more everything bagel seasoning. Eat with crackers, toast, pretzels, bagel chips and/or vegetables.

Tip: To make your own everything bagel seasoning, combine 1 tablespoon dried minced onion, 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons poppy seeds, 1 teaspoon fennel or caraway seeds ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and season to taste with flaky sea salt. Store in a jar with a container with a tight-fitting lid for several weeks.

This is great, but you have to use the right cottage cheese. Try to avoid very wet, liquidy brands. For me (I eat cc every single day) it’s forever Friendship 4 percent.

I'm going to put the cottage cheese in my Vitamix with the everything bagel seasoning and pepper to make it a smooth texture, then stir in the scallions, capers, and salt by hand. I love using cottage cheese this way.

Cardamom Coffee Banana Bread

Cardamom Coffee Banana Bread

Adding cardamom to coffee is a well-loved practice throughout the Middle East and one that plays off each ingredient's traits. Sweet, floral cardamom mellows the acidity of coffee while coffee’s inherent bitterness keeps the peppery, menthol-like notes of the spice from overpowering. Here, the couple transforms a humble banana bread, perfuming it with extra warmth, while chopped dark chocolate adds richness. An optional coffee drizzle ensures this loaf is eye-catching but if you’d rather keep things simpler, sprinkle it with coarse turbinado sugar before baking to lend a touch of sparkle as well as pleasant crunch.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings (One 9-inch loaf)

For the Banana Bread

3 very ripe large bananas (about 1 pound) 

⅔ packed cup/146 grams light brown sugar

½ cup/115 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and slightly cooled

⅓ cup/75 grams sour cream or whole-milk Greek yogurt

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups/256 grams all-purpose flour

1½ tablespoons instant espresso powder (see Tip)

1 teaspoon ground cardamom, preferably freshly ground

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

3 ounces/85 grams dark (bittersweet) chocolate, chopped (about ½ cup)

For the (optional) Coffee Drizzle

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

⅓ cup/41 grams unsifted powdered sugar

Pinch kosher salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper to form a sling that hangs over the two long sides.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth (a few lumps are okay). Add the brown sugar, melted butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla extract and whisk to combine.

Add the flour, espresso powder, cardamom, baking soda and salt and stir until just combined; do not overmix. Stir in the chocolate.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs attached, 55 to 65 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Meanwhile, make the coffee drizzle, if using: While the banana bread is cooling, combine espresso powder and 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl to dissolve. Add the powdered sugar and stir with a fork until smooth.

Run a knife around the sides of the bread to loosen it then grasp the parchment paper sling and lift the bread out of the pan onto a wire rack (see Tip). Peel off the parchment paper from the sides of the bread and drizzle the glaze over the top, if using (any excess will fall onto the peeled-off parchment). Let cool completely before removing the parchment paper from the bottom of the bread and slicing.

Tips: If you’re caffeine-sensitive, look for decaf instant espresso powder, which can be a little harder to find but is available online.

The cooled banana bread, without the glaze, can be tightly wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature at least 4 hours or up to overnight before glazing and serving. Alternatively, the bread can be baked and glazed up to a day ahead of time and stored, loosely covered, at room temperature.

Every time you buy bananas, buy one more than you think you need.

Put that whole super-ripe last banana in the freezer, skin and all. Repeat two or three times.

The night before you want to bake a banana bread, take the bananas you want to use out of the freezer and let them thaw overnight in the fridge.

When you bake your cake, cut the stem off the banana and squeeze the whole thing into the mix, like a tube of toothpaste. This never fails, and works on shorter notice. (Thanks, Alton Brown!)

One-Bowl Lemon and Olive Oil Cake

One-Bowl Lemon and Olive Oil Cake

This standalone lemon cake needs no adornment; no glaze or drizzle, no syrupy soak (just a light dusting of powdered sugar if you want it to be beauty contest-ready) – yet it practically oozes with glowing citrus flavor, thanks to the fruity olive oil, tangy yogurt and a dash of piney nutmeg that highlight the various facets of lemon’s character. White chocolate and almond flour add hints of the nutty richness and velvety crumb of an almond torte to what looks like a simple yellow cake. Always seek out organic lemons for zesting, as conventional lemons can be coated with a wax you shouldn’t eat.

Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings

½ cup/105 grams extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan

4 ounces/115 grams white chocolate, chopped or broken into small pieces 

5 large eggs

1cup/190 grams granulated sugar

⅔ cup/145 grams full-fat plain yogurt (not Greek; see Tip)

Zest of 2 medium lemons, preferably organic

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from one of the zested lemons)

¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup/100 grams almond flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Pinch ground nutmeg

1 cup/140 grams all-purpose flour

Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Lightly grease a 9-inch round metal cake pan with olive oil and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.

Add the white chocolate to a large, oven-safe mixing bowl (or metal stand-mixer bowl, if you’ll use a stand mixer), place it in the oven and set the oven to 325 degrees (the gradually warming oven will gently melt the chocolate). Check on the white chocolate every 1 to 2 minutes, prodding it with a whisk to determine whether it has melted; it should take 3 to 5 minutes in total. (Alternatively, microwave the white chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl at 50 percent power, stirring at 15-second intervals, until melted. Heat the oven to 325 degrees for use in Step 6.)

As soon as the chocolate is completely melted, remove it from the oven (the bowl will be hot!) and whisk it gently to make sure it’s perfectly smooth (If it’s not, let the residual heat of the melted chocolate melt any tiny solid bits, or briefly return the bowl to the oven to finish the job).

Let the bowl cool until just warm. Add the olive oil to the white chocolate and whisk until well combined. (An electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment will also work.) Add the eggs and mix well. Whisk in the sugar, yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla until well combined. Add the almond flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg to the bowl. Give it a good whisking to make it very smooth.

Finally, add the all-purpose flour and gently whisk just until the batter is evenly mixed with no lumps remaining. Use a flexible spatula to give it a final gentle mix, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Tap the bowl a few times on the countertop to eliminate large air bubbles.

Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan and tap the pan on the countertop to force out more air bubbles. Bake until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean, 60 to 65 minutes.

Let the pan cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then run a table knife around the edge of the cake pan to loosen the cake. Invert the cake onto a large plate, remove the pan and invert the bare cake back onto the cooling rack to cool at least 30 minutes more. When ready to serve, use a sieve to dust it lightly with powdered sugar, if you wish. Serve warm or at room temperature. When completely cooled, store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Tip: If you already have Greek yogurt, combine ½ cup (115 grams) of it with 2 tablespoons of water in place of the unstrained yogurt.

Roasted Honey Nut Squash and Chickpeas With Hot Honey

Roasted Honey Nut Squash and Chickpeas With Hot Honey

Colorful and meatless, sweet and fiery, this sheet-pan dinner is an exuberant combination of cold-weather vegetables and warming spices that will perk up any weeknight. Although the recipe takes about an hour from start to finish most of it is hands-off, and the actual prep time is relatively short. If you don’t have hot honey, you can substitute regular honey and a pinch of cayenne. And try to use canned chickpeas prepared with sea salt; the unsalted kind are bland.

Yield: 4 servings

2 (14.5-ounce) cans chickpeas (preferably not “no salt added”), drained and rinsed

2½ pounds honey nut or butternut squash, peeled, trimmed, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)

1¾ teaspoons baharat, garam masala or another spice blend

1¼ teaspoons fine salt, plus more as needed

5 thyme sprigs

⅛ teaspoon red-pepper flakes

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar, plus more as needed

½ cup fresh cilantro leaves or dill sprigs, or a combination

1 to 2 tablespoons hot honey, plus more to taste

Plain whole-milk yogurt or sour cream, for serving (optional) 

1. 
   

2. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line one sheet pan with parchment paper and a second sheet pan with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Place drained chickpeas on the towel-lined sheet pan and gently rub them dry. Place the pan on the back of the stove and let the chickpeas dry as you prepare the other ingredients.

3. Place the squash on the parchment paper-lined pan and toss with 1 teaspoon baharat, ½ teaspoon salt, thyme sprigs, red-pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons oil. Spread squash into an even layer and roast for 20 minutes.

