Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express Part 4

Broccoli Rabe and Garlic Soup Some crushed dried chile flakes are nice here.

In a 450F oven, roast a handful of smashed garlic cloves with a little olive oil for about five minutes. Bring about six cups of stock to a boil; add the garlic, stir in about a half cup of orzo or other small pasta, and a bunch of chopped broccoli rabe; continue cooking until the pasta and rabe are tender. Add lemon juice to taste, along with some salt and pepper. Serve, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you like.

Cream of Turnip Soup This can be rich and creamy, or light and brothy.

Soften half a chopped onion in a couple of tablespoons of b.u.t.ter in a pot over medium heat, along with a smashed clove of garlic, two or three chopped white turnips, and a pinch of salt, for three to five minutes. Add six cups of hot broth, a quarter cup of cream, one bay leaf, and a teaspoon of tarragon, and bring to a boil. Simmer and cook until the turnips are tender, about five minutes. Add a cup of chopped turnip or other greens, stir until they wilt, and serve.

Chile Sweet Potato Soup Peel about a pound of sweet potatoes and grate or mince them in the food processor. Cook a couple minced cloves of garlic, some diced onion, and a chopped fresh chile in some olive oil until tender; stir in the sweet potatoes and add enough water to cover by about an inch. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a vigorous simmer, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are tender. Stir in some fresh or dried sage and season with salt and pepper. Puree if you like, then add a splash of cream, heat through, and serve with croutons.

Seafood Ramen Shrimp, calamari, and scallops complement each other beautifully, but you can use any combination of seafood you like here.

Soak rice noodles in boiling water until tender (two to five minutes, depending on their size), drain, and set aside. Bring four cups of fish, chicken, or other stock and two cups of coconut milk to a boil. Add a pound of seafood to the pot along with a smashed clove of garlic, a handful of chopped scallions, a few dashes of fish sauce, and a thinly sliced hot red pepper. Continue cooking until the fish is done, about three minutes. Divide the noodles among bowls and ladle the soup over the noodles; serve topped with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

Udon Noodle and Miso Soup with Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms Make this heartier by adding a pound of seafood, sliced chicken breast or tofu, or thinly sliced beef.

Cook the udon noodles. Bring six cups of vegetable, mushroom, or chicken stock to a boil. Put one-third cup of miso in a bowl and add a ladleful of hot stock to it; whisk until smooth. Add the miso to the stock, along with three cups of sliced shiitake mushroom caps. Cook for about five minutes, then add the drained noodles, garnish with chopped scallions, and serve.

Spinach Salad with Oranges and Goat Cheese An instant favorite.

Heat the broiler. Finely chop a handful of pecans. Cut a log of goat cheese into half-inch disks; gently pat pecans on all sides of the goat cheese rounds and put them on a greased baking sheet. Broil on both sides until browned and warm, just a couple minutes. Peel two large oranges and separate into sections; thinly slice a small red onion. Whisk together about a quarter cup of olive oil, a few tablespoons of fresh orange juice, a teaspoon or so of mustard, salt, and pepper. In a large bowl, combine a big mound of well-washed spinach, the onion, and the orange slices; toss everything with the dressing and serve topped with a warm disk of pecan-crusted goat cheese.

Endive and Warm Pear Salad with Stilton Any good blue cheese can take the place of the Stilton here.

Cut three or four pears into eighths; toss them with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, along with some salt and pepper. Thinly slice a shallot. Cook the pears and shallot in a skillet over medium-high heat until the pears are browning and the shallot slices are wilted; add a tablespoon of maple syrup during the last 30 seconds or so of cooking. Toss the warm pan mixture, and any remaining juices, in a bowl with endive and watercress (or any other greens you like), along with more olive oil and a bit of sherry vinegar. Garnish with crumbled Stilton and serve.

Greek-Style Eggplant Salad Peeling the eggplant isn't necessary unless the skin is thick and tough.

