Five Weeknight Dishes: Meet My House Asparagus

I m pleased to announce that I ve ascertained my house asparagus recipe for spring this miso-chile asparagus with tofu from Melissa Clark my fellow asparagus nut The house recipe is the dish I cook over and over again when I have asparagus in the fridge which is often this time of year One spring it was asparagus with fried eggs Another was asparagus and pasta in different configurations But this year I ll be glazing asparagus and tofu cubes with an easy miso sauce and broiling it all for a dinner that s ready in minutes That recipe and four more great options for the days ahead are below And if you re new to asparagus welcome Miso-chile asparagus with tofu Melissa Clark's miso-chile asparagus with tofu is the go-to recipe for those springtime spears Food styled by Simon Andrews Christopher Testani The New York Times Miso-Chile Asparagus With Tofu Broiling asparagus gives it a charred exterior but still keeps the vegetables soft and sweet within Here the stalks share a pan with cubed tofu and everything is glazed with a pungent miso sauce spiked with mirin rice vinegar and a good hit of chile Served over rice or noodles it makes a salty spicy and deeply flavored meal that s ready in less than half an hour By Melissa Clark Yield to servings Total time minutes Ingredients - to -ounce block firm tofu well drained pound asparagus about bunch trimmed tablespoons neutral-flavored oil such as grapeseed or peanut oil Salt garlic cloves finely chopped teaspoon red-pepper flakes plus more for serving tablespoons white or light miso tablespoon sake or use white wine or vermouth tablespoon rice vinegar tablespoon mirin teaspoon toasted sesame oil Sliced scallions for garnish Preparation Heat the broiler and place an oven rack about inches from the heat source Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil if you like for easier cleanup Cut tofu into -inch cubes then dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to absorb as much moisture as feasible Put asparagus and tofu on the prepared pan and toss gently with tablespoons oil Spread everything out in one layer and season lightly with salt Slide pan under the broiler and broil until speckled lightly with brown to minutes Flip tofu and asparagus then continue to broil until asparagus is tender and tofu is deeply browned in spots to minutes longer depending on the size of the asparagus and power of your broiler While the asparagus broils make the miso-chile sauce Heat a skillet over medium heat then add remaining tablespoon oil and heat until it thins out about seconds Add garlic and red-pepper flakes to the pan cook until fragrant seconds to minute Turn off the heat Whisk in miso sake vinegar mirin and sesame oil Remove pan from oven slather miso mixture over the asparagus and tofu and return to broiler for another seconds to minutes until the miso mixture bubbles and glazes everything watch methodically so nothing burns Transfer asparagus and tofu to a serving platter and garnish with more red-pepper flakes if you like and sliced scallions Serve hot or warm Lemon-pepper chicken breasts Buttery garlicky lemony ease from Lidey Heuck who describes this recipe as chicken for beginners Food styled by Simon Andrews Christopher Testani The New York Times Lemon-Pepper Chicken Breasts This beginner-friendly chicken recipe uses both store-bought lemon-pepper seasoning and fresh lemon for fast weeknight flavor The lemon pepper does much of the work here adding acidity salt and mild heat to the chicken while the fresh lemon juice adds the perfect hit of brightness to the buttery garlicky pan sauce Serve the chicken right out of the skillet or transfer the breasts to a plate and drizzle every last drop of the butter-lemon sauce on top Serve with rice and a simple green vegetable such as roasted broccoli or saut ed green beans By Lidey Heuck Yield servings Total time minutes Ingredients large boneless skinless chicken breasts ounces each patted dry tablespoons all-purpose flour tablespoon lemon-pepper seasoning tablespoons canola or avocado oil plus more as needed tablespoons unsalted butter large garlic clove minced tablespoons lemon juice from lemon Chopped parsley for serving Preparation Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally and place them on a large plate Combine the flour and lemon-pepper seasoning in a small bowl and mix with a fork Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the chicken breasts turning to coat all sides