4. After 20 minutes of roasting, in a medium bowl, combine chickpeas, red onion, remaining ¾ teaspoon baharat, ¾ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon oil, and toss until well combined. Add the mixture to the pan of squash and stir everything well. Continue roasting for another 30 minutes, tossing the mixture halfway through, until the squash is golden brown and tender, and the chickpeas and onions are slightly crispy.

5. Remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle vinegar and herbs on top and toss. Drizzle with hot honey and toss again to combine. Taste and season with more salt, more hot honey and vinegar to taste. Serve with dollops of yogurt if you’d like.

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Lemon Pudding Cake

Lemon Pudding Cake

A moist lemon cake sits atop a delicate custard in this recipe, adapted from Ian Knauer’s book “The Farm.” The magic is in the cooking: Setting a 8-inch baking dish in a roasting pan filled halfway with water allows the custard to form while the top bakes. It’s an excellent party dish, warm and just out of the oven. But it’s equally as good out of the fridge, its flavors melded and mellowed. —Julia Moskin

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

4 large eggs, separated

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

⅓ cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1 cup sugar

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1½ cups whole milk

Place a large roasting pan on a rack in the center of the oven. Fill the pan halfway with water. With the pan inside, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square or round baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice and butter. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, flour and salt. Whisk half the flour mixture into the egg yolks, then half the milk. Whisk in remaining flour mixture, then remaining milk.

Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gently fold them into the batter.

Pour batter into the buttered dish. Place the dish in the pan of water in the oven. Bake until the cake is set, about 45 minutes.

TIP: I've been making this since the 1960s. I think the recipe came from Fannie Farmer. I use almost twice as much zest and extra lemon juice, less sugar (3/4 cup) and plain yogurt thinned with water instead of milk. It has a slightly cheese cake-y or maybe cheese danish taste which I like very much.

Next time you bake this recipe place the pan containing the batter for the pudding cake in the water bath pan first and then fill the water bath pan with hot water from the tea kettle. Then place in the oven.

I've made a similar recipe for years, using buttermilk, but I fold in a cup of fresh raspberries to the mixture before pouring it into the baking dish. I then serve more fresh raspberries on the side. You could use any kind of berries, or even a mix. In addition to adding flavor, and a bit of texture, the pop of color from the berries is great.

And when baking, the deeper the water, the more custard, and the shallower the water, the more cake. Adjust to your preference!

Broccoli Rice With Eggs

Broccoli Rice With Eggs

This simple one-pot broccoli rice is a cozy weeknight option that will delight both adults and children alike. When cooking a simple bowl of rice, adding oil and salt to the cooking water is an easy way to bring indulgence, and, in Cantonese home kitchens, this is often a way to repurpose oil previously used for deep-frying. Oil imparts a silky mouthfeel to the rice while preventing the rice from sticking, resulting in slick, pearly, separated grains. Finely chopped, crisp-tender broccoli adds a fresh, subtle sweetness and hearty texture to the rice. Complete the dish with a hearty fried egg, drizzled with an easy soy sauce and oil seasoning to add savoriness that is not overly salty.  If you’re lucky enough to have any leftover broccoli rice, it can easily be repurposed into fried rice. 

Yield: 4 servings

1 ½ cups white rice, preferably short-grain (see Tip)

4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

Salt 

2 small heads broccoli (1 pound)

4 eggs

1 tablespoon soy sauce 

Place the rice in a medium Dutch oven or similar heavy pot. Wash the rice, swirling it around with your fingers, and then carefully pour out the starchy water. Repeat this two more times, until the water runs clear. Add 2 ¼ cups of water, 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 teaspoons of salt and stir to combine. Place on medium-high heat and when it comes to a rolling boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 14 minutes. 

Meanwhile, separate the broccoli head from the stem and then slice or peel off the woody exterior from the stem. Finely chop the florets and the stem. (You can use a food processor to do this, pulsing a few times until the broccoli is finely chopped. Remove any larger pieces and chop by hand to prevent overprocessing.)

