Recipes By Yasmin Fahr
67 recipes found
Dijon Chicken With Tomatoes and Scallions
A one-pot dish that guards all the delicious flavors it creates as it cooks — the crispy browned bits of seared chicken, simmering soft scallions and burst tomatoes — and transforms them into a sauce with the addition of white wine and mustard. The tomatoes pop and deflate as they soften, adding their juices to the liquid, which helps gently braise the chicken. Tip in pickled jalapeños and a bit of brine to add punch. Serve this with crusty bread or spoon it onto rice or polenta. A green salad or steamed broccoli complete the meal.
Chickpea Spinach Salad With Curry Yogurt Dressing
Highly transportable and sunny, this no-cook salad is perfect for outdoor meals or potlucks — but it’s also evergreen enough to be a desk lunch any time of year. Stained and seasoned with curry powder, the chickpea salad’s bold flavor is brightened with fresh herbs, scallions and a splash of vinegar. Mashing a portion of the chickpeas offers a pleasant variance in texture and helps thicken the sauce; a little yogurt brings everything together. You can throw this salad together quickly for an impromptu meal, or even make it a whole day ahead, as it gets better with time. As it sits, the spinach softens and shrinks slightly; if you prefer a fresh, crunchy bite, then toss in the spinach at the last moment before serving.
Tomato, Olive and Feta Salad with Tinned Fish
Simple, no-cook dishes are ideal for hot summer days when you want something filling but not too heavy. Inspired by both a Greek salad and one typical throughout Spain, with tomatoes, tuna and onions, this salad hits all the marks: Tangy and creamy from a touch of feta, acidic and refreshing from the tomatoes, with a bite from the onions and added brine from the olives. The tinned fish you use, be it tuna, salmon, trout or sardines, can be swapped, depending on your pantry and preferences. Play with the olives, too: Ones soaking in a spicy brine add a kick, while lemon-garlic ones add brightness. Serve with bread or potato chips.
One-Pot Miso-Turmeric Salmon and Coconut Rice
In this layered spinach, salmon and rice dish, a bed of greens layered on simmering coconut rice acts as a steamer basket for the fish nestled on top, allowing it to cook gently. The rice starts cooking while easy-to-eat salmon pieces are coated with savory miso and colorful turmeric. A bit of lime balances the rich flavors. It’s a recipe to play with, depending on whim and what you’ve got on hand: Swap the spinach for chopped chard or kale; stir in preserved lemon for brightness or sliced ginger for a warming kick; or serve with fresh avocado or radish slices.
Salmon With Avocado and Cilantro Salad
For nights when you need a sparkle of color, this dish is just that, in both appearance and taste. First, roast a side of salmon, rubbed with coriander and garlic, and topped with lime slices to infuse it with flavor. As it cooks, prepare this simple and bright avocado salad, spiked with lime juice, jalapeños and scallions, and tossed with gentle greens, to balance the richness of the salmon. Serve with lightly oiled pearled couscous or orzo, plain rice or cilantro rice, or crusty bread.
Garlicky Mushrooms and Herbs
This stellar side of caramelized mushrooms and herbs will quietly dazzle on any table, with little effort. The mushrooms are cooked in a hot, dry pan to release their moisture and start caramelization, then butter and olive oil coat the mushrooms with a soft, silky sheen. The finishing touch of soy sauce amplifies the umami of the mushrooms, for an earthy, savory dish. Garnish with different herbs or cheese, depending on the meal being served. Sprinkling these on seared steak; toast slathered with a soft cheese; or mashed potatoes would be wise.
Roasted Squash and Spinach Salad
An ideal salad for chillier nights, this hearty, dinner-friendly salad comes together in the time it takes for the spiced butternut squash to roast. To reduce prep work, the squash is simply halved then roasted, so you can easily scoop out pieces after cooking rather than chopping the firm vegetable beforehand. Cumin and coriander season the sweet squash, adding an earthy, warming flavor to the dish. While the squash roasts, you’ll prepare a simple feta-yogurt dressing that draws on the sweet acidity of freshly squeezed orange juice. The scooped squash and sweet, tender onions are tossed with the dressing and spinach, plus a sprinkle of crunchy sunflower seeds, for a bright and satisfying meal.
One-Pot Chicken and Lentils
This one-pot chicken and lentils recipe takes a well-spiced blend of pantry staples plus a handful of fresh ingredients and simmers them together for a throw-in-the-pot meal that is both comforting and filling. It relies on bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, and the role of the skin is essential: First, it forms a protective shield when seared, preventing the chicken from drying out in the bubbling liquid as it simmers, and helps build flavor as its fat renders. (Thank the skin for its service and discard it before serving.) The finishing touch of lime adds a nearly imperceptible sour flavor, similar to some Persian stews, that rounds out the braising liquid, which is best enjoyed with bread or basmati rice.
