Five Weeknight Dishes: Maple-miso salmon and more

By Emily Weinstein, The New York Times

Is it OK to have just cookies for dinner? Asking for a friend.

We’ve fully toggled into holiday mode here at New York Times Cooking, starting with Cookie Week, our annual baking bonanza. Inch for inch, is there anything happier than a cookie? It’s joy forged from butter and sugar. I’m tempted to just disappear into the kitchen and bake up a storm.

Yet, as always, I have to eat a real dinner. And after a Thanksgiving weekend that included steak, French fries and multiple martinis, I’m due for a few lighter meals, like the maple-miso salmon with green beans below. Think of it as cookie-making fuel.

1. Maple and Miso Sheet-Pan Salmon With Green Beans

By Colu Henry

For a weeknight salmon that’s impressive enough for entertaining, look no further. Salty miso paste and sweet maple syrup are the backbone of this simple, flavor-packed marinade, which is about as involved as this uncomplicated recipe gets. Here, the fish soaks up the sauce as the oven gets hot, and the snappy green beans roast in the same amount of time as the fillets. Start some rice when you walk in the door, and you’ll have dinner on the table in under a half hour.

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 (6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon white or brown miso
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 pound green beans, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Pinch of red-pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (optional)
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro, both leaves and tender stems
• 4 lime wedges, for serving
• Flaky sea salt, for serving (optional)
• Cooked white rice, for serving (optional)

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. Season the salmon fillets well with salt and pepper, and place them on a plate or in a large shallow bowl.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, miso, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and garlic. Pour the mixture on top of the salmon and gently massage the marinade all over the fish. Let marinate while the oven comes to temperature.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss together the green beans with the olive oil, red-pepper flakes and sesame oil (if using) and season generously with salt and pepper. Lay the salmon fillets on the sheet pan skin side down and spread the green beans out surrounding the fillets.

4. Arrange the salmon skin side down on the sheet pan and bake until the salmon is opaque and the green beans are cooked through, about 12 minutes. Right before serving, scatter with cilantro and a good squeeze of lime. Season with flaky sea salt and serve with rice, if desired.

2. Ginger-Garlic Shrimp With Coconut Milk

By Yasmin Fahr

Fresh ingredients and bold condiments do the heavy lifting here, creating a fragrant 20-minute meal that will lure people into the kitchen, wondering what smells so good. Inspired by elements of Indian and Thai curries, the shrimp are coated in ginger, garlic and turmeric, then seared and braised in a combination of coconut milk and soy sauce. Spinach is stirred in for a bit of green, but you can substitute your favorite quick-cooking greens like bok choy or kale and adjust cooking time as needed. Swap the shrimp for scallops or white fish, if you like. Serve with rice, rice vermicelli noodles or naan to soak up the flavorful liquid.

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 large garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 1 teaspoon minced or grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on or off
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3 packed cups baby spinach
• 1 lime, halved
• 1 fresno, jalapeño or serrano chile, thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
• 1/2 packed cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
• Steamed rice, vermicelli noodles or naan, for serving

Preparation

1. In a mixing bowl, mix together the garlic, ginger, turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and the olive oil. Add the shrimp and mix to coat well.

2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add the shrimp in an even layer and cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and soy sauce, stir to combine and turn the shrimp. Raise the heat to high and adjust it to maintain a simmer (avoid bringing to a boil), and cook until the liquid is slightly thickened and shrimp are almost cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Stir in the spinach in batches until wilted.

3. Remove from the heat and squeeze in the juice from a lime half. Adjust seasoning with more lime and salt as needed. Top with the chiles, scallions and cilantro, and serve with rice, noodles or naan.

3. Weeknight Lemon Chicken Breasts With Herbs

By Jennifer Steinhauer

Boneless chicken breasts suffer a bad reputation, owing in large part to their propensity to dry out. The solution here is a lovely bath in an ample amount of olive oil, white wine and lemon, which seasons and tenderizes the chicken. Later, the marinade becomes an easy pan sauce once it cooks with the breasts. Use fresh herbs in the summer; in the winter, dried herbs will do the trick.

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 20 minutes, plus at least 1 hour marinating

Ingredients

• 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 ounces each)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds, seeds discarded
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 tablespoon dried herbes de Provence or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as sage, rosemary and thyme

Preparation

1. Season the chicken breasts all over with the salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken to a gallon-size resealable freezer bag. Add 1/2 cup olive oil and the remaining ingredients, press out the air and seal the bag tightly so the chicken is fully submerged. Massage the chicken through the plastic bag to evenly distribute the herbs. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

2. In a large, deep skillet with a lid, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium. Remove the chicken from the marinade, add to the skillet, then pour the lemons and marinade on top. Cook until the chicken is golden on one side, about 8 minutes. Turn the chicken, cover and cook over medium-low until chicken is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Serve chicken topped with lemons and sauce.

4. Broccoli-Walnut Pesto Pasta

By Genevieve Ko

Pesto becomes more full-bodied with the addition of broccoli that’s blanched in the same pot as the pasta and fresher with the combination of mint and lemon. For a sauce that’s light and loose, use only the florets — not the stems. Raw walnuts have a welcome natural sweetness and nice crunch that complement the pesto, but you can leave them out or substitute sunflower seeds if you have a tree-nut allergy.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 4 cups broccoli florets (10 ounces from 2 crowns)
• 1 pound cut pasta, such as medium shells
• 1 large garlic clove, smashed
• 2 packed cups fresh mint leaves (about 2 ounces from one small bunch)
• Black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Preparation

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1/4 cup salt, then add the broccoli. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bright green and just tender, about 5 minutes. Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer to a food processor; keep the water boiling.

2. Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook according to the package’s directions for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.

3. Meanwhile, add the garlic to the broccoli and pulse, scraping the bowl occasionally, until smooth. Add the mint, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pulse until smooth, then add the oil with the machine running.

4. Drain the pasta well and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the pesto. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper and toss until the pasta is evenly coated. If the mixture seems thick, fold in the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time. The mixture will thicken as it cools, so you want it to be saucy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Divide among serving dishes and top with lemon zest, then grate cheese over. Sprinkle with the walnuts, grind more black pepper on top, then drizzle with olive oil. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

Tips: The pasta with the pesto will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Garnish with the lemon zest, cheese, walnuts, pepper and oil right before serving. Note that the pesto will oxidize after a day and darken into a khaki green. If packing for lunch, put the pasta in an airtight container and scatter the garnishes on top. If you want to keep the walnuts extra crunchy, you can keep them separate and sprinkling them on right before eating.

5. One-Pot Rice and Beans

By Ali Slagle

Not only is rice with beans adored the world over (see: gallo pinto, khichdi, hoppin’ John and Caribbean rice and peas), but it even has its own Wikipedia page. This deeply flavored rendition is inspired by these comforting traditions and a desire to wash as few dishes as possible: The rice cooks with the beans and the starchy liquid they’re canned in. As the two ingredients cook together, the beans disperse and glom onto the rice. For an extra kick, saute chopped jalapeño with the onions, or add 1/4 cup salsa with the stock.

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
• 1 3/4 cups chicken or vegetable stock or water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup long-grain rice
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can black or pinto beans
• Lime wedges or cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the stock, cover and bring to a boil.

2. Add the salt, rice and beans (including the liquid). Stir just to combine, then cover.

3. Turn the heat down as low as it will go, then let simmer, undisturbed, for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 4 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

4. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then garnish with lime or cilantro as you wish.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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