After 14 minutes, add the broccoli to the top of the rice, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt and then cover again with a lid. Cook until the rice is tender and the broccoli has softened and is bright green, 8 to 10 minutes. (The prescribed cooking time yields broccoli that is crisp tender but if you prefer a softer bite, add it to the rice 2 or 3 minutes earlier.)

While the rice finishes cooking, heat a wok or large well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high. When hot, add a drizzle of oil and crack in the eggs, adding however many will comfortably fit in your pan; you may need to work in batches.

Reduce the heat to medium and fry until the edges are frizzled, the whites are set and the yolk is cooked to your liking. Season with a pinch of salt. Remove and repeat with the remaining eggs. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the soy sauce. (It won’t emulsify, and that is OK.)

When the rice and broccoli are ready, turn off the heat and stir to combine. Taste and season with more salt, if needed. 

Divide among bowls and top each with a fried egg. Give the oil and soy sauce a quick stir and drizzle a little over each egg. Serve immediately.

Tip: Other types of rice can be used but cook times will vary; refer to this guide for stovetop rice.

Chicken Curry Laksa

Chicken Curry Laksa

While chicken curry laksa is a popular restaurant dish across Southeast Asia, making it at home is entirely doable. It’s as simple as blending a spice paste, cooking it off and poaching some chicken thighs. It gets its complexity from rempah, a fragrant spice paste made with ingredients such as lemongrass and galangal (which can be swapped for ginger). This recipe calls for making your own rempah, but to save time, you can buy a good-quality paste and enhance it with fresh lemongrass, ginger and garlic (see Tip 2). The coconut milk-based broth is spicy, savory and rich, but not heavy, based on the curry laksa found at hawker centers in Malaysia and Singapore. The flavor improves over time, so it’s a dish worth making in advance.

Yield: 4 servings 

For the Chicken

1 pound chicken thighs, skin-on and bone-in

1 (½-inch) piece ginger, unpeeled, bruised and sliced into 5 pieces

3 lemongrass stalks, woody and dark green parts only (white parts reserved for the paste) 

6 cups unsalted chicken stock (see Tip 1)

For the Laksa Paste (if Using Store-bought Paste, See Tip 2)

6 to 10 dried chiles, such as tianjin, Sichuan er jing tiao or chile de arbol, soaked in boiling water

⅓ cup dried shrimp, soaked in ½ cup boiling water (See Tip 3)

6 to 10 garlic cloves, peeled

1 ounce candlenuts, or macadamia, cashew or Brazil nuts

2 to 3 medium shallots, peeled, roughly chopped

3 lemongrass stalks, white parts only, roughly chopped (reserved from above)

1 (4-inch) piece ginger, peeled and sliced 

1 (3-inch) piece fresh turmeric root, peeled

4 teaspoons belacan or terasi (optional) (see Tip 3)

1 tablespoon table salt

½ cup peanut oil, or neutral oil

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground cumin

3 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese tamarind paste (see Tip 4)

2½ teaspoons sugar

For the Soup

One 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk

½ pound raw peeled jumbo shrimp or king prawns, tails on

6 fried tofu puffs, halved or quartered

14 ounces fresh Hokkien egg noodles (see Tip 5)

2 ounces dried rice vermicelli noodles

3½ ounces fresh bean sprouts

For Serving

Store-bought crispy shallots

Vietnamese mint (laksa leaves) or a combination of mint and cilantro leaves

Sambal belacan, sambal nasi lemak or sambal oelek 

Lime wedges

Poach the chicken: Place the chicken thighs, ginger slices, bruised lemongrass and chicken stock in a large saucepan. Cover with a lid and bring to a simmer. Adjust the lid to allow some steam to escape, and reduce the heat to low so the stock is barely simmering. Cook for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and leave submerged for an additional 10 minutes. Remove the chicken, set aside to cool slightly, and discard the aromatics. Reserve the stock. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and roughly shred the chicken into large pieces and strips. Set aside.

While the chicken cooks, make the paste. Drain the dried chiles and dried shrimp and discard the water. Combine the dried chilies, dried shrimp, garlic, candlenuts, shallots, lemongrass, ginger, turmeric, belacan and salt in a high-speed blender (or food processor) and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides, if needed.