Miso Mushroom and Leek Pasta
Alchemy is at play here with the delightful union of miso and sherry vinegar, both working to amplify mushroom’s savory, umami notes, and create a rich, layered pasta in just over 30 minutes. Sautéed leeks and mushrooms form the core flavors of the pasta, but it is the addition of miso that completes the dish: Whisked with the starchy pasta water and grated Parmesan, it forms a quick sauce to coat the noodles. A farro, spelt or whole-wheat pasta would nicely complement the earthy flavors of this dish.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts Caesar With Tahini
This wintery twist on Caesar salad upholds the beloved creamy, crunchy and punchy characteristics while opting for a new set of greens — and a flavorful vegetarian alternative to anchovies. Tahini acts as both the thickening agent for the dressing, binding it together, and the flavor maker: Its sesame seed nuttiness and creamy texture balance the bitter undertones of the roasted brussels sprouts, which form the base of this salad. Quartering the sprouts decreases the cooking time and their size, so you can eat them by the forkful.
Fennel and Lentil Salad With Caper-Mustard Dressing
Quietly dazzling, this salad is a dish you’ll turn to time and time again. It’s ideal for when you want something simple and hearty without being too filling. Made mostly of pantry ingredients, it has a punchy, acidic dressing that’s lightened up with fresh ingredients like fennel and parsley. While satisfying enough on its own, it works well with simple proteins like salmon, chicken or a jammy egg. Eat it for lunch during the week, and refresh leftovers by adding some baby spinach, fresh dill or more parsley.
Simple Summer Salad With Feta
This refreshing, seemingly everyday green salad has a surprise at the bottom: A layer of creamy feta stirred into yogurt awaits, giving tangy richness by the forkful. Its base of greens, radishes and avocado is dressed with a simple lemon-Dijon vinaigrette, making this salad endlessly adaptable, depending on the season and your pantry. For crunch, you could add a handful of toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds or broken bits of toasted pita, inspired by fattoush. If in need of protein, some chickpeas or white beans will do the trick. You could even turn this into a more filling summertime snack or meal by layering the feta-yogurt sauce on top of crunchy store-bought tostadas and piling the salad on top.
Spinach One-Pot Pasta
This shockingly simple dish achieves success thanks to a small yet mighty powerhouse: Salty, umami-rich anchovies melt into the cooking oil, giving the dish subtle complexity and oomph. This pasta uses only a few ingredients and just one pot, and the method is smart and streamlined: As you boil your pasta, you set your spinach in a colander then drain the cooked pasta directly on top. You’ll dissolve the anchovies in olive oil in the empty pot, then return the cooked pasta and wilted spinach to the pot, along with cheese and red-pepper flakes, stirring to form a glossy sauce that is aided by the moisture released by the spinach. A great back-pocket recipe for nights when prep work seems impossible, this recipe is a satisfying meal all on its own, but feel free to stir in some white beans if you’d like to bulk it up.
Paprika Chicken and Potatoes
This cheery, sheet pan chicken twist is inspired by patatas bravas. Here, mayonnaise and smoked paprika coat boneless chicken thighs, which cook on a layer of thinly sliced potatoes. They’re served with a paprika-tinted, lime-scented mayonnaise dip for a tangy, acidic touch — but you could also sprinkle the mixture with crumbly cheese like feta or queso fresco to try out other routes to richness. If you don’t think your knife skills are up to slicing the potatoes thinly, you can make fast work of the task with a mandolin, or cook thicker slices for 5 to 10 minutes first before layering the chicken on top.
Miso Shrimp and Corn Couscous Salad
A delightful blend of bright, sunny colors and flavors shine in this summery salad. A lemony dressing coats the tender, slightly chewy, pearled couscous, which helps to cut the richness of the miso-butter mixture that coats the shrimp and charred corn. While this salad is best with fresh corn — at its sweetest scraped straight off the cob — frozen corn makes an excellent substitute any time of year, even though it won’t char quite as visibly. Serve at room temperature or warm for a picnic or outdoor dinner, pairing it with an herby green salad or grilled broccoli.
Radish, Cucumber and White Bean Farro Salad
This colorful grain salad gains punchy acidity from pepperoncini and lightly pickled vegetables. While the nutty farro is cooking, the soaking begins: Scallions, radishes, cucumber, parsley and white beans are tossed in a sherry-Dijon dressing spiked with a spoonful of pepperoncini pickling liquid. The beans add a creamy texture to the dish in lieu of cheese, though a crumbled feta or torn mozzarella would work nicely. Swap these ingredients as the season changes, adding corn kernels or snap peas, or play with the herbs, mixing in cilantro or mint, too.
