Directory of Recipes

An up to date list of all the recipes published!
Actually Good Lentil Salad
Vegan, Vegetarian, Quick, Salad Brooke Lewy Vegan, Vegetarian, Quick, Salad Brooke Lewy

Actually Good Lentil Salad

Serves 4ish

This salad, as with all salads, is so adaptable. I’m including it as an example of how to add ingredients that pack a lot of flavor without sacrificing health. It also keeps well in the refrigerator for several days, so it’s easy to pack for work or grab quickly when you get home. The real key to the flavor are the capers and olives, but I find that anything pickley or preserved works–pickled onions, preserved lemons, etc.

1 ½ cups black or green lentils (you can substitute an equal amount of farro, quinoa, or use 2-3 cans of chickpeas)
1 bunch tuscan or lacinato kale, cut into thin ribbons
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1⁄2 cup green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
3 Tbsp capers, drained
1 lemon
1⁄3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch Italian or flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1⁄4 cup almonds, roughly chopped
2-3oz feta cheese, crumbled
Salt Freshly
ground pepper

In a medium pot, add the lentils, cover with water by two inches, add a big pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. (If using a different grain, cook accordingly, and if using canned chickpeas, skip this step altogether). Once the water is boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or so until the lentils are cooked through, but not at all mushy. Drain and let cool slightly.

While the lentils are cooking, prep your kale by stacking the leaves on top of one another and cutting them into thin ribbons. In a large bowl, add the kale, the olives, and the capers. Once the lentils have cooled a bit, add them to the bowl. Add the zest of the lemon, cut it in half and add the juice of both halves, along with the oil, a big pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper. Stir to thoroughly combine. Then add the parsley, feta, and almonds and stir gently. Taste and adjust seasoning.

The salad will keep in the refrigerator for four or five days. You can add the almonds at once, but they will soften over time. If you’d like to keep them crunchy, add them in when you’re ready to eat.

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Pad See Ew
Quick, Thai, Vegetarian Brooke Lewy Quick, Thai, Vegetarian Brooke Lewy

Pad See Ew

Serves 4

When most people think of Thai noodles, Pad Thai gets a lot of love, but these Pad See Ew noodles are super quick to prepare and very satisfying. I riff on this New York Times recipe, which calls for thinly sliced beef, pork, or chicken, but just like fried rice, it’s a great way to use up any extra cooked protein you have in your fridge, or rotisserie chicken, or tofu is great here, too. Also, one quick note about the noodles. I like these refrigerated Nona Lim Pad See Ew noodles–I keep them in the freezer, and their soak in hot water is very short since they’re not dried, but if you can’t find them, use any wide rice noodle. If they’re dried noodles, they may take as long as 30-40 minutes to soften up.

16 ounces sen yai or other dried rice noodles
3-4 tablespoons neutral oil
8 ounces beef, pork, chicken, or tofu, thinly sliced, or leftover protein
Kosher salt
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch broccolini, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce

First, in a large bowl, add your noodles and cover with boiling or very hot tap water. Set aside.

Next, in a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sugar.

In a very large skillet (everything is going in there next), over high heat, add two tablespoons of oil. Add the meat, season lightly with salt, and let cook, undisturbed, but deeply brown on the underside. Then stir fry for a minute until cooked through, and transfer to a plate.

Wipe out the skillet and add another tablespoon of oil. Turn the heat to medium. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the broccolini and a tablespoon or two of water, so that it steams a bit. Next, push the vegetables to the side and add one more tablespoon of oil. Add the eggs, using a spatula to scramble them until they are dry, 1-2 minutes.

Drain your noodles. Turn the heat back up to high and add the noodles, tossing with the vegetables and eggs. When the noodles are sizzling, add two thirds of the sauce and stir to coat. Leave the noodles undisturbed for 20 seconds or so at a time, so they can sear and caramelize, and then flip. Add the protein back into the pan, toss together and check for seasoning, adding more sauce if desired.

Serve immediately

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Go-To Salmon, Sushi Rice, and Stir Fry
Sheet Pan, Fish, Quick Brooke Lewy Sheet Pan, Fish, Quick Brooke Lewy

Go-To Salmon, Sushi Rice, and Stir Fry

Serves 4

Salmon

Here’s my go-to salmon marinade (it’s also great for chicken or flank steak). In a pinch, I also like Bachan’s Japanese Barbecue Sauce.

½ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2-3 tablespoons sesame oil
2ish lbs salmon

My kids love the pieces that have really absorbed the marinade, so I cut my salmon into small (2 inch x 2 inch-ish pieces) and marinate them for anywhere from 30 minutes to four hours depending on my day. So mix the marinade right in a measuring cup, put the salmon in a container or ziploc, pour over the marinade and refrigerate until dinner. When ready to cook, lay the fish pieces on a sheet pan lined with foil and parchment and roast them at 425 for 10-12 minutes.

Rice

1-2 cups short grain sushi rice
Rice vinegar
Sugar
Salt

Meanwhile, make the rice–either short grain brown rice or sushi rice (cook the rice according to package directions or in a rice cooker, and then once it’s cooked, add 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tsps sugar and 1⁄2 tsp salt for every 1 cup UNCOOKED rice).

Veggie Stir Fry

You could absolutely serve this with quick steamed broccoli or any green veggie.

2 Tablespoons neutral oil or olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced or grated
1-inch piece ginger, minced or grated
2 Carrots, sliced thinly on the diagonal, into 1⁄8 inch pieces
1 Celery stalk, sliced thinly on the diagonal
1 Head Broccoli, cut into 1-inch pieces
2-3 Heads Bok Choi cut crosswise into 1 inch pieces or 1 box baby spinach
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Toasted Sesame Oil

Heat a very large skillet over high heat. Add the oil, and when oil is hot and easily slides across the pan, add the garlic and ginger. Let sizzle for 30 seconds or so until fragrant. Add the carrots and a tablespoon or two of water and cook for a minute or two. Add the celery and cook until the vegetables are starting to brown at the edges, but still have bite. Add the broccoli and then the bok choi or spinach and stir until the broccoli is bright green and the greens are wilted, add a tablespoon of water if the broccoli isn’t cooking through. When all the vegetables look just cooked, but still vibrant, turn off the heat and add the soy sauce and sesame oil, tossing to coat

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Quick, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian, Make Ahead Brooke Lewy Quick, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian, Make Ahead Brooke Lewy

Go-To Vegetable Soup

I started making this soup years ago, but in the pandemic, like so many things, it really became a ‘use what you have’ endeavor. It’s better with a parm rind thrown in there, but it’s not necessary. Sometimes I add potatoes if I have a couple around. It freezes well, makes a great gift or easy drop off meal for someone who’s grieving, or had surgery, or a new baby, or is just hungry.

I need to be honest here. I usually cook my own beans from scratch and use that cooking liquid as the broth for the soup. I work from home, cooking beans is so hands off, I don’t find it that big a deal.* That said, if you don’t want to or don’t have the time, I understand and it’s okay! Use any canned beans or chickpeas you want and just use water and a little Better than Bouillon stirred in or any broth you like. It will still be so good.

So again, these are guidelines, you could say my ideal version of my favorite soup. One more thing–this makes a lot. Dinner for a crowd, or a whole week of lunches, or enough to bank in the freezer for when you need it.

Serves 8ish

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
Kosher salt
1lb dried white beans or lima beans, cooked, along with their cooking liquid or 3-4 cans white beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 head cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces
1 bunch kale and or ½ head green or savoy cabbage, thinly sliced or chopped
1 cup frozen peas
½ bunch flat leaf parsley
Parmesan rind, optional
Better than Bouillon, optional

In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add in the onion, carrot, celery, a big pinch of salt, and stir. Let cook until the vegetables start to soften and the onion turns translucent, about seven or eight minutes. Add the cauliflower and kale and/or cabbage, then add the beans. If you’re using homemade ones, add the cooking liquid as well. Either way, add enough water to cover the beans and vegetables by about half an inch and the parm rind, if using. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and let cook for 20 minutes or so to let the flavors meld. Taste and add Better than Bouillon or salt. Stir in the peas and parsley.

To serve, ladle into bowls and top with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of grated parm, if desired.