Heat the oil in a large, wide-bottomed saucepan over a medium heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Add the paste and cook, stirring regularly, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the paste darkens slightly. Add the coriander, cumin, tamarind paste and sugar and stir together, and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more.

Add the coconut milk and reserved chicken stock to the spice paste and stir together. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly. Add the prawns and tofu puffs, and simmer until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Taste the soup and season with salt, if needed.

Meanwhile, cook both noodles according to the packet instructions and divide evenly among four large bowls.

Divide the soup, prawns, tofu, chicken and bean sprouts evenly among the bowls. Top with crispy shallots, Vietnamese mint and a little sambal and serve with lime wedges.

Tips: If using salted chicken stock, omit the 1 tablespoon salt in the recipe, and season to taste.

If using store-bought laksa paste, use one 7-ounce jar, such as Por Kwan brand. Skip Steps 2 and 3. Roughly chop the white parts of 3 lemongrass stalks, 3-inch piece of peeled ginger and 2 garlic cloves. Blitz in a high-speed blender or food processor. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or neutral oil) to a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium heat. Add the paste and lemongrass mixture and cook for 5 minutes or until fragrant. Add 1½ tsp ground cumin, 1½ tsp ground coriander, 1 tablespoon Thai or Vietnamese tamarind paste and 1 teaspoon sugar and cook for 1 minute. Proceed with Step 4.

Dried shrimp is readily available online and at most Asian supermarkets and is essential to the recipe. Belacan and terasi are Malaysian and Indonesian fermented shrimp pastes. Belacan and terasi can be bought online and at some Asian supermarkets, but can be more difficult to find.

Thai and Vietnamese tamarind paste is recommended, instead of more intense Indian variety. If using Indian tamarind paste, season sparingly and to taste.

Laksa is often served with both Hokkien (egg) noodles and vermicelli (rice) noodles, but you can replace the Hokkien noodles with vermicelli if you want to cook just one type of noodle.

Buttermilk-Brined Roast Chicken

Buttermilk-Brined Roast Chicken

This recipe, adapted from Samin Nosrat's "Salt Fat Acid Heat," is inspired by the Southern grandma method of marinating chicken overnight in buttermilk before frying it. You're roasting here, but the buttermilk and salt still work like a brine, tenderizing the meat on multiple levels to yield an unbelievably juicy chicken. As an added bonus, the sugars in the buttermilk will caramelize, contributing to an exquisitely browned skin. Be sure to leave 24 hours for marinating the chicken. While the beauty of roast chicken is that you can serve it anytime, anywhere, try serving it alongside panzanella, which plays the role of starch, salad and sauce.

Yield: 4 servings

1 chicken, 3½ to 4 pounds

Kosher salt or fine sea salt

2 cups buttermilk

The day before you want to cook the chicken, remove the wingtips by cutting through the first wing joint with poultry shears or a sharp knife. Reserve for stock. Season chicken generously with salt and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Stir 2 tablespoons kosher salt or 4 teaspoons fine sea salt into the buttermilk to dissolve. Place the chicken in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag and pour in the buttermilk. (If the chicken won’t fit in a gallon-size bag, double up 2 plastic produce bags to prevent leaks and tie the bag with twine.)

Seal the bag, squish the buttermilk all around the chicken, place on a rimmed plate, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. If you’re so inclined, you can turn the bag periodically so every part of the chicken gets marinated, but that’s not essential.

Pull the chicken from the fridge an hour before you plan to cook it. Heat the oven to 425 degrees with a rack set in the center position.

Remove the chicken from the plastic bag and scrape off as much buttermilk as you can without being obsessive. Tightly tie together the legs with a piece of butcher’s twine. Place the chicken in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or a shallow roasting pan.

Slide the pan all the way to the back of the oven on the center rack. Rotate the pan so that the legs are pointing toward the rear left corner and the breast is pointing toward the center of the oven. (The back corners tend to be the hottest spots in the oven, so this orientation protects the breast from overcooking before the legs are done.) Pretty quickly you should hear the chicken sizzling.

After about 20 minutes, when the chicken starts to brown, reduce the heat to 400 degrees and continue roasting for 10 minutes.

