Main Course
8665 recipes found
Crisp Lamb Chops With Aromatic Wine Sauce
Hot-and-Sour Soba Salad
I find any combination of noodles and hot-and-sour dressing fairly addictive, and none more than these earthy buckwheat noodles. You can make a meal of this salad if you add a little protein in the form of tofu, shredded chicken or shrimp.
Feta-Stuffed Peppers
These peppers have some heft and give a satisfying main-course feeling. Here, extra-small bell peppers are stuffed with a mild feta cheese and baked with a generous handful of herbaceous bread crumbs. It is a very simple dish, with a surprisingly complex taste, good warm or at room temperature.
Lentil and Carrot Salad With Middle Eastern Spices
I combined two of my favorite Mediterranean salads to stretch the cup of lentils I had in my pantry. Take care not to overcook the lentils; they should be slightly al dente. They go quickly from al dente to mushy, so make sure to check after 25 minutes.
White Bean Stew With Carrots, Fennel and Peas
A supply of dried white beans in the pantry means you can always make some sort of white bean stew without a trip to the store. White beans are welcome in any season, though this dish is perfect for spring, with its bright green peas. Use any kind of white bean: ordinary white northern or navy beans, larger cannellini or corona beans or, as pictured here, a small Italian heirloom variety called purgatory bean. This stew is versatile; it's equally delicious served hot or at room temperature, and it can be a first course, a main course or part of an antipasto. Finish with a drizzle of good, fruity extra virgin olive oil. The spicy herb topping makes a bright embellishment.
Roasted Root Vegetables With Polenta
In this comforting, perfect winter dinner I roast the vegetables and make the polenta in the oven at the same time. To accommodate the temperature requirements of each element of the dish, I use a slightly higher temperature than I usually use for polenta and I roast the vegetables at a lower temperature for longer. I top the polenta with a ladleful of marinara sauce, and spoon the vegetables on top. You could serve the polenta with only the roasted vegetables as well, so I have made the marinara sauce optional.
Halibut With Brown Butter, Lemon and Sage
This is a simple method for cooking firm, white-fleshed fish on the stovetop from start to finish. If halibut is not available, use thick flounder fillets, snapper, grouper or large sea scallops. The flavor of sage permeates the quick, easy pan sauce and the buttery bread crumbs provide crunchy texture.
Baked Halibut With Tomato Caper Sauce
This is a pungent tomato sauce that I learned to make in Provence. It goes well with any type of robust fish.
Whole Wheat Spaghetti With Spicy Chickpeas, Rosemary and Bonito Flakes
Fried Red Thai Jasmine Rice With Shrimp
Thai-style fried rice is an addiction in our household. If you cannot find Alter Eco’s ruby red jasmine, you can make this dish with red Bhutanese rice or with regular jasmine rice. This may seem like a lot of fried rice, but believe me, you’ll finish it in one sitting.
Tacos with Roasted Potatoes, Squash and Peppers (Rajas)
You can turn the heat up or down on this taco, depending on your taste for spiciness. Season the potatoes, onions and squash before roasting. A comforting filling that you can heat up or tone down, depending on your taste for spicy. If you like heat, use a preponderance of poblanos and Anaheims for your peppers; if not, use more bell peppers. I season the potatoes, onions and squash with cumin and chili powder before I roast them, and serve the tacos with a cooked salsa ranchera.
Turkey Ragù
Here, ground turkey is simmered with chopped tomatoes, red wine and pancetta into a rich and hearty meat sauce. Use dark meat if you can find it. It's more flavorful and richer than ground breast.
Lamb in Frascati Wine (Abbacchio alla Cacciatora)
Finnish Meatballs
These irresistible, bite-sized meatballs are made from a combination of ground beef and pork, milk-soaked bread crumbs, grated Gouda cheese and a healthy spoonful of allspice. Once browned in a skillet, they are transferred to a Dutch oven, where they simmer until done then finished off with a glug of heavy cream. Serve with buttered red potatoes, egg noodles or with toothpicks.
Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken Breasts With Broccoli Purée
Pasta With Caramelized Onion, Swiss Chard and Garlicky Bread Crumbs
The warm, nutty flavor of good varieties of whole wheat pasta is robust enough to stand up to intense, complicated sauces, yet satisfying with just a little butter and Parmesan shaved over the top.
Chicken Curry With Sweet Potatoes and Coconut Milk
I used to think the only reason to buy a whole chicken was to actually cook it whole. Why buy one for a recipe calling for parts when the supermarket will cut up the bird for you? Then one day my mother set me straight. It’s one thing to buy a package of thighs or drumsticks when you need a specific part, but you might as well cut up your own bird if you need a variety. You can use your cut-up chicken to make this ginger-and-lime-scented curry with coconut milk, sweet potatoes and chiles. Or substitute your favorite part, be it wings or legs or bone-in breasts. The bright, spicy and gently sweet flavors work well with any pieces of fowl in the pot. When the chicken in this recipe is nearly done braising, you can fry up the liver, then coat it in some of the luscious sauce. If your mother is anything like mine, she’d be proud.
Farro or Bulgur With Black-Eyed Peas, Chard and Feta
Black-eyed peas cooked with greens is a classic Greek preparation. I decided to add a chile pepper to the beans, just to spice things up a little. I like to serve the beans with bulgur, but you can also serve them with farro.
Asparagus Rolled in Herb Crêpes
A simple and elegant way to serve asparagus, this dish makes a great main course for a vegetarian dinner party. It can be assembled ahead of time and baked just before serving.
Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper Gratin
Roasting eggplant requires less oil than frying. It is important to let the roasted eggplant and roasted peppers drain in a strainer, otherwise the gratin will be watery. I recommend roasting the vegetables several hours or a day before you wish to make this. Adding cooked rice to the mixture will result in a firmer gratin.
Mushroom Stir-Fry
Turkey and Rice Casserole With Yogurt Topping
This Middle Eastern dish may include fried stale pita bread doused with chicken or turkey stock in a casserole and topped with the other ingredients. In the days after Thanksgiving, I’m likely to have all of these ingredients on hand -- except for pita, so here I’ve made it without.
Chard and Sweet Corn Tacos
These sweet and spicy tacos can be filled with chard of any color, or other greens like beet greens or amaranth. I used Swiss chard for these tacos, but other greens like beet greens or amaranth will work. I don’t recommend strong-tasting cruciferous greens like kale, though. You can use green chard, red chard or rainbow, and do include the stalks if they’re nice and wide. Don’t skimp on the garlic. As for the salsa, you can choose between fresh or cooked tomato salsa, or use a salsa verde made with tomatillos. They all work well. A quarter cup of filling is plenty for each taco.
Tofu Mushroom "Quiche"
This is a vegan quiche filled with a savory mix of blended tofu and mushrooms. It has a deep, rich umami flavor. No eggs are necessary to bind it; the tofu stiffens up when it bakes. You can use the crust of your choice. The yeasted crust is not vegan, as it contains an egg.