Stovetop
664 recipes found
Chawanmushi
This creamy yet delicate half-custard, half-flan is an elegant start to a meal. Zaiyu Hasegawa, the chef of Den in Tokyo, beats the eggs — just half an egg per person — with dashi, a stock of kombu (kelp) and katsuobushi (bonito flakes) that brings a mellow brine and a tinge of smoke. The eggs and dashi, now one, are run through a sieve for smoothness, and seasoned with usukuchi, a lighter-bodied and slightly saltier soy sauce with a tart finish. Pour the mixture into teacups or ramekins and let it steam on the stovetop. While some recipes call for a higher ratio of liquid to egg, here the egg, the richest ingredient, comes to the fore. As a grace note, Mr. Hasegawa suggests a purée of celery root melted down with butter, earthy-sweet. Spoon it on top once the custard has set. With the first bite, the faint chewiness of the celery root gives way to silk and surrender.
Seco de Pollo (Ecuadorian-Style Chicken Stew)
This lush, rich Ecuadorian stew belies its name, “seco,” which in Spanish means “dry.” In this recipe from the cookbook “My (Half) Latinx Kitchen: Half Recipes, Half Stories, All Latin American,” Kiera Wright-Ruiz boosts the flavor by first browning the chicken in a pot to a golden veneer, then gently sizzling a pulverized sofrito of onion, garlic and bell pepper in its rendered fat, scraping up the lovely dark bits. Traditionally, the chicken was simmered in chicha, a fermented alcoholic beverage often made with corn, yuca or quinoa, but a simple lager will do here, bringing a mellow, malty depth. The beer’s trace bitterness is offset by tomatoes and naranjilla, also known as lulo, a small indigenous fruit that’s lime-sour and oozily tart like a pineapple. (You may substitute freshly squeezed orange juice.) Submerged in broken-down tomatoes, naranjilla and beer, the chicken lounges, loosens, relents. At the very end, there’s a splash of vinegar to snap everything into focus, and cilantro by the fistful, clean and bright.
Jjajangmyeon (Black Bean Noodles)
Smothered in a supersavory gravy studded with pork belly, these chewy wheat noodles are South Korea’s cultural equivalent to delivery pizza in the United States. Traditionally a takeout food, this variant of China’s zha jiang mian was created in Incheon, South Korea, by Chinese migrant workers around the turn of the 20th century. Over the years, the dish has become sweeter and richer with pork to match Korean palates. A flavorful broth results in the most flavorful jjajang sauce, which is simmered slowly here to develop the deep comfort of onion and cabbage that scaffolds umami sweetness over the fragrant pork belly. Traditionally, powdered starch thickens the sauce, but here, grated potato achieves the same effect with less gloopiness.
Sheer Khorma (Cardamom Vermicelli Pudding)
Essential to Eid celebrations across South Asia, the tradition of preparing this dish is unique to each household. They all result in a creamy pudding, with ghee-fried vermicelli simmered in sweet milk, cloves, cardamom and fried slivered nuts. Stirring the blend in a heavy pot ensures even heat distribution to develop a creamy, almost caramelized texture. The value of blanching and slivering nuts is to achieve a crispness that far exceeds that of nuts left with their skins on. A splash of fragrant kewra water brings the dessert together, its delicate floral notes enhancing the pudding’s richness.
Braised Chicken and Greens With Cheese Grits
Few dishes will keep you as cozy as this bowl of spicy chicken and Swiss chard cradled by cheesy grits. There’s nothing quite like a bowl of hot grits. Incredibly versatile, they can be eaten for any meal and in any number of ways: sweet or savory and cheesy, like the Parmesan grits at the heart of this meal. The well-seasoned chicken thighs are tenderized with lemon juice and the Swiss chard turns silky when simmered in the tomato broth. Switch out the chard for any other dark, leafy greens, such as kale, spinach or collard greens, and adjust the cooking time as needed.