Move the pan so the legs are facing the rear right corner of the oven. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes or so, until the chicken is brown all over and the juices run clear when you insert a knife down to the bone between the leg and the thigh. If the skin is getting too brown before it is cooked through, use a foil tent. Remove it to a platter and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

TIP: Before trying this, compare with the other NY Times version, where the roaster is butterflied and then marinated in buttermilk, garlic, peppercorns, salt, rosemary and honey. Calls only half the salt, so go figure (or taste!)

After reading the reviews I decided to go with heating the cast iron skillet in a 350 degree oven for 30 mins then putting the chicken and continued at that temperature. Worked great with no mess or smoke detector issues. Chicken was fabulous.

Works well with chicken thighs. Can substitute yogurt. Can add harissa or other herbs. Can reduce any smoke issues by heating a cast iron skillet at 350 for 30 mins, then add chicken and continue at that heat.

Horseradish-Cheddar Tuna Melts

Horseradish-Cheddar Tuna Melts

These no-frills, open-faced tuna melts pack a punch because horseradish and Cheddar make a rowdy pair. Jarred horseradish is a nose-tingling combination of grated horseradish, vinegar and salt, so the tuna only needs a couple tablespoons and a little mayo, garlic and black pepper to make it zesty and creamy. If you’re only serving two, the recipe halves easily, and you can broil it in a toaster oven. Eat for lunch or dinner alongside an iceberg salad, pickle spears or potato chips.

Yield: 4 servings

2 (5-ounce) cans tuna, drained

¼ cup mayonnaise, plus more as needed

2 tablespoons prepared or creamy horseradish, not drained, plus more as needed

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

Black pepper

4 English muffins, split with a fork

8 slices sharp Cheddar

Chopped fresh parsley or chives, for garnish (optional)

Arrange a rack about 6 inches from the broiler heat source and heat the broiler to high.

In a medium bowl, use a fork to mash together the tuna, mayonnaise, horseradish, garlic and a few grinds of pepper until smooth. Taste and, if it’s mild, add more horseradish; if it’s dry, add more mayonnaise.

Place the English muffins on a sheet pan and toast lightly under the broiler on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side (check frequently to avoid burning). Arrange the English muffins split-sides up, then top with the tuna salad (about 3 tablespoons each). Top each with a slice of Cheddar. Broil until the cheese has melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley or chives, if using. Eat right away.

TIP: Made as written, plus a few capers and a touch of coarse mustard. Lovely! Drain the tuna well to avoid the feel of 'too much mayo' (or reduce mayo). Will likely add celery and red onions next time just to give it some crunch.

I get that people don’t like mayo but also by adult hood have figured out ways to avoid it. How do you normally eat a tuna sandwich? Maybe yogurt will work someone suggested avocado or maybe this isn’t the recipe for you. And funny how some say too much horseradish and others not enough. Everything is a matter of personal taste, viva la difference. Best advice I have gotten is taste as you go, avoid recipes that have ingredients you dont like.

I sometimes used smooshed avocado instead of mayo. Gives you the fat content and the sticktoitness of mayo. Only thing is you have green tuna salad which once you get used to is no biggie but be prepared to explain it to others not used to it!

Ginger Chicken and Rice Soup With Zucchini

Ginger Chicken and Rice Soup With Zucchini

A simple base of aromatic garlic, ginger, bay leaf and turmeric flavors this cozy and nourishing chicken soup. Tender chicken, zucchini and chewy brown rice provide bite and substance, and simmer together at the same pace. The rice will swell and soften in the broth as the soup sits, and you can cook it longer than called for to give this soup more of a stewy or even porridge-like texture, depending on your preference. Add more water or stock to thin the broth as needed if reheating. Serve with a drizzle of chile crisp or a squeeze of lemon and sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings 

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable)

2 tablespoons minced ginger (from a 2-inch piece)

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons ground turmeric 

½ cup brown rice

1 large zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 fresh or dried bay leaf

Chile crisp, lemon wedges or chopped cilantro (or a combination), for serving (optional)

Pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt and pepper.