*To cook beans, the night before I put the dried beans in the pot I plan to cook them in, cover them by a few inches with water, add a tablespoon of kosher salt and let them hang out. Then to cook, I put the pot on the stove, bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and just let them go until they’re done, anywhere from 1-2 hours depending on the beans. If I plan to make soup, I just stick the whole pot in the fridge until I’m ready to make the soup.

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Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli
Quick, Pork, Pasta Brooke Lewy Quick, Pork, Pasta Brooke Lewy

Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli

Somehow cooking with sausage feels like the ultimate shortcut. This pasta is so simple and so delicious.

Serves 4-5

Olive oil
1lb sausage–any kind will work–hot or sweet Italian, bulk with sage
3 cloves garlic 1lb broccoli, cauliflower, broccolini, etc., cut into bite sized pieces
¼ cup white wine (optional–I would only use it if you have a bottle open already, if not, use water or broth)
½ cup grated parmesan
½ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1lb pasta, any shape

Set a pot of water to boil for the pasta. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage (squeeze out of casings if in casings), breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. Add the garlic and continue to cook until the sausage is cooked through and starting to brown. Add your broccoli or other vegetables. Add the wine or a splash of water, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan. Continue to cook for a minute or two, until the veggies are just cooked. Turn off the heat.

Cook your pasta one minute short of what the package says. When it’s a minute shy of done, scoop out ½ a cup or so of pasta water and add it to your sausage broccoli mixture. Add the cooked pasta, turn the heat to high and cook for a minute more, until the pasta is glossy. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley and parmesan. Divide among bowls and top with more parm, if desired.

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Superfoods Soup
Quick, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian, Make Ahead Brooke Lewy Quick, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian, Make Ahead Brooke Lewy

Superfoods Soup

This soup is from runner Shalene Flangan’s Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. I alllmosssst follow the recipe exactly. The combo of the coconut milk and tomato makes it more interesting than the usual vegetable soup. Double and freeze for later.

Serves 4-5

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons curry powder OR 1 tablespoon red curry paste (my preference)
1 sweet potato, cut into ½ inch dice
1 13.5-oz can coconut milk
1 14.5-oz can whole peeled tomatoes or crushed tomatoes (that’s the smaller can)
5 cups water or broth or Better than Bouillon (my preference)
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 large bunch lacinato kale, chopped
Juice from one lime, optional

In large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Season with salt. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the curry powder or red curry paste and let sizzle for thirty seconds or so until fragrant. Add the sweet potato, coconut milk, tomatoes, and chickpeas, and water or broth/BTB. Bring to a boil, turn down to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sweet potato is tender. Add the kale and cook just until wilted. Add lime juice, if using, and serve or refrigerate or freeze.

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Quick Sesame Chicken
Quick, Chicken Brooke Lewy Quick, Chicken Brooke Lewy

Quick Sesame Chicken

This is a classic Epicurious recipe. It’s so speedy and delicious, pretty much faster and healthier than take out.

Serves 4-5

8 cups broccoli florets (about 2 large heads)
¼ cup plus two tablespoons cornstarch
1½ teaspoon kosher salt
2lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into two inch pieces
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
5 tablespoons honey
1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil
1 large clove garlic
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Rice for serving

Cook rice according to package directions.

In a very large skillet with a lid (or you could use a sheet tray as a lid), add the broccoli and half an inch of water.

Steam broccoli over high heat just until it’s crisp tender, about five minutes. Remove the lid and transfer broccoli to a bowl. Discard water, wipe out the pan and return it to the stove.

In a large bowl, mix the cornstarch and salt. Add the chicken and toss to coat. If your skillet is large enough to fit all the chicken, heat all of the oil over medium heat. If it won’t fit all the chicken, cook it in two batches.

When oil is hot, add the chicken in an even layer and cook until a crust forms and it turns golden brown. Using a thin spatula, flip and cook until the other side is golden as well, about five minutes total. Meanwhile, mix together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and sesame oil. Using a microplane, grate the garlic and ginger directly into the mixture. Add the sesame seeds and stir.

Once the chicken is golden on all sides, add the sauce and cook until it thickens, about two minutes. Fold in the reserve broccoli, cook for one minute more. Serve with rice.

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Bacon and Corn Pasta
Quick, Pasta, Pork Brooke Lewy Quick, Pasta, Pork Brooke Lewy

Bacon and Corn Pasta

This is my family’s favorite meal. It’s the one they request for birthday, or the night before they leave for camp, or when they’re just feeling wobbly. It’s a good one.