Easy Savoy Cabbage
Savoy cabbage, in season from late fall through early spring, doesn't need much to be outstanding — just a simple steamy butter bath and some salt and pepper. Unlike regular green cabbage, crinkly savoy grows with looser, more delicate leaves which still maintain their bite after cooking. Though the core is edible, it's much denser than the leaves and cooks more slowly. Cut it out and discard, or finely slice it so that it cooks at the same pace as the shredded leaves. Half a cabbage will do for this recipe; keep the other half wrapped in plastic in your fridge, where it will last in your crisper for up to 2 weeks. Serve this dish over rice and top with a fried egg for a simple weeknight meal, or enjoy alongside a roast to balance textures and flavors. Use leftovers for bubble and squeak or add to your weeknight stir-fry for extra flavor and texture.
French Onion White Bean Soup
French onion soup gets a hearty makeover in this vegetarian recipe thanks to the addition of creamy white beans. While the classic version usually involves a long and slow caramelization of onions, this recipe uses a few simple techniques to shorten the cook time without sacrificing flavor. The onions are cooked with the lid on, which traps the heat, encouraging the onions to cook faster and concentrating all the flavors. (Do make sure to use a pot that is wide and large; the onions will steam rather than caramelize if overcrowded.) While this recipe is vegetarian and alcohol-free, it is no less rich than the original; the pan gets deglazed with soy sauce (or tamari) and balsamic vinegar, which lifts off all the sweet, charred flavors. No white beans? Substitute with chickpeas or lentils. Taking a cue from the original, the soup is crowned with Gruyère croutons — and, veering from tradition, accented by mustard — to bring a big textural finish.
Chicken, Leek and Potato Soup
Hearty and almost stew-like, this comforting soup is filled with potatoes and tender leeks (including the green parts) and gets a jolt of freshness from lemon and dill. For a zesty kick, stir in some finely grated garlic at the end, which preserves its bright flavor. Don’t skip the sour cream — its dairy tang adds an essential richness. A fresh crusty baguette or some garlic bread is all you might need to complete the meal.
Coconut Curry With Potatoes and Greens
This hearty dish comes with many possibilities: Part chunky chowder, part saucy curry, it can be eaten as a soup, with crusty bread on the side, or ladled over steamed rice or rice noodles. The flavor foundation of this aromatic, vegetable-laden dish comes from store-bought Thai curry paste, an undisputed weeknight pantry hero that delivers complex spices straight from the jar. Frying the paste until it turns a darker shade makes it even more special by intensifying its flavors. Different brands of curry paste will vary in water content, saltiness and spice, so keep that in mind when deciding how much to add. While any variety of potatoes could be used here, starchy Yukon Golds will hold their shape best, with a lovely creaminess that pairs harmoniously with the greens. Make this meal even heartier by adding diced extra-firm tofu or chickpeas.
Citrus-Soy Chicken Ramen
Bright and zippy, rich and savory, this streamlined take on ramen wakes your palate like a sunbeam streaming through the curtains on a lazy morning in bed. It’s superfast yet it tastes as if you've just spent hours simmering it. Simply make a quick garlicky broth enriched with soy sauce and enhanced by the bones and skin from a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Cook noodles right in the broth and then add the shredded chicken, fresh citrus juice, cilantro, sesame and a little more soy. If you’d like, serve with the juiced lime and lemon halves in the bowl to add more vibrancy to this satisfying meal.
Sizzled Bratwurst With Mashed Potatoes
Spiced and savory German sausages, bratwurst are a juicy secret weapon for busy workdays. When served at home, they can be pan-fried or grilled and served with mashed potatoes, warmed sauerkraut and hot German mustard, all of which balance the richness of the fatty sausages. The simple bratwurst technique in this recipe is pulled straight from German home cooking: simmer the sausages in water to plump them up first before letting that water evaporate, then sear the outsides in the bratwurst’s own rendered fat. Bratwurst are also a popular street or festival food in Germany, in which case they might be served with bread rolls called brötchen or semmel. Wash this hearty and nourishing (but surprisingly not too heavy) dish down with a cold German lager, pilsner or wheat beer such as Hefeweizen.