Heat a broiler or grill (you can use a grill pan, but you'll have to work in batches). Slice an eggplant into quarter-inch rounds; brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Broil or grill until seared on both sides and soft in the center, about five minutes. Thinly slice a small red onion. Put the eggplant, onion slices, crumbled feta cheese, a handful of pitted black olives (oil-cured are good here), and chopped fresh oregano in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and serve over greens along with a big squeeze of lemon.

Salad Lyonnaise A cla.s.sic.

Bring a pot of water to a gentle boil. Cut bacon or pancetta into small pieces, fry until crisp, and set aside. In a small bowl, combine about a quarter cup of olive oil, a couple of tablespoons of red wine vinegar, a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Crack eggs into the boiling water and poach them for about three minutes, or until set on the outside but still runny on the inside. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and drain completely. Toss a few handfuls of frisee or romaine with the bacon and the dressing and serve with a poached egg on top.

Tofu Salad If you like egg salad, try this.

In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar with some salt and pepper. Stir in chopped scallions, celery, red bell pepper, and some fresh minced chile if you like. Use your fingers to crumble firm tofu into the bowl and toss with a fork to combine and mash, adding more dressing ingredients if the mixture seems too dry. Serve the salad on a bed of watercress or Bibb lettuce, or rolled up in warmed whole wheat flour tortillas.

Hummus with Pita There is really no reason to ever buy hummus; homemade is undeniably better, even if you start with canned chickpeas.

Drain a can of chickpeas (or cook some) and reserve the liquid. In a food processor, puree the chickpeas with a few tablespoons of olive oil, a couple of tablespoons of tahini (optional), a large clove of garlic (more or less), a few tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, and about a teaspoon of c.u.min, along with salt and pepper. Slowly add chickpea liquid-or water or more oil-until you have a smooth puree; adjust the seasonings. Serve on toasted pita, drizzled with more olive oil and sprinkled with paprika.

Tuna Sandwich with Fennel and Tarragon If you don't have tarragon, chop up some of the fennel fronds and toss them in.

Dice a bulb of fennel and a shallot or red onion. In a bowl, mix together about half a cup of plain yogurt, the fennel, the shallot, a drained can of tuna packed in oil, a teaspoon of chopped fresh tarragon, salt, and pepper. Serve in pita pockets, or rolled in large romaine lettuce leaves, with lemon wedges on the side.

White Bean Toasts Think of this as the Italian version of hummus.

Drain a can of cannellini or other white beans (or cook them yourself), reserving the liquid. In a food processor, puree the beans, some olive oil, a couple of teaspoons of fresh rosemary, fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper; process until smooth, adding the reserved bean liquid as needed for consistency. Chop a handful of dried tomatoes (they can be dried or reconst.i.tuted) into thin strips. Spread the bean mixture on toasted peasant bread, top with a few bits of the tomatoes, and serve.

Kale and Prosciutto Sandwich This sandwich gets even better topped with a few slices of roasted red peppers or softened dried tomatoes.

Roll four leaves of kale and slice them into half-inch ribbons. Cook in olive oil until wilted and softened; season with fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toast slices of sourdough or other good-quality bread; spread the toasts with goat cheese and a heaping spoonful of the kale; top with a slice of prosciutto.

Panini with Mushrooms and Fontina If you can make grilled cheese, you can make panini; just use another pan or lid to press on the sandwich while it cooks in a skillet.

Cook about two cups of sliced mushrooms in b.u.t.ter; season with fresh oregano or thyme, salt, and pepper. When the mushrooms have released their liquid and dried out, divide the vegetable mixture among slices of good-quality whole grain bread with thinly sliced fontina or other semi-hard cheese on top; add another slice of bread on top and brush the outside of both sides with olive oil or softened b.u.t.ter if you like. Cook the sandwich in whatever press you have until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted, adjusting the heat as needed.

