Recipes By Kay Chun
274 recipes found
Gombaleves (Creamy Mushroom Soup)
This hearty, warming soup is a Hungarian version of creamy mushroom soup, with a good dose of Hungarian paprika and fragrant dried herbs imparting its unique, earthy hue and flavor. Although any mix of wild mushrooms can be used, common white button or cremini mushrooms are wonderful here (or use a combination); the key is to lightly caramelize them to maximize their complexity. A final swirl of tangy sour cream and lemon juice brightens the rich, creamy soup.
Mornay Sauce
Mornay is a rich and velvety sauce made by adding cheese (traditionally Gruyère and Parmesan) to a classic béchamel base. It requires just a handful of basic ingredients — primarily flour, milk, butter, cheese and nutmeg — and is quick to put together. A superversatile sauce, it’s a favorite for mac and cheese and gratins, and is great with roasted veggies, boiled potatoes and poached eggs. The sauce is best used right away, but can be held at room temperature for a few hours or chilled for up to 3 days. (It thickens quite a bit as it chills, but will return to a saucy state once rewarmed.)
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
A member of the brassica family, gai lan (also known as Chinese broccoli) tastes like a cross between broccoli and broccoli rabe, with a nice balance of slightly sweet and bitter. Gai lan is typically boiled or steamed with aromatics, then enjoyed plain or drizzled with oyster sauce. Here, it’s simply pan-steamed with garlic, ginger and toasted sesame oil. White pepper, common in Chinese cookery, offers milder heat that pairs well with the gai lan, but black pepper is also fine. This quick side is wonderful with roasted chicken and fish; leftovers can be chopped and added to fried rice or pasta the next day.
Chicken Lo Mein
Chinese lo mein (“stirred noodles”) is beloved for its fun combination of egg noodles, veggies and protein tossed in a sweet and savory sauce. Making this popular takeout dish at home is a fantastic way to use up leftovers, as this dish is completely customizable depending on what’s available in the fridge. (No napa cabbage? Use green or purple!) Here, skinless boneless chicken thighs are thinly sliced for quick-cooking meat that remains juicy and tender. The rich sauce comes together in a flash and can easily be doubled for another stir-fry later on in the week. Go light on seasoning the veggies, since the sauce does bring a good amount of salt to the final dish.
Fragrant Coconut Chicken and Sweet Potato
This deeply flavored saucy skillet meal comes together quickly thanks to rich coconut milk and fast-cooking ground chicken (though ground pork would also work well). Sweet potatoes get a head start in the skillet, where they’re speedily cooked until golden and tender; the simple act of covering the skillet with a lid expedites the process. The meat is browned with plenty of scallions, garlic and ginger, which impart lovely aromatic fragrance and depth to the dish. Coconut milk is added at the end to maintain its creamy texture and fresh flavor, while a finish of lime juice and chopped cilantro brightens and balances the sauce.
Beef Dumplings With Zucchini, Tofu and Chives
These beef dumplings are packed with zucchini and tofu, which keep the filling tender and juicy. The ground meat is lightly marinated before mixing with plenty of buchu, a lovely allium with long flat leaves and a mild garlic flavor. (You can find these fragrant Korean chives in any Korean market). There’s a hidden surprise here, too: Buttery pine nuts get tucked into each dumpling before enclosing them.
Hobakjuk (Korean Squash Porridge)
Traditionally made with kabocha squash, this soothing porridge showcases the natural velvety texture of winter squash. Make this when squash is in season, as the flavor of the porridge will be best when the gourds are at their peak, both nutty and sweet; use kabocha, butternut or any orange-fleshed squash or pumpkin. Sweet white rice, also known as glutinous rice, becomes sticky and thickens the mixture naturally as it cooks. Typically topped with slivered Korean dates and pine nuts, a more modern, crunchier nut-and-seed topping contrasts this creamy, bisque-like soup. Leftovers freeze very well.
Baked Korean Sweet Potatoes With Scallion-Miso Butter
Korean sweet potatoes are full of surprises: Their gorgeous purple skin reveals not orange but white flesh underneath, which has a floral, honey-like sweetness and a supercreamy texture. (Japanese sweet potatoes can be used interchangeably, and even any supermarket sweet potato variety can be used for this recipe.) Wrap your sweet potatoes tightly in foil and roast until completely soft in the center, about 1 hour. While your oven works, make a quick scallion-and-miso compound butter that complements the sweet potatoes but can also elevate all sorts of roasted veggies like cauliflower, carrots and broccoli. Split open the hot potatoes and dollop with the compound butter and a spoonful of sour cream. Each bite has a wonderful balance of sweet and salty; the addition of sour cream introduces nostalgic sour cream and onion vibes.