Serves 4-5

1lb spaghetti
1⁄2 lb bacon, cut into half inch pieces (I use kitchen scissors and cut the bacon directly into the pan because I am lazy)
4 ears of corn, kernels cut off the cob
1⁄2 red onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1⁄2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1⁄4 cup flat leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped

Fill a large pot with water and set it on the stove to boil.

In a large skillet (you’re going to wind up combining everything, including the pasta, in here), over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a bowl or plate. Pour off bacon fat until you have a thin coating in the bottom of the pan (I line a bowl with foil and pour it in there until it solidifies) and add the onion and garlic. If the bits on the bottom of the pan are starting to burn, add a quarter cup of water (or white wine if you happen to have a bottle open) and scrape up all the flavor. Cook until the onion is soft and browned in spots. Add the corn, give the whole thing a stir, and turn off the heat.

Cook spaghetti a minute or two short of the directions. When it’s ready, use a mug or ladle to transfer about a cup of pasta water in with the corn mixture. Then drain the pasta and add it to the skillet. Turn the heat to high and simmer together for a minute or two. Turn off the heat and add the cheese, parsley, and bacon to the skillet. Toss everything together until it is well combined.

Divide among bowls and eat immediately.

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Roasted Carrot Tlayudas
Sheet Pan, Vegetarian, Quick Brooke Lewy Sheet Pan, Vegetarian, Quick Brooke Lewy

Roasted Carrot Tlayudas

Tlayudas are similar to tostadas, but instead of frying the tortillas like a chip, you bake them on a sheet tray in a hot oven until they become a crisp bed for refried beans, maybe cheese, and roasted vegetables. They couldn’t be easier or more flexible. The day I made these, I happen to have half a huge onion that needed to be used up and half a dozen carrots, and while the sweetness of these particular vegetables were great with the earthy beans, you could use the tlayudas to clean out your veggie drawer and roast anything you have. They would also be great with any leftover chicken or steak or pork, or top them with rotisserie chicken. I didn’t have anything pickled in my fridge, but I wished I had had pickled onions, too.

Serves 4-5

1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
6-8 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon honey
1-2 packages substantial tortillas like these corn and wheat tortillas or similar ones from Trader Joe’s
2 cans refried beans*, warmed in a bowl in the microwave
1 cup shredded mozzarella or Mexican cheese blend, or crumbly cheese like cotija
Optional toppings: shredded lettuce or cabbage, sliced radishes, cilantro, salsa, pickled onions, avocado, hot sauce, leftover protein, etc.

Preheat the oven to 425. Line two sheet trays with aluminum foil. Add the onion and carrots to one sheet pan. Drizzle oil over the vegetables and then sprinkle with salt, smoked paprika, cumin, and finish with a generous squeeze or spoonful of honey. Roast for 18-20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the vegetables are tender and caramelized. Transfer to a bowl.

Meanwhile, lay your tortillas on the other sheet tray in a single layer (you might have to do this in two batches). Bake until crisp, but still a little pliable–you don’t want them just to shatter–about 10 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven.

Switch the oven to broil.

To make the version my kids liked best, spread each tortilla with a spoonful of warm beans. Top with cheese, and put back on the sheet tray on the top rack of the oven for another 4-5 minutes until the cheese is melted (yes, it’s kind of like pizza). Top with any desired toppings.

If you’re using crumbly cheese, top your tlayuda however you would like– for example, start with a spoonful of beans, then add the carrots and onions, then a spoonful of salsa, shredded lettuce, cilantro leaves and sprinkling of cotija.

*A note on the beans–I usually stock canned black beans in my pantry, but not refried beans. To make your own beans for this recipe, saute a little onion and garlic in olive oil. Add a shake each of dried oregano and cumin and let sizzle for a minute. Add two cans of drained and rinsed black beans and a teaspoon of kosher salt and just cover with water. Let simmer for five minutes or so and then puree with an immersion blender or in a regular blender. Taste for seasoning. Extra beans freeze well for a long time.