Gruyere Apple Grilled Cheese Add a couple bacon slices for smokiness (and, of course, meatiness!).

b.u.t.ter slices of good-quality sourdough bread. Layer Gruyere cheese and thinly sliced tart apples and top with another slice of the b.u.t.tered bread. Cook the sandwiches in a few tablespoons of melted b.u.t.ter-you can use a press or an ordinary skillet with a bit of weight on top of the sandwich-turning once, until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden brown on both sides, about eight minutes total.

Figs in a Blanket The name says it all.

Heat the broiler (you can grill these too). In a small pot, bring a cup of red wine, a few tablespoons of honey, a cinnamon stick, and a rosemary sprig to a boil. Wrap half of a fresh fig in half a slice of bacon. Arrange the figs on an oven-safe pan and broil for several minutes per side, until well browned. Serve with the reduced sauce.

Turkey and Pear Wrap with Curried Aioli Leftover homemade turkey is ideal, but good-quality deli turkey is fine.

Mix half a cup of mayonnaise (or plain yogurt) with some minced garlic and about a teaspoon of curry powder. Lightly toast flour tortillas in a skillet for about 20 seconds per side. Spread the aioli on the tortillas; evenly layer a lettuce leaf, a thin slice of red onion, thinly sliced pears, and some turkey on top. Roll the tortillas tightly, cut them on the bias, and serve.

Eggplant, Kalamata, Goat Cheese, and Dried Tomato Sandwich You can sear the eggplant in olive oil if you like.

Heat the broiler or a grill. Slice an eggplant into one-inch rounds and lightly brush both sides of the rounds with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Broil or grill for two or three minutes per side, or until golden and softening in the center. In a food processor or blender, puree about a cup of pitted Kalamata olives, some dried tomatoes, and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to form a paste. Spread goat cheese on ciabatta or other bread; top with a smear of the olive paste and a slice of eggplant.

Seared Cauliflower with Olives and Breadcrumbs To make this more substantial, start the recipe by frying a sausage or two (or a couple of chunked chicken thighs) in the pan first; break the meat into chunks as it cooks.

Core and roughly chop a head of cauliflower. Heat a film of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and cook the cauliflower undisturbed, until it browns a little and begins to soften. Add a tablespoon of minced garlic and a handful of pitted olives; cook and stir for a couple of minutes, until the dish comes together and gets fragrant, adding a few more drops of oil to the pan as needed. Add fresh breadcrumbs and keep stirring until they're toasted. Taste and sprinkle with salt if needed, lots of black pepper, and some chopped parsley. Serve hot or at room temperature with lemon wedges.

Broiled Brussels Sprouts with Hazelnuts For something meatier, fry up a couple of slices of bacon or some diced pancetta and add it along with the hazelnuts.

Heat the broiler. Trim about a pound of Brussels sprouts and pulse in a food processor-or use a knife-to chop them up a bit. Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with two tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss. Broil the sprouts for about five minutes, until browning on the edges. Meanwhile, pulse a handful of hazelnuts (or chop them). Shake the pan to flip the sprouts; add the nuts and broil for another three minutes. Sprinkle with freshly squeezed lemon juice and plenty of fresh parsley.

Flatbread Pizza with Figs, Goat Cheese, and Balsamic Ripe figs make all the difference here, as does good balsamic vinegar.

Slice a couple of handfuls of figs into quarters. Brush olive oil on lavash or other flatbread and dot generously with goat cheese; spread the figs evenly on top of the cheese. Bake in a 450F oven until the cheese melts and the figs soften. Drizzle with a tiny bit of balsamic and serve.

Root Vegetable Stir-fry For a more substantial meal, add strips of cooked chicken when you add the spices.

Use a food processor or box grater to shred a pound or so of one or more root vegetables: waxy potatoes, sweet potatoes, celery root, rutabaga, alone or in combination. Squeeze the shreds dry with your hands. Put a thin layer of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it's super hot, add a layer of the vegetables and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir-fry without stirring too much so that the shreds brown a bit and clump together. When the vegetables are just tender, season with curry or five-spice powder; stir a couple of times, remove to a serving plate, and repeat in batches with the remaining vegetables. Garnish with chopped cilantro or scallions and serve.

