Winner Winter Weeknight Dinner!
Gloves, hats and boots have all made their way to the front of my hall closet. Like little soldiers lined up before battle, they’re ready for a cold winter. My pantry is also hunkering down for a hibernation of sorts, a time of year when I try to avoid going into the elements more than I have to and when I look for warming, homey foods to serve up for dinner.
If staying out of the cold and minimizing shopping trips is a priority, then advanced menu planning and keeping basic staples in stock become necessities during the winter. Pantry items that last coupled with less variety of fresh seasonal produce may mean that canned and frozen vegetables end up becoming more heavily used in your home than in the fruit-bearing months of the year. Extra dry goods such as pastas, grains, legumes, et cetera, might take up more space in your cupboard, but that probably won’t bother you as much as battling twenty-degree windchills. That box of spaghetti is beginning to look oh-so much more attractive.
Here are some winner-winner “pantry dinners” perfect for any wintry weeknight!
One-Pan Chicken Pasta Piccata
Yields 4–6 servings
A one-pan dish, the pasta gets cooked in the same pan with plenty of chicken stock.
1 pound chicken tenders
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic (1 tablespoon), minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
5½ cups low-sodium chicken stock
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 1½ lemons)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon capers
1⁄3 cup chopped parsley or basil leaves
1 pound spaghetti
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Season chicken with Kosher salt and pepper to taste.
Heat oil in a wide deep skillet over medium-high heat. Sear for 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown.
Transfer chicken out of pan to a plate. Add garlic and pepper flakes; cook for 1–2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 2–3 minutes.
Add stock, juice, oregano and capers. Bring back to a boil. Add dry spaghetti, mixing to soften and fit into the pan. Continue to cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring often, until pasta is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid. The pasta should be coated with a light, creamy sauce.
Meanwhile, slice the chicken tenders into thin strips crosswise. Return chicken strips to the pan and add parsley and/or basil. Toss to blend and coat. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper as desired. Serve immediately.
Indian Fusion Meat Ragú
Indian Fusion Meat Ragú
Photos: Baila Gluck
Yields 6 servings
When classic Italian meat sauce gets an Indian infusion of spices, the results are deliciously satisfying. Serve over pasta or mashed potatoes.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic (from about 2 cloves)
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground veal
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1⁄3 cup dry red wine (like merlot or cabernet)
1½ tablespoons garam masala
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate or paste
2 teaspoons sugar
2–3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley or cilantro
Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger and salt. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 5–6 minutes.
Add ground beef and veal, stirring to break up meat into small bits. Continue until all meat is browned, mixing often.
Add crushed tomatoes, wine, spices, tamarind paste and sugar. Stir to blend until well incorporated. Bring back to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer gently uncovered for about 25 minutes, until mixture has cooked into a thickened sauce.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and/or cilantro and serve over pasta or mashed potatoes.
Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Fingers with Maple-Mustard Dipping Sauce
Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Fingers with Maple-Mustard Dipping Sauce
Pretzels add a great crunch and flavor as a breading for this fun and easy oven-fried chicken dish. A perfect way to use up leftover broken pretzels!
Chef’s Note
Prepare your own pretzel crumbs by giving pretzels a “whiz” in the food processor—pulse until coarse crumbs are formed.
4 boneless chicken breasts, cut into long thin strips (or use tenders)
¾ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2–3 teaspoons sriracha sauce (or hot red pepper sauce)
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 cups pretzel crumbs (homemade or purchased)
2–3 tablespoons olive oil
Line a sheet pan with tin foil or parchment paper; grease with cooking spray or oil. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400°F degrees.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, maple syrup, mustard, sriracha and spices; whisk to blend. Season to taste to adjust seasonings. Reserve and transfer about 1/3 cup of mixture into a separate container (this will be used as dipping sauce for serving).
Dip each of the chicken strips in the mixture to coat, allowing excess sauce to drip off. Then dredge in pretzel crumbs. Arrange breaded chicken in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Place baking sheet in oven and bake for 10–12 minutes. Using tongs, turn all chicken pieces over on baking sheet. Bake for another 10–12 minutes. Chicken should be golden and crisp.
Remove from oven. Serve with reserved dipping sauce.
Sheet-Pan Popcorn Cauliflower and Chicken
Yields 4–6 servings
An all-in-one sheet-pan dinner! Use a sturdy sheet-pan (not disposable!) for best cooking and heat conduction.
2 heads cauliflowers, cored and broken into florets (Consult the OU Manual for Checking Fruits & Vegetables for instructions on how to check cauliflower for insects, https://oukosher.org/ou-guide-to-checking-produce-and-more/.)
1–2 onions, sliced
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1½ teaspoons paprika, plus more for sprinkling
1½ teaspoons turmeric
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1⁄3 cup olive oil
4–6 chicken leg quarters (with skin on)
1–2 tablespoons silan
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with foil or parchment.
Combine cauliflower florets, onions, spices and olive oil in a large bowl; toss to coat. Transfer mixture to sheet pan and spread out evenly.
Arrange chicken on top; sprinkle with pepper and paprika. Drizzle with silan.
Bake for 50–60 minutes, until everything is tender and cooked through.
Naomi Ross is a cooking instructor and food writer based in Woodmere, New York. She teaches classes throughout the country and writes articles connecting good cooking and Jewish inspiration. She is the author of The Giving Table (New York, 2022).