There are some days when we simply can’t bring ourselves to do the whole “spending $28 on 3 things at grocery store, unpacking said groceries, chopping stuff, seasoning said stuff, waiting for the oven to preheat, checking if the food is done” thing. When we feel that way, we really start to understand why Rachael Ray’s original Food Network show, “30 Minute Meals”, catapulted her to celebrity chefdom. The fact that she was a smoke show certainly helped too, but anyways………..today we are honoring Miss Ray with our favorite meals that take 30 minutes (or often less) to cook. Some are sneaky, some are lazy, all are quick and delicious.
the blueprint
RECC CENTER
Gaby’s Reccs:
What’s cooking:
Stella Park’s perfect brown butter carrot cake recipe, which I idiotically frosting with a hideous hue of orange. In a panic, I grabbed carrots, a peeler and pint container of sugar on my way to work, and used my office kitchen to also make her candied carrot roses. I think they saved the day:
What I’m eating:
The Big Ravioli at Cafe Chelsea. A lot of you asked me how it was, and my answer to all of you was: exactly how you imagine it will be. The ravioli are adorably tiny, but that also means there isn’t much filling in each one. But it’s still a plate of cheesy, brown buttery pasta. It’s good, and if I were looking for a sexy bistro dinner in Chelsea I’d go back, but I certainly wouldn’t call in a favor for a reservation or plan a night out around it.
What I’m reading/watching/consuming:
The Knicks games, which if you haven’t been watching, they have won the last nine (9) of!!! This feels like the appropriate time to share with any of our readers who care about sports but also gossip, that I now have a podcast called SHESPN where you can listen to me yap about professional athletes' personal lives.
On my radar:
The Avocado Guy, Da Avocado Guy, Davocadoguy? However you want to spell it, this place sources and sells (don’t know how, don’t want to know how) the greenest, creamiest, most buttery avocados and biggest, juiciest limes I’ve ever had. As someone who is having a Super Bowl party with a guacamole field and 3 types of margaritas (classic, mezcal, spicy), an order was absolutely necessary. Oh, and the best part is they’ll deliver straight to your door.
Court’s Reccs:
What’s cooking:
One very special mortadella sandwich that brought tears to my eyes, 1. because Bourdain’s voice is so dearly missed and 2. because it reminded of an equally perfect sandwich I ate at Wilensky’s Light Lunch in Montreal a decade ago.
What I’m eating:
Bites of a transcendent pain au raisin, an architectural marvel of a chocolate croissant, a bubbled, burnished tomato pie, and a damn good chocolate chip cookie at the recently relocated Mel The Bakery (would pay good money to learn what butter they’re putting in their laminated pastries!). Oh, and a chicken salad sandwich so good we had to eat two days in a row. I understand our weekend trip to Hudson sounds like a millennial version of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and I’m okay with that.
What I’m reading/watching/consuming:
Rapidly approaching middle age by recommending Janet Yellen on Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me last week and yet, it was one of the most unexpectedly delightful interviews. Don’t believe me? What if I told you that in it she admits to being addicted to cigarettes and Candy Crush?
On my radar:
This lentil soup recipe from the recently-closed Fort Defiance (RIP), put on said radar by Nikita’s return to the “Where to Eat” column. That reminded me that so many restaurants published beloved recipes during the early days of lockdown, some of which are still on Instagram (same goes for boutique workout classes but you’re gonna have to DM me if you want those).
Fort Defiance on Instagram: “Back in 2013, I decided to start offering a “soup of the day” on the menu at Fort Defiance, so I asked chef Matt Fleming to come up with a bunch of soup recipes. The first one he made for me was a lentil soup. I tasted it — it was warming, complex, so savory and delicious — and I said, “New plan. We’re going to keep this soup on the menu forever.” And we did! This may be our most requested recipe, and I’m happy to say that once you have the spices in hand, it comes together pretty quickly. If you like, you can garnish with a dollop of crème fraîche and some toasted pine nuts, the way we used to. Perfect for a damp autumn day like today. Lentil Soup à la Fort Defiance by Matt Fleming 1/2 cup olive oil 2 red onions, diced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1.5 Tbs coriander, toasted and ground 1 tsp cumin, toasted and ground 1/2 tsp cayenne 1/2 tsp ginger, ground 1/4 tsp cinnamon, ground 1/4 tsp red chili pepper 1/8 tsp allspice, ground 1 lb. French green lentils 14-16 oz crushed tomatoes 1-2 Tbs. salt Heat olive oil and sauté onion and garlic for 5-10 minutes. Add spices and toast in oil for 30 seconds. Add lentils and 2 quarts water; bring to a boil and simmer 20-30 minutes, until lentils are cooked. Add tomatoes, and season with salt.”
February 3, 2024
SO YOU’RE HUNGRY RIGHT NOW
Pea Pesto
When Gaby wrote about her semi-improvised pesto last week, a friend texted “Courtney why would you write about pesto and not mention your pea pesto…” I assured her if I were writing about pesto I would obviously mention my pea pesto. So here it is—my go-to, I’m-hungry-now-but-can’t-recall-the-last-time-I-went-grocery-shopping meal. Frozen peas (I like the sweeter “petit” ones from Trader Joe’s), blitzed in a food processor with lemon juice and zest, garlic, toasted nuts, pecorino, olive oil, and pasta water. It doubles as a crowd-pleasing dip; I once brought this to a party then henceforth became known as “pea dip girl.” Say that out loud—not great! - CK
Fancy Tuna Melt
On nights I don’t want to order in but also cannot imagine cooking a thing, I like to make a fancy sandwich for dinner. My latest version of this was
’s tuna melt, which she adds pepperoncinis, apple, and dill to. Despite there being some chopping and slicing, you still end up with a hot, crunchy sandwich in what feels like no time. (My only sub was Swiss for Cheddar because I’m an absolutely freak for Swiss cheese, but that’s a me problem.) - GS
Kuku Sabzi
While the salmon I wrote about a few weeks is certifiably weeknight-friendly, and this one NYT Cooking recently posted about looks even more enticing, if I’m being honest, the kinds of meals we’re talking about do not allow for shopping, especially for salmon that actually looks good. That’s why many nights I find myself riffing on a scaled down version of Samin’s Kuku Sabzi with whatever greens and herbs (fresh, frozen, or dried) I have on hand. Sometimes I add some kind of big bean à la Kismet for textural contrast. Paired with an artful swoosh of whatever yogurt I have, a drizzle of olive oil, and sprinkle of za’atar and salt, it looks and tastes like so much more than an act of desperation, even when thrown together in a fit of hanger at 8:30 p.m. on a weeknight. - CK
What’s your go-to TMM (thirty minute meal)? A bag of BjornQorn is an acceptable answer
Go Knicks!