Spiced Vegetables with Raisins To make this a little more festive, serve on a bed of couscous topped with fresh mint and chopped pistachios.

In a couple tablespoons of olive oil, cook a sliced zucchini; a carrot (chopped into one-inch rounds); a couple garlic cloves, lightly crushed; a teaspoon each of c.u.min and ginger; half a teaspoon cinnamon; and some salt. Cook for about three minutes. Add a small can of tomato paste and a half cup or so of water, and stir until blended. Add two cups of precooked chickpeas (canned are fine), a handful or two of raisins, the juice of a lemon, and a little more water if necessary; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the carrot is tender, about five minutes; then adjust the seasoning and serve.

b.u.t.ter Beans with Prosciutto and Mushrooms Grate fresh Parmesan over this before serving if you like.

Cut a few slices of prosciutto into pieces about an inch wide, then cook it in a little olive oil until just crisp, about two minutes; remove and set aside. Add a cup or so of sliced mushrooms and drained precooked or canned (or frozen) b.u.t.ter beans to the pan. (There should be some fat left in the pan from the prosciutto; if not, add more olive oil.) Cook until the mushrooms soften a bit, three to five minutes. Add a quarter cup of white wine and continue cooking until the liquid reduces slightly. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and pepper and serve, topped with the prosciutto.

Stir-fried Mixed Vegetables with Ginger Replace the broccoli with cauliflower, broccoli rabe, broccolini, or even celery.

Cut broccoli into florets and bok choy into strips. Blanch the broccoli in salted boiling water until crisp-tender; shock in ice water to stop the cooking; drain. Heat two tablespoons of sesame oil in a big skillet; add a tablespoon of freshly grated ginger and some minced garlic and stir; add a few chopped scallions, a diced fresh red chile, a few tablespoons of oyster sauce, a pinch of sugar, and the juice of a lime. Stir to combine well; add the broccoli florets and bok choy strips. Cook until the sauce is reduced slightly and coats the vegetables; add a bit of soy sauce, season with salt and pepper if necessary, and serve over noodles or rice.

Garlicky Rabe with Pancetta and Pine Nuts Adding more garlic is perfectly acceptable; the same goes for the chile flakes; and of course you can follow these directions for almost any vegetable.

Chop about a quarter pound of pancetta into small pieces and cook in a bit of olive oil until just turning brown, about three minutes. Add some minced garlic and a pinch or two of red chile flakes; continue cooking for another minute or two until the garlic is soft and fragrant. Roughly chop a bunch of rabe and add it to the pancetta: raise the heat a bit and add a splash of water to make some steam. Continue cooking, stirring and adding more water or oil as needed until the rabe is heated and crisp-tender. Adjust the seasonings, toss with toasted pine nuts, and serve.

Fried Endive with b.u.t.ter and Lemon Sauce An elegant side dish for almost any fish or meat.

Trim endive heads and halve lengthwise. Cook them in boiling salted water with a squeeze of lemon added for about three minutes. Drain and dip the pieces in milk, then in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook in a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat for about two minutes per side; set aside. Add a few tablespoons of b.u.t.ter to the pan and continue cooking until it starts to brown, about 30 seconds. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste and chopped parsley; let the sauce continue cooking to thicken a bit. Serve the sauce drizzled over the endive.

Eggplant Stir-fry Hoisin sauce (think of it as Chinese ketchup) is the main condiment for Peking duck and mu shu pork; it also makes a great dipping sauce for spring rolls.

Dice a medium-size eggplant into one-inch pieces and slice bok choy into strips. Cut firm tofu into one-inch cubes. Cook a teaspoon or so of grated ginger and minced garlic in sesame oil for about two minutes; remove. Add the eggplant and tofu to the pan and continue to cook until both begin to brown (work in batches if the pan is too crowded and add more oil as needed). Add the bok choy and the garlic and ginger, along with a few tablespoons of hoisin sauce and a little water; stir, then cook until the bok choy is wilted. Top with chopped scallions and serve with rice.

