Hello. It’s that time of year for some of us where, if you’re not careful, you may find yourself relearning the concept of being chille...
Hello. It’s that time of year for some of us where, if you’re not careful, you may find yourself relearning the concept of being chilled to the bone. Linger too long on the sidewalk talking with a neighbor, or rushing to the bodega in a sweatshirt and without a hat? It can make you feel like a human permafrost. This is a difficult state to change.
But broths, soups and teas can help. These are internal blankets, warm drinkable baths. Yewande Komolafe calls them “repairers” and relies on them to bring warmth and light to the coldest winter days. That’s exactly what his three new recipes do: a ginger and turmeric bone broth with green vegetables; a citrus and herbal tonic (above) which I like very hot; and a beautiful bubbling thai curry with silken tofu and herbs. I’m going to do all three today and eat the curry for dinner. The tonic I’ll warm up for on the go. And I’ll keep bone broth on hand to restore myself after the misadventures of the coming week. (Another blown light bulb in the car? Chatty Cathy at the farmer’s market? A long wait outside for a Covid test? It could be anything!)
Here is a plan for the rest of the week.
Monday
I love Hetty McKinnon’s new recipe for noodle dumpling soup, a pantry and freezer meal loosely inspired by won ton noodle soup, with store-bought dumplings in place of won tons, and a lovely introduction to your Lunar New Year celebration. (We have load more recipes for the holidays here.)
Tuesday
If you’re not making noodles or steamed fish tonight, maybe chicken? I found the roots of this recipe surprisingly good for chicken and shallots a few years ago on Chef Andrew Zimmern’s Twitter account, who learned it from his then-wife Rishia, who adapted it from Martha Stewart. Wheels within wheels. “I call this the best chicken dish I’ve ever made,” one follower noted below the recipe, which now has over 8,000 five-star ratings.
Wednesday
by Melissa Clark pearl couscous with creamy feta and chickpeas is a wonderful mid-week meal, eliminating the itch you might have for polenta or risotto, but with a lot less work. I like Melissa’s tip to serve the dish over a bed of raw baby spinach, which wilts in the heat. So good.
Thusday
Those mushroom patties by Naz Deravian are inspired by Iranian kotlets and kookoo, and they make a delicious vegetarian meal when slipped into flatbread sandwiches with lettuce, herbs and pickled peppers. (No flatbread? Try them on a baguette!)
Friday
And then you can head into the weekend with the latest from Sarah DiGregorio: a baked cod in butter cracker crust. It’s an easy take on a classic New England stuffed fish: cod coated in seasoned crackers and simply roasted until done. Substitute haddock if you can’t find cod or use another soft, flaky white fish. (Soundtrack: “Scrodfrom Mente, historically Boston’s Worst Band.)
Tens of thousands of other recipes to cook this week are waiting for you on New York Times Kitchen, at least once you have removed a subscription on our site and app. We think it’s a good deal. You get the recipes. We get to keep doing more. So if you haven’t already, would you consider subscribe today? Thank you.
We’ll be behind the scenes as passionate stage parents if anything goes wrong along the way. Just send a flare to cookingcare@nytimes.com, and someone will answer you. (You can also write to me: foodeditor@nytimes.com. I read every letter sent.)
Now that’s a far cry from the sizzling sausages and the smell of mead, but I was looking for a new detective series to read, and Giles Blunt’s John Cardinal novels set themselves up well for that. Start at the beginning: “Forty words for sorrow.”
I’m a little late – they’re sold out – but Andrew Kuo”Ideal Map of New York City, 05/15/20” is pretty awesome.
COMMENTS