Five dishes to share with your friends... or devour yourself

Emily Weinstein shares a week’s worth of gloriously unfussy meals that are just as good for company as they are your family

Japchae is a savoury Korean stir-fry with mixed vegetables, beef and sweet potato noodles (Getty/iStock)

I’ve seen a few articles now about the awkward social transition many of us face as more people are vaccinated, and our emergence into a world where we will once again wear shoes and interact with strangers and maybe even attend a party (maybe). My own version of this arrived when friends came over to eat, and I had no clue what to make for them. I hadn’t really cooked anything for anyone who wasn’t my immediate family in almost a year and a half.

What did I used to cook for other people? Chicken? Rice? Salad? I’m struggling to remember. I have amazing memories of sitting around with friends in our apartment, several bottles of wine and big family-style platters of food decimated. But what did I make on a Wednesday when someone came by?

The recipes below could just be for you, your immediates or whoever drops by.

Coconut fish and tomato bake

Make sure you get some bread or rice to mop up this sauce at the end (Getty/iStock)

A coconut-milk dressing infused with garlic, ginger, turmeric and lime coats fish fillets in this one-pan dinner. Accompanying the fish are bright bursts of tomatoes which turn jammy under the grill and relinquish some of their juices to the pan sauce. This sauce is silky enough to coat a spoon and packed with flavour. It pairs well with anything from snapper to flounder and even salmon, so choose the fillets that look best at the fish counter. You’ll want to sop up the sauce with thick slices of grilled or toasted baguette, or spoon it over steamed rice.

By: Yewande Komolafe

Makes: 4 servings

Total time: 20 minutes, plus 15 minutes’ marinating

Ingredients

60ml unsweetened coconut milk

1 2.5cm piece fresh ginger, scrubbed and finely grated

1 garlic clove, finely grated

½ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp red-pepper flakes

1 tbsp honey

Salt

2 limes

8g chopped coriander

4 170g fish fillets, such as snapper, haddock, bass, flounder, cod or salmon, skin on or off

300g cherry or plum tomatoes

3 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, ginger, garlic, turmeric, red-pepper flakes, honey and one teaspoon salt.

2. Zest and juice one lime directly into the coconut milk mixture. Stir in half the chopped coriander. Add the fish fillets and turn to coat. Marinate in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position. Arrange another rack in the position closest to the grill heat source. Heat oven to 220C.

4. Place the tomatoes on a large baking tray. Drizzle with two tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and toss to coat. Place the marinated fish between the tomatoes and spoon all the marinade from the bowl over the fish. Drizzle one tablespoon of oil over the fish. Transfer the pan to the lower-middle rack and roast until the surface of the fish is opaque but the centre is not cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness of the fish. The fish should not flake easily with a fork. Remove the pan from the oven and heat the broiler to high.

5. Move the pan to the grill and finish cooking, rotating the pan once, until the fish is tender and the tomatoes are just beginning to brown in spots, five to six minutes, depending on thickness of the fish. Slice the remaining lime into wedges.

6. Divide the tomatoes and fish among dishes and tip the pan juices over the fish. Garnish with the remaining coriander and serve with lime wedges for squeezing.

One-pan chicken and potatoes with feta, lemon and dill

Lemon, dill and feta turn this weeknight meat and two veg classic into dinner party fare (Getty/iStock)

In this simple but elegant one-pan dinner, chicken thighs and potatoes roast together at a high temperature, coming out crispy and golden. A generous squeeze of lemon juice, along with a scattering of fresh dill and feta cheese, elevates this dish from weeknight meat and potatoes to dinner-party fare. While the chicken will still be delicious if marinated for just 30 minutes, marinating it for several hours will yield the best results.