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Fried Fish Sandwiches
Quick, Fish Brooke Lewy Quick, Fish Brooke Lewy

Fried Fish Sandwiches

I usually think of this as a summer dinner–the kind of thing you make when you’ve been at the beach all day and it’s too hot to think about turning on the oven. But! But. My daughter requested them this weekend and when a family member wants to choose dinner, I try to make it happen (I get tired of planning dinner, too, sometimes). And they were so good! Like they seriously hit the spot and brought a little summer sunshine to this snowy January. Also, I made them, including the slaw, while my littlest daughter watched one Paw Patrol, which is to say, the whole dinner took less than 22 minutes

Serves 4-5

For the Fish:

2lbs tilapia or any thin white fish, like sole, each filet cut into four pieces (better crust to fish ratio)
Kosher salt
½ cup all purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1.5 cups panko
Vegetable oil

For the Slaw:

¼ head green or red cabbage, or a bag of pre-shredded cabbage
¼ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Optional: sliced cucumber, radishes, and/or apples
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil

Assembly:
Potato buns
Pickles
Pickled onions
Slaw
Hot sauce
Potato Chips
Cut up veggies

Lay out your dredging set up. One plate with flour, a shallow dish with the eggs, one plate for panko. A plate to land your breaded fish. Season fish with salt, dip in the flour, then egg, then panko, repeat with all the pieces.

Take a pause and make your slaw. In a medium bowl, add the cabbage, parsley, and the other vegetables/apple, if using. Season with kosher salt and drizzle over apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Toss.

Pull out whatever else you might have in the fridge that would be good here–pickles, pickled onions, hot sauce, mayo, baby carrots or cut up veggies for the slaw averse, buns, potato chips.

Now continue with the fish. In a large frying pan, heat half an inch of oil over medium heat. Line another plate with paper towels. When the oil is shimmering, add the fish. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the underside is golden, flip, cook another two minutes until both sides are golden. Transfer fish to the paper towel plate, season lightly with salt.

To serve, put together sandwiches. Add a couple of pieces of fish to each bun and top with slaw, hot sauce, pickles, whatever you like. My kids go just fish and bread, with cut up carrots and potato chips on the side. Any which way you stack it, eat immediately and pretend it’s the summer.

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Quickie Matzo Ball Soup
Chicken, Soup, Quick, Make Ahead Brooke Lewy Chicken, Soup, Quick, Make Ahead Brooke Lewy

Quickie Matzo Ball Soup

I feel like sharing this recipe with you is going to make every Jewish grandma tsk tsk me with shame. This is not their soup–there are no bones, no simmering, no straining. It’s the matzo ball soup I make on the fly when it’s chilly out and my kids start getting the sniffles. It truly takes about 20 minutes (and just a bit longer to make the matzo balls). The key player is Better Than Bouillon, which actually tastes good in a soup that’s so simple. I’m not sure it would work as well with boxed stock or broth, which can have a kind of chemical taste.

Matzo Balls:

When I’m making matzo balls from scratch, I make the Smitten Kitchen version. More often when I’m making dinner on a Tuesday, I turn to a box of Manischewitz (I’ve never written that word before, so many letters!) or Streits matzo ball mix, which are both very good. Follow either Deb’s or the package’s instructions. I don’t cook the matzo balls directly in the soup because it makes the cooking liquid so cloudy, but once they’re cooked, you can transfer them to the soup and refrigerate or freeze them together.

Soup:

You could leave out the matzo balls entirely and serve this up as chicken soup, adding noodles, or rice, or orzo, or anything you like. Sometimes I stir in some spinach at the end to add a little more green.

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
2 large ribs celery, finely chopped
¾-1lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces (I use scissors and cut them directly onto the tray they come in)
6 cups water
2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon, ideally chicken or roasted chicken flavor
3-4 medium carrots, cut into coins
Matzo balls or cooked noodles or rice
Flat leaf parsley or dill for serving

In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and celery and stir to coat. Let cook for 5ish minutes until the vegetables turn translucent. Turn the heat to high and add the chicken. Cook, stirring until it’s mostly turned from raw pink to white (it will cook in the soup, you’re just adding more flavor). Add the water, Better than Bouillon, and carrots. Bring to a boil, then turn the soup down to a simmer and let cook for another five minutes or so until the carrots are cooked through, but not mushy. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately, or refrigerate or freeze until ready to eat. Garnish with parsley or dill.