and patting to adhere Heat a large -inch pan over medium-high Add the oil and working in batches cook the chicken breasts for to minutes on each side until browned and cooked through Add more oil if necessary If the oil begins smoking at any point turn down the heat Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate and drain and discard any remaining oil Add the butter and garlic to the pan and stir over medium-low heat for seconds to minute until the garlic is just starting to take on color Add the lemon juice careful it may splatter and cook for another seconds until the sauce is slightly reduced Off the heat return the chicken breasts to the pan turning to coat them in the sauce Garnish with parsley and serve hot Store leftover chicken in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to days Malaay qumbe coconut fish curry Ifrah F Ahmed's version of the fragrant coastal Somali curry is built on xawaash a spice blend that's easy to make if you can't find it at the store Food styled by Cyd Raftus McDowell Armando Rafael The New York Times Malaay Qumbe Coconut Fish Curry Variations of coconut fish curry abound up and down the Swahili Coast so much so that the dish is often broadly referred to as East African fish curry Although Somalia has the longest coastline in mainland Africa seafood is not a prominent part of mainstream Somali cuisine But you ll find malaay qumbe in coastal Somali towns This version of coconut fish curry leans heavily on xawaash a spice blend that is at the heart of Somali cuisine The mild heat from the xawaash s black pepper balances beautifully with the sweet cooling coconut milk and the acidity from the tomatoes Serve over plain white rice or soak up the creamy coconut gravy with a flatbread like muufo Malaay qumbe would also work well on top of soor for a hearty meal of creamy spiced coconut fish and grits By Ifrah F Ahmed Yield servings Total time minutes Ingredients pound barramundi or other firm white fish such as halibut or cod preferably to pieces teaspoons fine sea salt tablespoons olive oil large white onion finely diced large roma tomatoes finely diced cup cilantro leaves garlic cloves minced teaspoons xawaash see Tip -ounce can of unsweetened coconut milk White rice soor or flatbread optional for serving Preparation Season the fish with teaspoon sea salt set aside In a large pot over medium-high heat oil until loose and rippling about minute Add the onion and cook stirring occasionally until perfectly soft about minutes When the onion is soft stir in tomatoes and cover Stir and smash down tomatoes every once in a while until they cook down entirely about minutes When the tomatoes have disintegrated stir in cilantro garlic xawaash the remaining teaspoon salt then the coconut milk Cover and cook for minutes Add the fish making sure it s immersed in the coconut milk Cover and cook until the fish is tender white and flaky about minutes Take the curry off the burner as soon as the fish is done so it doesn t overcook Serve over rice soor or accompanied by a flatbread of choice Tips To prepare your own xawaash blend add teaspoons ground cumin teaspoons ground coriander teaspoon ground black pepper teaspoon ground cloves teaspoon ground cinnamon and teaspoon ground cardamom to a small nonstick pan Toast over low heat stirring continuously for minute or until the spice mix becomes fragrant then stir in teaspoon ground turmeric This makes tablespoons xawaash Salmon and couscous salad with cucumber-feta dressing This simple but sophisticated dinner comes from Yasmin Fahr who tosses couscous arugula and large flakes of salmon with a dressing that's dually inspired by green goddess and Persian mast-o khiar Food styled by Monica Pierini Linda Xiao The New York Times Salmon and Couscous Salad With Cucumber-Feta Dressing The dressing in this -minute recipe is inspired by green goddess dressing and mast-o khiar a Persian side dish of cucumbers and yogurt Here thick yogurt is combined with fresh herbs tangy feta and crunchy Persian cucumbers If you have trouble finding Persian cucumbers they can be swapped for similarly sweet-skinned English cucumbers or peeled regular cucumbers Flaking the salmon into the salad evenly distributes it and is a nice alternative to serving a fillet for dinner Leftover salad can be enjoyed cold for lunch the next day freshened up with a squeeze of lime juice and more fresh herbs By Yasmin Fahr Yield servings Total time minutes Ingredients -ounce skin-on or skinless salmon fillets tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling Kosher salt and black pepper teaspoon ground cumin teaspoon ground turmeric limes halved and zested and juiced cups pearl couscous cups baby arugula cup thick full-fat yogurt such as Greek Skyr or labneh cup crumbled feta packed cup fresh flat-leaf parsley cilantro or dill leaves and tender stems roughly chopped packed cup fresh mint leaves and tender stems roughly chopped Persian cucumber diced into -inch pieces about cup scallions light green and white parts sliced Preparation Heat the oven to degrees In the center of a sheet pan place salmon skin-side down Pat the salmon dry then coat with tablespoons olive oil Season with salt pepper teaspoon cumin and teaspoon turmeric Coat of the lime halves in particular of the olive oil in the pan then place cut-side up in the corner Roast the salmon on the center rack until opaque on the outside and light pink in the center about minutes Remove from the oven and let cool slightly While the salmon roasts make the couscous In a lidded pot over medium-high heat toast the couscous uncovered stirring until fragrant about to minutes Add cups water season with salt cover and bring to a boil Reduce heat to maintain an evolving simmer then cook until the couscous is tender and most of of the liquid has been absorbed to minutes Drain the couscous in a colander then drizzle with olive oil tossing to coat Stir in the arugula letting it wilt Leave in the sink to cool slightly while you make the dressing Prepare the dressing In a serving bowl combine the yogurt with cup room temperature water and the zest and juice of lime then whisk until smooth Add the remaining teaspoon cumin plus cup feta greater part of the herbs reserving a few for garnish and the cucumber Stir to combine then season to taste with salt Set aside Add the cooked couscous and arugula to the yogurt mixture tossing to combine Remove the salmon from the skin then flake with a fork Add half the salmon to the couscous mixing it together Place the remaining salmon on top squeeze the roasted lime half over the dish then garnish with the scallions remaining feta parsley and mint Quarter the remaining lime half and serve it on the side Crispy halloumi with tomatoes and white beans Crisp-chewy halloumi is a uniquely excellent treat Food styled by Judy Kim Linda Xiao The New York Times Crispy Halloumi With Tomatoes and White Beans This vibrant vegetarian dish combines savory broiled halloumi juicy cherry tomatoes and creamy white beans for a satisfying one-pan meal When broiled the halloumi becomes golden and crispy on the outside while staying soft and chewy on the inside adding a deliciously hearty texture to each bite Highly adaptable this recipe allows for any canned creamy white bean that you have on hand like butter beans or navy beans and thyme can be used in place of oregano With a drizzle of olive oil a touch of honey and fresh herbs this recipe is perfect for a quick meatless weeknight dinner that feels special By Nargisse Benkabbou Yield servings Total time minutes Ingredients Olive oil as needed pound cherry or grape tomatoes halved lengthwise garlic cloves minced or pressed tablespoon finely chopped parsley plus more for serving teaspoon honey plus more for serving teaspoon dried oregano or thyme Salt and black pepper -ounce can cannellini beans butter beans or navy beans drained -ounce block halloumi cut into -inch-thick slices lemon Crusty bread optional for serving Preparation Set broiler to high heat with a rack positioned in the upper third of the oven to inches from the heat source In a large ovenproof pan over medium heat combine tablespoons olive oil with the tomatoes garlic parsley honey and oregano Season with salt and pepper and cook stirring frequently until the tomatoes soften and release their juices about minutes Stir in the beans and cook until heated through about minutes Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed Turn off the heat Arrange the halloumi slices on top of the tomato-bean mixture in the pan Transfer the pan to the oven Broil until the halloumi is golden and crispy on top about minutes depending on the oven s broiler strength Drizzle generously with olive oil squeeze the lemon half over the pan and add a light drizzle of honey Garnish with parsley and serve right now with bread if desired This article originally appeared in The New York Times Subscribe to our weekly newsletter In The Know to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox