Hello and welcome to Five Weeknight Dishes, recipes for busy people who still want something good to eat. And don’t we need something good to eat? We’re in blah season, people. So go for brightness and tang, with kimchi, lemon, mint and feta. Or take this moment to embrace richness and depth, deploying lamb and bacon to soothing effect.
As always, I’m at dearemily@nytimes.com if you have kitchen quandaries or just want to say hello. And I also wanted to tell you about our new NYT Cooking Facebook group, where we can all gather to talk recipes and you can ask questions of our wonderful writers and editors.
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Here are five dishes for the week:
Ali Slagle’s chicken piccata.CreditDavid Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
I am a lover of citrus, especially this time of year, and so this recipe — lemon-optimized as it is, with slices of fruit that caramelize in the pan and then an extra squeeze of juice at the end — speaks right to me. I’d make it with boneless chicken thighs rather than breasts; thighs are inherently more flavorful and don’t need to be halved or pounded to thinness. Serve with green beans and a pot of rice, and make plenty of that rice if you’re intrigued by the kimchi porridge below.
By its very nature, a ragù takes its time, gently simmering until the flavors in the pan deepen and meld. So picture my excitement over this smart weeknight version, the heaven that is ragù done in a fraction of the time. The ground lamb used here sounds delicious to me, but I could easily imagine using pork instead. I could also imagine doubling it and freezing some for later, a little treat for our future selves. Serve with garlicky broccoli or broccoli rabe.
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3. Farro With Roasted Squash, Feta and Mint
I’m about ready to part ways with winter, and yet it’s still here, and it’s still serving squash. I’m content to keep eating this dish, though, which positively zings with that feta and mint. Save a plate from your sink by serving the salad in the same bowl in which you tossed the farro; it’s also O.K. to omit the cider in the farro and use water instead. Be generous with the mint and arugula to finish: That’s the bright touch that bridges winter and spring.
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4. Quick-Braised Greens and Beans With Bacon
There are very few ingredients in this recipe relative to the deep flavor it yields, thanks to the way the bacon is used: both as a component in the pot of greens and as a crisp topping to finish. (A package of bacon is a bundle of flavor dynamite, and excellent for omnivorous weeknight cooking.) This, too, could be served over rice, or you could stir up a pot of polenta, or toast thick pieces of good bread.
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I find the word “porridge” a little Dickensian, but it hasn’t put me off this very simple and appealing recipe, a sort of shortcut take on congee (or jook) that relies on kimchi, ginger and scallions for flavor. To make it on a weeknight, you’ll need to start with leftover rice. (Maybe just keep portioned, cooked rice in your freezer? Did you know rice freezes well?) While we’re tinkering, I might heap on sautéed spinach or mustard greens too, and drizzle with chile oil to finish.
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That’s it! For a steady stream of delicious food, follow NYT Cooking on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest, and I’m on Instagram too. Previous newsletters are archived here. You can find all these recipes in your weekly plan. I’m dearemily@nytimes.com, and if you have any problems with your account, email cookingcare@nytimes.com. Love NYT Cooking? Become a subscriber.