Japanese Curry With Chicken Meatballs
For all the impact of a complex, long simmered curry in a cinch, bring on the Japanese curry roux blocks! Unlike curry powder, these curry blocks only need to be simmered in water to add loads of flavor and body. Traditionally carrots, potatoes and onions are included, but this version smothers ginger-spiked chicken meatballs, creamy sweet potato and lots of greens in the sauce. This dish tastes even better the next day as all the flavors mellow and meld, so it’s perfect for meal prep.
Bubble and Squeak
Bubble and squeak is a deeply caramelized, homey cake of leftover mashed potatoes and other vegetables, traditionally made the morning after a Sunday roast. This classic British dish gets its name from the cooking process: As the moisture from the vegetables bubbles away, the vegetables sizzle and squeak — especially the cabbage, a common addition. Be sure to let the bottom brown and crisp, mix those bits into the mash, then repeat until the cake is strewn with golden vegetables throughout. Eat alongside a fried or poached egg for breakfast. To make it vegetarian, replace the bacon with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Curried Coconut and Red Lentil Soup
In this quick-cooking and restorative soup, the key to building flavor fast is curry powder. While the spice blends vary from brand to brand, most include at least coriander, cumin, turmeric, fenugreek and black pepper. Madras curry powder, used here, is a spicier variant featuring chile powder. In the time it takes for the vegetables and aromatics to soften, the red lentils cook through, creating a creamy, velvety texture when the soup is blended. The optional addition of coconut water reinforces the flavor of the coconut milk and balances the aromatic savoriness with a hint of sweetness. The extra hydration this soup provides is especially welcome during Ramadan.
Ash Reshteh (Greens, Beans and Noodle Soup)
Among ash, a beloved category of thick soups in Iranian cuisine, ash reshteh is the most famous. Packed with legumes, a mountain of greens and reshteh, thin, flat noodles similar to linguine, it’s a hearty dish traditionally eaten on Chaharshanbe Suri, the Festival of Fire that falls on the Wednesday before Nowruz, the Persian New Year. The soup is finished with sizzled mint, crispy onions and kashk, an Iranian dairy product akin to a funkier sour cream. Kashk has a bold, umami-rich salty-sour flavor that’s unlike anything else. It’s worth trying to buy at a Middle Eastern market, but since it can be hard to find, a mix of lemon juice and sour cream or Greek yogurt makes a great substitute.
Sabzi Polo (Herbed Rice With Saffron)
Sabzi polo is an essential part of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, symbolizing renewal and prosperity with its vibrant mix of fresh herbs. This fragrant, fluffy rice dish is traditionally served with fish, honoring an age-old custom that ties the holiday to themes of abundance and good fortune. The combination of dill, cilantro and parsley infuses the rice with a bright, earthy aroma, while saffron lends a deep golden hue. One of the most treasured parts of sabzi polo is the tahdig, a golden, crispy layer at the bottom of the pot. In this version, tender lettuce leaves create a unique variation of tahdig. To ensure the tahdig releases beautifully, use a nonstick pot. Serve this alongside mast-o-khiar, a cucumber-yogurt sauce, which can be spooned over the rice or used as a dip for the crispy tahdig.
Chicken Jalfrezi
Originally created as a way to add flavor to roasted meats, chicken jalfrezi is a tangy, spicy stir-fried curry with origins in Bengal. “Jalfrezi” translates to "hot fry," and the dish typically features meat coated in a thick tomato-based gravy — a defining characteristic of the Anglo-Indian version that became popular through British curry houses in the mid-20th century. This recipe uses both Kashmiri chile powder and fresh serrano chiles to deliver its signature spicy kick.
Stir-Fried Cabbage and Pork in Fish Sauce Butter
This quick, weeknight cabbage and pork stir-fry is humble in ingredients yet packed with flavor, thanks to briny fish sauce, rich brown butter and potent aromatics (ginger, garlic and red-pepper flakes). Chopped cabbage gets a nice char in butter that browns as it cooks, adding richness to the lean vegetable. Fast-cooking ground pork is infused with garlic, ginger and scallions, and the final addition of salty fish sauce, bright lime juice and chopped fresh cilantro creates a punchy sauce. If you like a jolt of heat, use a thinly sliced bird’s-eye chile in place of the crushed red pepper.