Northern Beans with Spanish Chorizo You can use any cooked sausage you like here, but chorizo is special.

Cut chorizo (Spanish smoked, not Mexican raw) into quarter-inch pieces and sear until slightly browned. Mix together some drained precooked or canned great northern beans or other white beans, a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, and a handful of chopped parsley. Add the chorizo and serve with crusty bread and a mound of arugula.

Crisp Tofu 'n' Bok Choy They'll take a few minutes longer to cook, but eggplant, broccoli, or green beans can all be subst.i.tuted for the bok choy, with great results.

Cut firm tofu into thin slices. Shallow-fry the tofu in oil until it browns on both sides. Drain on paper towels; pour off the excess oil (you want about two tablespoons left in the pan). Cook some minced garlic and a teaspoon or so of freshly grated ginger for about a minute before adding a few handfuls of sliced bok choy; continue cooking the bok choy until soft. Add the tofu to the pan to warm and serve over rice or noodles.

Eggplant Rolls These can be served with tomato sauce, but a drizzle of good balsamic is all they really need.

Heat a grill pan or skillet. Trim a large eggplant and cut into quarter-inch-thick slices lengthwise lengthwise. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook with olive oil over medium heat until golden brown and quite tender. Stir together about a cup of ricotta cheese and half a cup grated Parmesan cheese; add a handful of chopped fresh basil and some salt and pepper, and mix well. Spread a few tablespoons of the cheese mixture on each slice of eggplant, roll up, and serve.

Braised Fish with Zucchini Leave the skin on the fish if at all possible.

Season any st.u.r.dy fillets or steaks with salt and pepper. Slice a couple of zucchinis into disks; dice a couple of tomatoes (canned are fine). Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a skillet and cook the fillets, skin side down, until crisp, three minutes or a little longer; remove the fish. Add about a cup of white wine (or, even better, half white wine and half fish stock) to the pan along with the zucchinis and tomatoes and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and put the fish back in the pan on top of the vegetables, skin side up. Continue cooking until a thin-bladed knife pierces the fish with little resistance; put the fish in shallow bowls and stir some grated lemon zest and parsley into the sauce. Put the vegetables and broth in the bowls with the fish, drizzle with olive oil and a bit more salt and pepper, and serve.

Walnut-Coated Fish Pretty much any nuts-pecans, hazelnuts, peanuts, and pistachios-can be used to make this type of crust.

Heat the oven to 400F. Put about a cup of walnuts in a food processor and pulse a few times until the nuts are just ground, but not too fine. Add a small handful of parsley, a tablespoon or two of chopped thyme (or a teaspoon dried), salt, and a pinch of cayenne; pulse another once or twice to combine. Slice any st.u.r.dy fish fillets into large pieces and rub with olive oil, then press the walnut mixture on it to form a crust. Put in an ovenproof dish, drizzle with more olive oil, and cook, turning once, until golden brown and done in the middle, six to 12 minutes depending on their thickness. Serve on a bed of watercress with lemon wedges or vinaigrette.

Baked Fish with Oregano, Lemon, and Olives Very cla.s.sic.

Heat the oven to 475F. Score the skin of some fish fillets (any kind, really). In a mortar and pestle or small food processor, mix together a few cloves of garlic, salt, pepper, and a tablespoon or two of fresh marjoram or oregano; add some olive oil and lemon juice to make a paste. Smear the paste on the fish, covering it well. Bake the fish skin side up for about eight minutes, or until a thin-bladed knife pierces it with little resistance. Chop a handful of good-quality black olives and a little more herb and scatter them over the fish before serving.

Salmon and Sweet Potato with Coconut Curry Sauce Use a spicy curry powder or a pinch of cayenne if you want more heat.