Grilled Tahini-Honey Chicken Thighs
Simple and impactful, this pantry marinade made from lemon, honey, tahini and olive oil gives chicken a subtle nutty flavor and imparts a gorgeous color — and caramelization — thanks to the honey’s sugar content. You can cook this chicken one of three ways: on the grill, in the oven or a skillet; all options lead to sensational results. Flavorful but versatile, this chicken pairs with almost anything. You could serve a refreshing green salad or grilled vegetables on the side, or tuck the chicken into a toasted pita with avocado, cucumbers and crumbled feta. Sprinkling sumac on the cooked chicken or adding it to the sauce will add extra depth and citrusy notes.
Garlic Butter Steak Bites
Inspired by bite-size steak tips — the highly snackable bar food that’s beloved in Boston and the greater New England area — these garlic butter steak bites follow a classic bistro flavor profile accented with a punch of soy sauce. They’re quick and clever: Cutting steak into small pieces creates more surface area to quickly soak up a marinade, and the morsels cook off in just minutes. Here, they are marinated in a mixture of soy sauce and olive oil, then finished in the pan with a swirl of butter, garlic and parsley. They are perfect for summer spreads alongside a hearty, lemony farro salad or a summery corn salad, plus some bread to swipe up the rich sauce. Serve with toothpicks for easy snacking, or small plates.
Garlic Shrimp With Crisped Chickpeas
A snappy skillet dish well-suited to warm weather eating and snacking, this garlic shrimp recipe is a sunny mashup of shrimp scampi and gambas al ajillo, leaning on the lighter side. A hefty dose of smoked paprika adds a spirited color and dynamic smoky flavor to both the garlicky shrimp and chickpeas. The canned chickpeas gain extra depth and texture from sizzling in the pan until crunchy, then simmering in white wine until tender. Use a wine that you’d like to sip alongside this dish, and serve with some crusty bread to wipe your bowl (and even the pan). If you’d like some greens to round out your spread, simple sautéed spinach with garlic would be a delightful addition.
Zucchini Salad With Bread Crumbs
A study in contrasts, this textured salad tops mild, gentle zucchini with a bold, invigorating mix of fried capers and toasted bread crumbs. First, you’ll soak diced zucchini in a tangy lemon-mustard dressing. While the zucchini soaks up flavor, you prepare the toppings, sautéeing capers, garlic and bread crumbs until crispy and crunchy. A dusting of Parmesan completes the dish. Serve this zucchini salad one of two ways: You can mix it all together after layering, so that the bread crumbs soak up the dressing, or divide among plates, drizzling any remaining dressing in the bottom of the bowl over everything.
One-Pot Chicken Meatballs With Greens
An upside down take on typical skillet meatballs, these juicy garlic-and-herb filled ones are smothered in greens rather than being cooked on top or alongside them, an ingenious trick to streamline efforts for weeknight cooks. The meatballs first brown in the pot for both color and flavor, then are covered with a mound of greens, which achieves two feats: It gently finishes cooking the meatballs while the chard and lemon slices steam and collapse on top, draping themselves over these hidden delights. Scoop them up with a soup ladle, spooning the lemony pan sauce over everything.
Roasted Eggplant Pasta Salad With Dates
Nature’s candy, plump and lush medjool dates add sweetness to this creamy and tangy pasta salad. Eggplant is roasted with cumin, oregano and crushed red pepper, then tossed with the dates on the hot sheet pan, using the residual heat to warm them so the flavors blend together. Mixed with cooked pasta, feta and bright mint, it’s a hearty yet light dish, perfect for summer nights. To streamline this dish for weeknights, use the eggplant-cooking time to prep the finishing touches (the dates, cheese and mint). Bring any leftovers to room temperature, then refresh them with a drizzle of oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Roasted Eggplant Pasta With Dates and Feta
Nature’s candy, plump and lush medjool dates add sweetness to this creamy and tangy weeknight pasta. Eggplant is roasted with cumin, oregano and crushed red pepper on a hot sheet pan, then tossed with the dates, using the residual heat to warm them so the flavors blend together. Mixed with cooked pasta, feta and bright mint, it’s a hearty yet light dish, perfect for summer nights. To streamline this dish, use the eggplant-cooking time to prep the finishing touches (the dates, cheese and mint). Bring any leftovers to room temperature, then refresh them with a drizzle of oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Honey-Garlic Chicken
These sweet and salty honey-garlic chicken breasts are perfect for when you want big flavor, but you’re short on time. To ensure golden-brown chicken breasts that stay plump and moist, start with a hot pan and pat the chicken dry to avoid adding extra moisture, then allow the chicken to sear properly. Once your chicken has taken on color, set it aside and create a simple pan sauce of honey, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and butter. When the sauce is glossy, return the chicken to the pan and turn it until coated in the satiny honey-garlic sauce. Serve with roasted potatoes, rice or bread to soak it all up.