Spiced Pea Stew With Yogurt
Inspired by a warmly spiced Persian stew traditionally made with peas and tomatoes, this version allows the sweetness of the peas and the warmth of onions, ginger, cumin and turmeric to lead. It tops the pea stew with a fresh pea topping made from a portion of the just-cooked peas, plus crushed sesame seeds and chopped cilantro, all of which add vibrant color and texture when sprinkled over the stew just before serving. A drizzle of yogurt on top brings a cooling contrast. Serve the stew alongside steamed rice, pita or other fresh warmed flatbreads.
Colcannon (Mashed Potatoes and Cabbage)
Colcannon is a comforting Irish dish of fluffy mashed potatoes mixed with tender cabbage or kale, often with scallions and usually with plenty of butter. While it has become a tradition to enjoy colcannon on Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival from which Halloween is drawn, it's also a fine dish to celebrate any Irish holiday, including St. Patrick's Day. For Samhain, treasures would be buried in the dish; depending on what you found in your portion, your fortune for the coming months would be revealed. In some cases, a ring suggested marriage, while a coin promised future wealth. Use russet potatoes for a fluffier mash or Yukons for a creamier texture. Omit the cabbage and kale entirely and you've got a different Irish classic: champ! Fry tablespoons of leftover colcannon the next day for wonderful potato pancakes to serve under a runny egg.
Pav Bhaji
A popular street food originally from Mumbai, pav bhaji is a flavorful and colorful mashed vegetable curry served with toasted and buttered dinner rolls or buns. Pav means “dinner roll” and bhaji “vegetable dish.” Typically, a mix of boiled potatoes, cauliflower, carrot and green peas are mashed and cooked with sautéed aromatics like onion, green bell pepper and tomatoes. The flavors are jolted awake with green chile, Kashmiri chile powder and the warming spices in the pav bhaji masala. You can purchase pav bhaji masala at Indian markets, or prepare your own blend. Look for pav at Indian markets, or use any dinner roll or slider bun. Salted butter should be used generously for a luscious, rich and comforting pav bhaji. To serve, squeeze lemon or lime over the bhaji to brighten everything up, sprinkle with fresh onion and use the pav to scoop up a glorious bite.
Sausage and Barley Soup With Greens
This simple, satisfying soup relies on sausage as its flavorful base. Start by cooking raw sausage, rather than precooked links, since it generally has better texture and flavor for soup. Pearled barley adds heartiness and a wonderful chewy texture. Stir in a handful of greens at the end, plus a little vinegar for brightness, and you have a cozy meal in less than an hour of mostly hands-off time. To make this soup gluten-free, you can substitute French green lentils for the barley. If you are making it ahead of time, wait to add the greens until you’re ready to serve to preserve their bright, fresh flavor.
Bourbon Beef and Farro Stew
Reminiscent of a soothing beef and barley soup, this bourbon-scented short rib and farro stew brings much-needed comfort during the cold season. As with many beef stews, you’ll start by searing the short ribs. Beef short ribs are not the cheapest cut, but they are prized for their marbled fat, which builds complexity, and they simmer up deliciously fork-tender. Making the most of the flavor-packed fat rendered from the short ribs, the onions get lightly caramelized in it, then showered in splashes of smoky, sweet bourbon. Next, everything goes in the pot: The short ribs are gently simmered in beef stock alongside paprika and cumin-spiced onions, carrots and farro. A splash of balsamic finishes the stew, balancing out the rich, meaty flavors.
Broccoli Rabe Pesto Pasta
Blitzing pungent broccoli rabe into a creamy, nutty pesto (along with walnuts, garlic, Parmesan, olive oil and lemon juice) helps mellow any bitterness in this verdant weeknight pasta. Start by quickly boiling the broccoli rabe and garlic, which takes the edge off. Fans of broccoli rabe will enjoy extra bites of the greens throughout this pasta dish, and those looking to round the flavors out further would do well to add cooked Italian sausage, cannellini beans or a dollop of ricotta cheese. The broccoli rabe pesto can also be used as a topping for crostini or pizza, and can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.