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Sesame Crusted Salmon
Quick, Fish, Sheet Pan Brooke Lewy Quick, Fish, Sheet Pan Brooke Lewy

Sesame Crusted Salmon

This feels like a 90s throwback, in the best kind of way. It’s great with teriyaki sauce (I’ll include a recipe below, but you can absolutely use store bought), and I like to serve it with sushi or fried rice and a crunchy salad with cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, and peanuts.

Salmon:

2lbs salmon, cut into 4 or 5 portions
Kosher salt
1 egg white
½ cup-ish sesame seeds (it’s pretty with a combo of white and black, but anything works)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425. Place your salmon on a plate and season lightly with salt. In a bowl or dish large enough to fit your pieces of salmon, lightly beat your egg white. Spread the sesame seeds out on a plate. Dip each piece of salmon in egg white, and then gently roll it in the sesame seeds until it’s evenly coated. Place back on the plate. Transfer the salmon to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Drizzle with the oil and roast for 12-14 minutes, until it feels firm to the touch (and depending on how well done you like your salmon). Note: You can crust your salmon several hours before and let it just hang out in the fridge until you’re ready to cook it.

Teriyaki Sauce:

You could absolutely use store bought teriyaki sauce or Japanese barbecue sauce, but this sauce is super easy and lasts forever in the fridge. It’s also great on roasted chicken wings.

1 cup Sake
½ cup Mirin
½ cup Soy Sauce

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until syrupy, about half an hour, stirring occasionally. Store any leftover sauce in a jar in the fridge.

Sushi Rice:

1 cup sushi rice
Water
½ tsp kosher salt
1 ½ tsp sugar
1 Tbsp rice vinegar

In a medium pot, combine the rice, water (according to package directions), salt and sugar. Bring to a boil, cover, turn heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off heat, let sit for ten minutes, then drizzle rice vinegar over, stir well and serve.

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Polenta with Shrimp and Bacon
Quick, Pork Brooke Lewy Quick, Pork Brooke Lewy

Polenta with Shrimp and Bacon

Shrimp and Grits is a classic combination. This is not that, I don’t even pretend that it is, but it’s sort of loosely inspired by that pairing. This no-stir polenta is easy peasy to make (and a great canvas for other flavors) and the bacon and shrimp come together in twenty minutes or so. I like to serve this with some steamed broccoli or broccoli rabe with a squeeze of lemon and some salt, or a simply dressed arugula salad, something bright to cut the richness.

Serves 4

Polenta:

At my first restaurant job, I used to have to make a huge batch of polenta every day. It was always a thing to boil the water and then stream in the polenta in a steady arc, whisking constantly. The method I use now is way easier, requires minimal stirring and comes out smooth and creamy every time.

1 cup polenta
4 cups water
1 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup grated parmesan In a medium pot, combine the polenta, water, and salt.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Once the water is bubbling, turn the heat down to low, and let it simmer until the water is absorbed and the polenta looks creamy, about ten minutes. Give it a stir and a taste and see if it’s still grainy, or if it tastes smooth. If it’s grainy, add a splash more water and let it keep going for a few more minutes. Once everything is creamy, turn off the heat and stir in the butter and parmesan. Taste for salt. If your shrimp isn’t done yet and the mixture thickens up while you’re waiting, just add water a couple of tablespoons at a time and stir over low heat until it’s the right consistency again. You can also make the polenta in advance and reheat it adding water, milk or broth to smooth it out.

Bacon and Shrimp:

½ lb bacon, cut into half inch strips
1lb peeled and deveined shrimp
1 small shallot, finely chopped
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

While the polenta is cooking, set a large saute pan over low heat. This is one of my favorite tricks: I almost always use kitchen scissors to cut bacon directly into the pan. No need to separate the strips, they do it themselves in the heat as you stir things around. So cut your bacon directly into your pan, turn the heat up to medium, and cook until crisp, stirring occasionally, about ten minutes. Once it’s crispy, add the shallot and crushed pepper, if using, and saute for a few minutes in the bacon fat until the shallot is translucent. Add the shrimp, season lightly with salt and cook just until it’s opaque and cooked through. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley.

To serve, divide polenta between four bowls and top with shrimp and bacon mixture

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