Heat a medium Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium. Add the oil, ginger, garlic and turmeric and let the mixture sizzle and soften for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Add 6 cups water to the pot, along with the chicken, rice, zucchini, bay leaf and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer then turn the heat down to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

When ready to serve, remove the chicken and place it on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the thighs, then return the meat with all of its juices to the pot. Taste and season the soup with salt and pepper.

To serve, divide the soup among bowls and top with any combination of chile crisp, lemon and cilantro.

TIP: I was a little skeptical when looking at this recipe because of the few ingredients! It turned out to be fabulous just as written. I would however wait until about 15 minutes before adding the zucchini as it was pretty mushy! I'll make this again for sure

Spiced Chocolate Marble Shortbread

Spiced Chocolate Marble Shortbread

Chocolate, toasted sesame, candied ginger and citrus! These cookies are a wonderful combination of intense flavors that pair really well together. The alternating layers of a chocolate dough and one spiked with warming spices are reminiscent of marble swirls, zebra stripes, rock strata layers — take your pick. They are as pleasant to look at as they are to eat, and they will add some flair to your holiday cookie tin. (This cookie is one of six cookies that you can make with this Butter Shortbread Dough recipe. If you make that dough, you can make a double batch of the Marble Shortbread (start at Step 3) or try any of the other five recipes.)

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

For the Dough

1 cup/230 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup/205 grams granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

1 to 2 large egg yolks

2½ cups/320 grams all-purpose flour (see Tip)

For Finishing

3 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon finely grated citrus zest (such as lemon, orange or lime)

1½ teaspoons ground ginger

2 tablespoons candied ginger, chopped (optional)

Make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Beat on low speed until incorporated and smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 3 minutes. (Do not beat until fluffy, you don’t need to incorporate air into the dough.) Add the yolk and mix until just combined. Turn the mixer off and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the flour to the bowl all at once and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Turn the mixer speed to low and beat until flour is fully incorporated, scraping the bowl again if needed, about 30 seconds. The dough will be in large crumbles.

Divide the crumbled dough into two portions (if the dough feels too crumbly to come together, mix in an additional egg yolk before dividing). To one half, add the cocoa powder and mix into the dough until evenly incorporated using a rubber spatula or your fingers. Use your hands to spread the chocolate dough on a sheet of parchment paper into a 7- by 10-inch rectangle. To the second portion of the dough, add the toasted sesame oil, citrus zest, ground ginger and candied ginger, if using, and mix until evenly distributed. Place the spiced dough on top of the chocolate dough and use your hands to spread in an even layer until it reaches all sides of the bottom dough.

Fold the dough in thirds similar to how you might trifold a letter: With the short edge running parallel to you, lift the right long side and fold it over until the right edge of the dough aligns with the center of the dough. Fold the left side over the top. Press down lightly on the dough to adhere the fold. Slice the dough lengthwise, down the middle, and stack the two halves on top of each other with the cut sides facing opposite directions. Press down again lightly to adhere. You should have what looks like a log at this point. Wrap the log in the sheet of parchment and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes and up to 3 days.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Trim the edges of the chilled log by shaving off any rounded sides. Slice the log in half lengthwise to make two strips. Further slice each strip crosswise into ½-inch rectangles. Lay the pieces on the prepared baking sheet, spacing at least ½ inch apart. Bake until the cookies are golden at the bottom edges, rotating once halfway through baking, about 22 minutes. Move the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The baked cookies can also be stored frozen in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Tip: If using volume measurements, using a spoon, fluff and scoop the flour into a measuring cup, then scrape with a straight edge to level the surface. This will help prevent adding too much flour, which can yield overly crumbly dough.

The folding method.

7"x10" - like a sheet of paper

short side 7" parallel to your body - facing you

long side 10" perpendicular to your body - the sides

Fold right 10" side over to the middle (result: 3.5" no fold + 1.75" folded over)

Fold left 10" side over to the middle (result: 1.75" folded over + 1.75" folded over)

total size left after the 2 long folds = 1.75" + 1.75" = 3.5" x 10"

Cut in half lengthwise and stack. DONE. Final measurement 1.75" x 10". Wrap and continue.