Heat some vegetable oil and cook a thinly sliced onion and a minced clove of garlic for a couple of minutes until soft; add a tablespoon or so of curry powder and stir until fragrant. Add a can of coconut milk, a couple of diced sweet potatoes, a generous squeeze of lime juice, a few dashes of fish sauce if you like, and some minced fresh ginger; bring to a boil and simmer until the sweet potato is almost tender, about five minutes. Cut a couple of skinless salmon fillets into half-inch cubes and add them to the pan; reduce to a simmer and cook until the fish is just done, about five minutes more. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and serve over basmati rice.

Seared Tuna with Capers and Tomatoes Don't overcook the tuna, or it will become dry.

Sprinkle tuna steaks with salt and pepper, then sear in a very hot skillet or grill pan with a little olive oil, just a minute or so on each side. Add a couple of diced tomatoes (canned are fine), a few tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice, and a tablespoon or two of capers. Cover and reduce the heat to medium for about two minutes; you want to just warm the tomatoes while the tuna cooks a bit more. Serve the tomato-caper sauce spooned over the tuna.

Stir-fried Shrimp with Chestnuts and Napa Cabbage Frozen chestnuts work nicely in this dish.

Cook a tablespoon each of minced garlic and freshly grated ginger in a couple of tablespoons of hot vegetable oil until they sizzle; add a few handfuls of thinly sliced napa cabbage and cook, stirring, until it just starts to wilt. Add a cup or so of peeled cooked and chopped chestnuts and a handful of shrimp (chopped if they're large). Reduce the heat and continue cooking until the shrimp turn pink, about three minutes. Add two or three tablespoons of water, then soy sauce and sesame oil to taste; top with cilantro and serve.

Pan-Seared Fish with Spicy Lime b.u.t.ter Or try mixing the b.u.t.ter with chopped herbs, capers, anchovies, or roasted garlic (alone or in combination).

Stir together about a half stick of softened b.u.t.ter, a finely chopped shallot, the zest of a lime and a good squeeze of its juice, a minced red chile, and a pinch or two of salt. Pat any type of fish fillets dry, season them with salt, and cook them quickly in a tablespoon each of olive oil and b.u.t.ter. Turn the fish once and cook until golden and cooked through, about five minutes. Serve the fillets with a generous spoonful of the compound b.u.t.ter on top.

Seared Scallops with Almonds "Dry" sea scallops are the best.

Sprinkle about a pound of scallops with salt and pepper. Heat a couple of tablespoons of b.u.t.ter until the foam subsides; add the scallops and cook for about two minutes on each side, until nicely browned but still quite rare; remove and set aside. Add a handful of chopped almonds to the same pan and cook, stirring, until the nuts brown. Add a half cup or so of dry white wine and cook over high heat until it's reduced to a syrup; add a bit more cold b.u.t.ter to thicken the sauce. Serve the sauce over the scallops, garnished with chopped parsley.

Mussels in TomatoWhite Bean Sauce A handful of diced Spanish chorizo gives an extra boost if you want one.

Cook a clove or two of minced garlic in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over low heat for about two minutes, or until fragrant. Add a large chopped tomato (a couple of canned ones are fine), two cups of drained precooked or canned white beans, and two to four pounds of cleaned mussels. Cook, covered, for about five minutes, or until all the mussels open (discard those that don't). Sprinkle the mussels with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges and good crusty bread.

Sesame Shrimp Toasts Better than any version you've had in a restaurant.

Heat the oven to 475F. Slice a baguette in half lengthwise, put the halves face up on a baking sheet, and set them in the oven while it heats. Put shrimp in a food processor with some b.u.t.ter, scallions, soy sauce, a few drops of sesame oil, and a pinch each of sugar and salt. Pulse until the mixture forms a chunky paste. Smear the shrimp paste all over the bread and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake until the shrimp paste is pink and cooked through and the bread is crisp, about 10 minutes. Cool a bit, then cut up and serve with a salad.

Braised Chicken with Olives and Raisins Toasted pine nuts make a terrific garnish.

In a food processor, combine about a quarter cup of olive oil, a tablespoon of chopped fresh oregano, a handful of raisins, a handful of pitted green olives, a quarter cup of dry white wine, and a pinch or two of salt; pulse a couple of times-you want large pieces, not a paste. Sear chicken cutlets in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, about two minutes on each side. Lower the heat, add the olive-raisin sauce, then cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through. Garnish with chopped parsley or toasted pine nuts.

Stir-fried Chicken with Nuts Cashews are my favorite, but peanuts or walnuts do just as well.

Put vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat; when it's almost smoking, add about a pound of cut-up boneless chicken and sear without disturbing for about a minute; stir and cook for another minute. When the pieces are well browned, remove from the pan and pour in a little more oil if you need it. Add a sliced red bell pepper, a chopped onion, and some minced ginger or garlic and cook another few minutes, stirring only when necessary, until the vegetables wilt. Return the chicken to the pan, along with about a cup of halved cashews, a couple of tablespoons of water, and a few tablespoons of hoisin sauce. Continue cooking until the sauce bubbles and everything is well coated. Serve, sprinkled with a few chopped cashews or some chopped cilantro, or both.

Lavender-Thyme Braised Chicken Rosemary is easier to find than lavender and works just as well, but lavender is a nice change if you can find it.

Season chicken cutlets with salt and pepper, then sear them in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil on both sides until brown, about four minutes total; set aside. Add a tablespoon more of olive oil or b.u.t.ter to the pan, along with some minced garlic, a tablespoon of crushed lavender flowers (or a tablespoon of finely minced fresh rosemary), and a teaspoon of fresh thyme; cook for about a minute. Add a half cup (or more) of Riesling and deglaze the pan. Add the chicken, cover, and continue cooking until it's done, another four minutes or so. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.

Chicken with Sweet-and-Sour Sherry Sauce Also great with pork.

Heat the broiler. In a little olive oil, cook about a cup of roughly chopped shiitake or b.u.t.ton mushrooms and about a quarter cup of chopped shallots until the mushrooms are browning on the edges. Add a couple of teaspoons each of honey and sherry vinegar and cook for about a minute, stirring to combine. Add about a quarter cup of dry sherry and a half cup of chicken stock and cook five more minutes, continuing to stir. Meanwhile, sprinkle quarter-inch-thick boneless, skinless chicken cutlets with salt and pepper, rub them in olive oil, and broil, turning once, until done, about six minutes. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Grilled Chicken with Prosciutto and Figs One of my favorite flavor combinations.

Heat a grill or grill pan. Pound chicken cutlets to a quarter-inch thickness; season with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken, turning once, for about five minutes or until cooked through. Slice a handful of fresh figs in half and grill them, flesh side down, until soft and warm. Put slices of prosciutto on the chicken cutlets to warm for a few seconds; serve with the grilled figs and a drizzle of good-quality balsamic.

Chicken Curry in a Hurry Add more curry if you like.

In about a tablespoon of oil, cook a sliced onion, teaspoon of curry powder and some salt and pepper for about three minutes. Season chicken tenders with salt, pepper, and more curry powder. Nestle the chicken between the onions, and cook for about two minutes on each side; remove the chicken and set aside. Add a cup of plain yogurt (or sour cream if you want it a bit richer) to the pan and stir, cooking for another minute or so (do not boil). Return the chicken to the pan and cook for another few minutes, turning once, until everything is cooked and warmed through. Adjust the seasonings and serve over couscous or jasmine rice.

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Chicken Puttanesca Cut chicken cutlets into half-inch pieces and toss them with salt and pepper. Chop six or more olive-oil-packed anchovies. Use a bit of the anchovy oil mixed with olive oil to cook the chicken and diced anchovies, cooking until the chicken turns white, about three minutes. Add a tablespoon of minced garlic, a can of crushed tomatoes, a handful of chopped black olives, a few tablespoons of capers, and a pinch of crushed red chile flakes. Cook until the sauce thickens and the chicken is cooked through, just a few minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.