Sheet-Pan Chicken and Cheesy Broccoli
This weeknight sheet-pan meal takes just a handful of ingredients and turns basic chicken and broccoli into a zesty family meal. Chicken legs are coated in punchy Italian seasonings and roasted until fragrant, golden and crispy. The genius move here is tossing the broccoli in the chicken drippings, encouraging the florets to absorb all of the flavorful pan juices as they cook. A final shower of Cheddar and Parmesan creates a cheesy drape over the florets, and the errant cheese that hits the pan turns into crispy frico shards. If there are any leftovers, they can be chopped and tucked into rolls or tossed with pasta the next day.
Chicken Meatball Soup With Orzo and Dill
This comforting chicken soup with orzo, cabbage and dill boasts tender chicken meatballs instead of the traditional shredded chicken. The soothing broth gets an extra flavor boost from kombu, which infuses the soup with a deeper layer of salty, briny notes. Seasoned with Parmesan and dill, bound with crushed saltines (which can be replaced with plain bread crumbs), and inspired by matzo balls, these juicy ground chicken meatballs come together quickly while the veggies cook. The meatballs can be made a few hours ahead and kept refrigerated. As they poach in the broth, they impart even more chicken flavor to the soup.
Pork Chile Verde
Chile verde is a classic Mexican pork stew with tender braised pork in a tangy sauce of tomatillos, green chiles and garlic. Tomatillos, poblano chiles, jalapeño and garlic cloves are broiled until nicely charred and deep golden, then puréed with fresh cilantro to create the vibrant smoky sauce. Choose tomatillos that are plump, unblemished and firm. (Soft tomatillos are overripe.) If poblano chiles aren’t available, feel free to substitute with Anaheim or Cubanelle peppers. Sweet onion (such as Vidalia) is called for here to start the stew, as the extra natural sugar in the onion helps balance the tart tomatillos. Tuck any leftovers into tortillas for fantastic tacos the next day.
Easy Chimichangas
Crisp on the outside and packed with tender chicken and creamy refried beans, this weeknight version of Tex-Mex chimichangas, the beloved deep-fried burritos, are quick to make because they’re shallow fried. To help these come together even faster, you can start with store-bought rotisserie chicken and refried beans. Fold the fillings in 10-inch flour tortillas and your assembly is done. Although frying is traditional, this recipe offers the option of baking the chimichangas, which also delivers crunchy results that are just as satisfying.
Salsa di Noci (Walnut Sauce Pasta)
Simple yet luxurious, this creamy Ligurian sauce makes good use of walnuts, which are grown throughout the Italian countryside. A variant of pesto, it requires few ingredients — walnuts, milk, bread, garlic, cheese and oil — and can be prepared while the pasta cooks. Many methods call for blanching walnuts, some roast the nuts and others don’t call for either (there are also versions that add pine nuts). Here, a quick blanch softens the nuts and gets rid of any bitterness, resulting in a more buttery and creamier sauce. Traditionally paired with “pansotti” (a greens and herb-filled ravioli ), the nutty sauce works well with trofie and all sorts of pasta shapes. Fresh woodsy marjoram is a classic finishing herb for this sauce, but its slightly piney bitterness can be strong; you could try chopped parsley for a lighter alternative.
Roasted Cod With Burst Tomatoes and Olives
In this effortless one-skillet meal, cod fillets are simply pan-roasted — basted in butter on the stovetop — then gently finished in a moderate oven to guarantee even cooking and tender, flaky fish. While the cod rests, the flavorful pan juices quickly turn into a bright, lemony sauce with sweet cherry tomatoes, briny olives, tangy capers and fragrant dill. The balance of buttery richness and bright acidity in the sauce complements the mild seafood, but this dish is versatile: Hake, halibut or some other similarly mellow white fish would also work nicely.
Chicken au Poivre
This playful take on steak au poivre features chicken thighs that are pan-fried until golden then simmered in a peppery pan sauce until tender and juicy. The caramelized browned bits left on the bottom of the skillet from searing the chicken add deeper flavor to the sauce. Though Cognac is often used in classic au poivre, there is no booze in this version. Instead, a kick of lemon juice brightens the rich, velvety sauce. Serve the chicken over egg noodles or with crusty bread to sop up all that sauce. Tuck any leftovers into sandwich rolls with lettuce and tomato, or chop and toss with pasta and grated Parmesan for a quick lunch.
Pasta With Chicken and Asparagus Ragu
This weeknight pasta yields a hearty yet light chicken ragu that’s infused with fresh oregano and studded with a pound of sweet asparagus. The tomato-free white ragu teams up with quick-cooking ground chicken, which stays juicy thanks to a simmer in broth and cream, but feel free to use your favorite ground meat here. (Ground pork will also deliver a rich, comforting pasta sauce.) To keep the asparagus bright green and crisp-tender — a trick that can be employed for peas, spinach or other green vegetables — it’s briefly blanched in the boiling water with the pasta during the last few minutes of cooking.
