There are some types of dishes you find the world over. They have different names on their passports and come in diverging styles, but they share delicious fundamentals. The breaded cutlet — known aliases include katsu, schnitzel and Milanesa — is one of them, and a favorite of mine. So I was in heaven when I had chicken Milanese last week at a restaurant, the first one I’ve had in a while, the cutlet golden and crisp, a wild heap of arugula salad on top and a jaunty lemon wedge on the side. It’s a full meal, and a perfect one at that.
You really can Milanese (or katsu, or schnitzel) just about anything. The traditional northern Italian dish is made with veal. Kay Chun’s version below uses flounder and adds avocado on the side, for something lighter but no less delicious. Chicken, pork, tofu, cauliflower: All can be sliced or pounded, breaded and fried, served with something acidic for perk.
Which is your favorite, and what else are you cooking? (Are you still cooking? Taking a breather?) Let me know what you’re up to. I’m dearemily@nytimes.com, and I love to hear from you.
1. Fish Milanese
Kay Chun tops this irresistible dish with a lemony caper sauce, which you can skip if you’re feeding kids (along with the arugula — or at least skip them if you’re feeding my kids in particular). As Kay points out, leftovers make great fish sandwiches.
2. Narjissiya With Asparagus, Halloumi and Sumac
This recipe from Reem Kassis is spring itself: asparagus, eggs and halloumi cheese, quickly cooked in the same pan. She adds yogurt, sumac oil (easy to make) and pita chips; I’d do all three, but you can pick and choose as needed. This is an excellent dinner for two as is, but you could add grains, potatoes or additional vegetables on the side to stretch it.
3. Pasta With Chopped Pesto and Peas
This smart recipe by Ali Slagle, from her new cookbook, “I Dream of Dinner (So You Don’t Have To),” takes the elements of pesto sauce, and chops and mashes them on a cutting board — no blender, food processor or mortar and pestle in sight. You get sweet pops of flavor from the frozen peas, which also make this dish a full meal.
4. Sticky Coconut Chicken and Rice
Four words that are delicious on their own and even more enticing together: sticky, coconut, chicken, rice. In this one-pot meal from Kay Chun, boneless chicken thighs are browned and then cooked on top of the rice, which emerges rich, creamy and gingery. Serve with hot sauce to balance the flavors.
5. Sopa de Fideo
In this recipe for the comforting Mexican classic, which comes from Jocelyn Ramirez, thin, short noodles are toasted and then simmered in tomato broth with vegetables. Go big with garnishes: avocado, sautéed mushrooms, queso fresco, cooked potatoes, crema, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice or whatever else you’d like. Fideos — the noodles — are easy to find, but thin spaghetti or vermicelli, broken into smaller pieces, are good substitutes.
Thanks for reading and cooking with me. If you like the work we do at New York Times Cooking, please subscribe! (Or give a subscription as a gift!) You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest, or follow me on Instagram. I’m dearemily@nytimes.com, and previous newsletters are archived here. Reach out to my colleagues at cookingcare@nytimes.com if you have any questions about your account.