By: Lidey Heuck

Makes: 4 servings

Total time: 45 minutes, plus at least 30 minutes’ marinating

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice (from about half a lemon)

1 garlic clove, minced

½ tsp dried oregano

Salt and black pepper

680-900g small bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 to 6 thighs)

4 small Yukon Gold (or alternative) potatoes (about 450g), cut into 2cm pieces

60g feta cheese, crumbled

2 tbsp chopped fresh dill

Method

1. In a medium bowl, whisk two tablespoons oil with one tablespoon lemon juice, the garlic, oregano, one teaspoon salt and half a teaspoon of pepper. Add the chicken thighs, toss to coat. Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to eight hours, covered, in the fridge.

2. Heat the oven to 220C. On a baking tray, drizzle the diced potatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with half a teaspoon salt and a quarter teaspoon pepper; toss well and move to one side of the pan. Pat the chicken thighs dry and place them, evenly spaced, on the other side of the pan.

3. Roast for 15 minutes, toss the potatoes, then return everything to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, the skin is golden brown, and the potatoes are tender, 15 to 25 more minutes, depending on the size of the thighs. If the potatoes are not quite tender, remove the chicken thighs to a plate to rest, and return the potatoes to the oven to roast until tender, another 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Place the chicken and potatoes on a serving platter, and sprinkle them with one tablespoon lemon juice. Scatter the feta and dill over the potatoes, sprinkle the whole dish with salt and pepper, and serve hot.

Baked alfredo pasta with broccoli rabe and lemon

Baked pasta is a great way to bring in multiple textures (Getty/iStock)

One of the great things about baked pastas is that you can get two different textures in one dish. Take the typical pasta alfredo that’s prepared in a frying pan: it’s delightfully creamy and lush, but the same, bite after bite. But add a green vegetable to that alfredo pasta, pile it into a dish, top it with melty cheese and crunchy breadcrumbs, then bake it, and you get a vegetarian dinner that’s got it all. If rapini (also known as broccoli raab) isn’t your thing, you can substitute cut asparagus or broccoli florets.

By: Ali Slagle

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

Salt

8 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 2.5cm pieces

60g panko breadcrumbs

180g finely grated parmesan

1 tsp fresh lemon zest (from 1 lemon)

Black pepper

450g small tubed or curly pasta

1 bunch rapini, trimmed, then cut into 1.5cm pieces

240ml double cream

1 small garlic clove, grated

170g fresh mozzarella, cut into 1.5cm pieces

Method

1. Heat the oven to 260C. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Place the butter in a 22-by-33cm/2.8L pan or baking tray and transfer it to the oven to melt while the oven heats; remove it from the oven once it’s melted.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the panko, 22g parmesan and the lemon zest. Add one tablespoon of the melted butter from the baking pan, stir until the panko is moistened with butter, then season with salt and pepper.

3. When the water’s boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about two minutes less than the package instructions suggest. During the last minute of cooking, add the rapini. Reserve 120ml pasta water, then drain the pasta and rapini.

4. Whisk the cream, garlic and pasta water into the melted butter in the baking dish until smooth. Add the remaining parmesan in large handfuls, vigorously whisking until smooth and combined. Add the pasta, rapini and half the mozzarella. Taste, and season well with salt and pepper. Stir until very combined.

5. Top with the remaining mozzarella, then sprinkle evenly with the panko mixture. Bake until the mozzarella has melted and the panko is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Spring vegetable japchae (Korean glass noodles)

Once cooked, sweet potato (AKA glass) noodles turn translucent, light and chewy (Getty/iStock)

Japchae is a savoury Korean stir-fry with mixed vegetables, beef and sweet potato noodles. Also known as glass noodles, sweet potato noodles can be found in Asian markets; once cooked, the noodles turn translucent, light and chewy (they are also wheat-free, so they are a great option for those avoiding gluten). The noodles are cooked first, then sit in the sauce, absorbing all of the garlicky sesame and soy flavours like a sponge. This springtime japchae celebrates crisp asparagus and snap peas. Japchae can be made a few hours ahead and served at room temperature, making it the perfect dish for picnics.