Broccoli Pasta With Salami Bread Crumbs
Turn those last slices of salami into a terrific crispy topping for this quick weeknight pasta meal. Simply chop and toast them up in olive oil with bread crumbs until golden and crunchy, for savory meaty bites that complement the veg-heavy pasta. Chopping the florets into smaller pieces helps them cook faster and also guarantees scoopable pasta with broccoli in each bite. Leftovers make a fantastic cold pasta salad the next day, and the bread crumb topping can be refrigerated and scattered on green salads in place of croutons.
Orzo Vongole With Zucchini
Inspired by the flavors of pasta alle vongole (spaghetti and clams with garlic), this brothy version features clams and orzo with sweet zucchini, which pairs particularly well with briny shellfish. The littlenecks steam open and release all of their wonderful liquor, which later gets readily absorbed by the pasta. A final swirl of butter and Parmesan creates a lovely silky sauce, studded with flecks of fresh parsley. When cooking with fresh clams, give them a good scrub to shed any grit and discard any clams that have cracked shells or are open before cooking. If fresh clams are hard to come by, you can substitute them with two (6-ounce) cans of whole clams; if the canned liquid tastes good, you can use it in place of the bottled clam juice.
Garlicky Shrimp Tacos
A nod to gambas al ajillo, the immensely popular Spanish tapas dish of garlic prawns, this recipe tucks garlic shrimp into festive tacos that can be on the dinner table in 30 minutes. There are very few ingredients involved, but they all pack a punch. The quick-cooking shrimp are seared and finished in olive oil that’s infused with lots of fragrant garlic and rich smoky paprika. Be sure to save the robust oil that’s left in the skillet and enjoy it drizzled over your tacos. Dress them up with crisp sliced radishes, creamy avocado, spicy pico de gallo and fresh, herbaceous cilantro, plus a final squeeze of lime to brighten all the flavors.
Lobster Rolls
There are two longstanding, popular styles of lobster rolls, and they differ in two primary ways: temperature (cold versus warm) and sauce (mayonnaise versus butter). One style hails from Maine, where chilled lobster meat is tossed in a mayonnaise dressing (often with minced celery and chives), while the Connecticut version warms lobster meat in butter and serves it glistening in the butter sauce. These rolls embrace the best of both worlds and are both buttery and bright. The lobster meat is warmed in butter, quickly tossed in a light mayo dressing, then tucked into butter-toasted buns. Serve with potato chips and tangy coleslaw for a classic summer meal.
Connecticut-Style Lobster Rolls
Connecticut-style lobster rolls celebrate the pure flavor of lobster, simply warming the cooked meat in melted butter to bring out its inherent sweetness and preserve its plump texture. (Maine-style typically serve chilled lobster meat tossed with mayonnaise.) The approach is simple: Toast your buns in butter until golden, then heat the cooked lobster in the same skillet just until warmed. The use of salted butter seasons the meat, so no extra salt is required (though seasoning to taste is never discouraged). Although the optional celery seed is not traditional, its herbal brightness nicely highlights the seafood flavor. Serve these lobster rolls with potato chips and tangy coleslaw for a classic summer meal.
Boiled Lobster
For the simplest way to prepare fresh lobster at home, all you need is a pot large enough to fully submerge your lobster in boiling water. Look for lively lobsters — they should seem active, not sluggish, when you purchase them — and purchase your live lobster the day you plan to cook it, storing it in the coldest part of the refrigerator in a loose paper bag, covered with a damp cloth or newspaper. Choose lobsters with a weight of about 1 1/2 pounds; they’ll have more tender meat than their larger counterparts and yield enough meat for 2 lobster rolls (6 to 8 ounces total). Salted water helps season the lobster meat as it cooks, much like it does to pasta. This recipe calls for one lobster, but the method works for two; any more and you will have to boil in batches. Serve the lobster simply with melted butter, on top of a lovely green salad, or in your favorite type of lobster roll: Connecticut-style (with butter), Maine-style or a combination of both.
Eggplant Bolognese
Eggplant and mushrooms come together in place of ground beef in this hearty vegetarian pasta that delivers the depth of a more traditional Bolognese sauce. Use Italian eggplant, which is widely available and has silky, sweet flesh. Peeling the eggplant helps it brown and cook more quickly, and encourages it to partially melt into the sauce as it simmers. Earthy mushroom broth fortifies the vegetable-rich sauce with deeper savory flavor. Serve the pasta with a simple green salad and crusty bread.
Coleslaw Dressing
Toss this light and tangy dressing with your favorite combination of shredded raw vegetables to build the coleslaw of your dreams. Start with cabbage as a base, then add some combination of carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, onion, scallions, baby bok choy and raw corn kernels for a lively mix. Finish with a handful of chopped fresh green herbs if you have any hanging around your crisper.