By: Kay Chun

Makes: 4 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

60ml low-sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp demerara sugar (or brown sugar)

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Salt and black pepper

340g dried sweet potato noodles (glass noodles)

3 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil

½ small yellow onion, thinly sliced

113g carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks

113g fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced

1 medium yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into ⅓cm-thick strips

113g sugar snap peas, thinly sliced lengthwise

170g asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced on a bias, tips kept whole

113g baby spinach

Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Method

1. Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, garlic, sugar, sesame oil and half teaspoon pepper.

2. In a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles until tender and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a colander and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Add half of the sauce (about three tablespoons) and toss to evenly coat.

3. In a large frying pan, heat two tablespoons sunflower/rapeseed oil over medium. Add onion and carrots, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about three minutes.

4. Add mushrooms and half the remaining sauce (about 1.5 tablespoons) and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly golden, about three minutes. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the noodles.

5. Add the remaining one tablespoon sunflower or rapeseed oil and the bell pepper to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, for two minutes. Add snap peas and asparagus, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about two minutes. Add the spinach to the skillet and stir until wilted, one to two minutes. Transfer the mixture into the bowl with the noodles. Add the remaining sauce and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Divide japchae among bowls and garnish with sesame seeds. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Grilled salmon salad with lime, chillies and herbs

This light salad is tangy and full of flavour (Getty/iStock)

Made of soft, supple salmon; crisp lettuces and vegetables; and a very savoury dressing run through with chillies and lime, this light salad is tangy and full of flavour. The dressing, based on nuoc cham, a traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce, has just enough fish sauce to give it depth and pungency without overpowering the brightness of the lime. You can substitute other fish, or even chicken, for the salmon. Just adjust the grilling time as needed, and toss with the dressing while still warm. Note that if you don’t have a grill, you can roast the fish in the oven.

By: Melissa Clark

Makes: 4 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 limes

2 small fresh red or green chillies or 1 large one, thinly sliced, seeds removed if you like

1 shallot (or 2 spring onions, or 2 tbsp red onion), thinly sliced

2 tbsp fish sauce

Salt

Pinch of sugar

60ml extra-virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil, plus more for brushing

560g salmon fillet, preferably 1 large centre-cut piece

600g salad greens, such as little gem, bibb or boston lettuce

12g mixed soft herbs (such as coriander, mint and basil), leaves and tender stems

116g thinly sliced radishes, cucumbers or both (optional)

Method

1. Light the grill for indirect heat, or heat the oven to 220C.

2. As the grill or oven heats up, make the dressing: halve one lime, and squeeze its juice into a small bowl. Add the chilli slices, half of the sliced shallot (save the rest for serving), the fish sauce and a pinch each salt and sugar. Let sit for one minute to dissolve the salt, then whisk in the olive oil. It won’t emulsify, so mix again before using.

3. Brush the salmon with oil, and place it in a grilling basket if you have one. Cook over the indirect (unlit) side of the grill, for two to minutes minutes per side, depending on how hot the grill is and how thick the salmon is. Note that individual fillets will cook faster than a single large piece. Check the salmon often (alternatively, roast the salmon on a baking tray in the oven, until just cooked to taste, 7 to 12 minutes; you don’t have to flip it).

4. As the salmon cooks, halve the other lime. Brush the cut sides with olive oil and grill, cut-side down, over direct heat until charred, about one minute. If using the oven, throw the halves, cut-side up, on the roasting pan with the salmon. They won’t char, but they will cook and mellow in flavour, which is the aim.

5. When the salmon is cooked, transfer it to a plate and spoon some dressing over it. Let it cool slightly, then break up the fish into large chunks.

6. Place greens, remaining shallots, herbs, and radishes or cucumber, if using, in a large shallow bowl or on a platter, and add a little more of the dressing. Squeeze some of the juice from a charred lime half over it and drizzle with a little olive oil. Toss and taste, adding lime juice, olive oil or salt as needed.

7. Top with the salmon chunks and drizzle with more (or all) of the dressing. Serve with the remaining charred lime half on the side for squeezing.

© The New York Times