Dipping, Dunking, and Warming Up

Dunking food into something warm is one of the great underrated pleasures of eating. This week leans into it hard. The lentil soup and salmon curry are fast — 25 minutes each. The roasted chicken and French dip take closer to an hour, so they're weekend or slow-night territory.

This Week's Recipes

1. Smashed Beef Kebab With Cucumber Yogurt
2. Red Lentil Soup
3. Roasted Chicken Provençal
4. Portobello French Dip with Horseradish Aioli
5. Coconut-Miso Salmon Curry

1. Smashed Beef Kebab With Cucumber Yogurt

Ground beef mixed with turmeric and spices, smashed flat in a hot skillet until the edges turn dark and crispy, then piled over cold cucumber yogurt with walnuts, raisins, and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses. It takes 25 minutes and tastes like you put in more effort than you did.

At step 3, before you press the beef hard into the pan, pull off some of the seasoned meat and shape it into smaller, thicker patties for the kids. Cook those over medium heat without smashing them — you want them cooked through to 160°F, not charred. Serve with plain cucumber yogurt for dipping, plus walnuts and raisins on the side. If your kids are under 4, chop the walnuts finely and stir them into the yogurt instead of leaving them whole — they're a tree nut and a choking concern. Check for walnut allergies before serving at all.

The adult version gets the full sear — crispy, turmeric-stained beef over that cool yogurt, with toasted walnuts, plump raisins, and the sweet-tart hit of pomegranate molasses drizzled on top.

The Split: Adults get hard-seared spiced beef with pomegranate molasses; kids get gentle mini patties with yogurt dip.

Serves: 4 | Time: 25m | NYT Cooking →

2. Red Lentil Soup

Red lentils, onion, tomato paste, cumin, and a squeeze of lemon. It cooks in one pot, the lentils break down into something smooth and velvety, and it costs almost nothing to make. After the second time you make this, you won't need to look at the recipe.

At step 2, when you're sautéing the tomato paste with the spices, ladle out the kids' portion before adding the full amount of chili powder. For their bowl, use half the chili and stir in a touch of honey to round out the heat. Purée it smooth and serve with bread for dunking. One important note: do not use honey for any child under 12 months — it carries a real botulism risk. For toddlers, make sure the soup has cooled enough before serving, and that the lentils have fully broken down. Skip the cilantro drizzle for the youngest eaters. If you're using stock, reach for the low-sodium version.

The adult version gets the full hit of cumin and chili, finished with lemon juice and cilantro oil if you've got it. It tastes like it simmered for hours even though it didn't.

The Split: Adults get full-spiced soup with lemon and cilantro; kids get a milder honey-kissed purée with bread for dunking.

Serves: 4 | Time: 45m | NYT Cooking →

3. Roasted Chicken Provençal

Chicken parts roasted on a sheet pan with lemon, garlic, shallots, and herbes de Provence in a shallow pool of vermouth. The oven does most of the work, and the whole thing smells better than almost anything else you'll make this month. It takes about 75 minutes, so plan it for a weekend or a night when you're not in a rush.

At step 2, when you're arranging everything on the pan, let the kids place their chicken pieces on one side — away from the vermouth — and season them with herbes de Provence themselves. That hands-on moment is the whole point of an empowering split. For children under 4, debone the chicken completely after roasting and cut it into small pieces. Make sure the shallots are soft and halved, not whole. Pull out any lemon wedges from the kids' zone — the seeds are a hazard, and whole wedges are tough to manage. Stick to the well-roasted garlic cloves, not any raw slivers.

The adult version gets chicken with pan sauce from the vermouth and rendered juices, caramelized shallots, soft roasted garlic, and charred lemon squeezed over the top. Serve it with a baguette to soak up what's left on the plate.

The Split: Adults get vermouth-braised chicken with pan sauce and baguette; kids get herbed chicken they seasoned themselves.

Serves: 4 | Time: 1h 15m | NYT Cooking →

4. Portobello French Dip with Horseradish Aioli

This one's a tougher sell for kids than, say, pasta or tacos. But the pieces here — roasted portobellos, caramelized onions, melted cheese, warm broth for dipping — work better than you'd think once you split them up. The adult version is a proper French dip, rich and savory despite being fully vegetarian.

At step 4, when you're assembling the sandwiches, set the kids' portion on a different track entirely. Slice the roasted portobellos into small pieces — especially important for children under 4, who can struggle with the chewy texture. Lay them on buttered bread with melted cheese and plain mayo instead of the horseradish aioli, and press it like a grilled cheese. Serve the warm au jus on the side for dipping, but check the temperature first — it should be warm, not scalding. If you used horseradish powder in the adult broth, make sure it hasn't crossed into the kids' dipping bowl.

The adult sandwich is thick portobello slabs with caramelized onions, melted provolone, and horseradish aioli on a sturdy roll, with savory au jus pooling on the plate. Dip it aggressively.

The Split: Adults get a loaded French dip with horseradish aioli; kids get a cheesy mushroom melt with warm dipping broth.

Serves: 4 mega sandwiches | Time: 45m | Pinch of Yum →

5. Coconut-Miso Salmon Curry

Salmon poached in a coconut-miso broth with ginger and garlic, finished with lime, basil, and cilantro. It's rich but not heavy, takes 25 minutes start to finish, and the sauce is the kind you'll want to pour over rice, noodles, or anything else in reach.

Right at step 1, before the miso caramelizes and the broth gets its full intensity, set aside a few pieces of salmon for the kids. Poach those separately in plain coconut milk with just a spoonful of the miso broth stirred in — enough for flavor, not enough to overwhelm. Check every piece carefully for pin bones before serving. Salmon needs to hit 145°F internal temperature. For kids under 4, chop the basil and cilantro finely and fold them in rather than leaving whole leaves. Strain or mince any ginger pieces that end up in their bowl. And since fish is a top allergen, confirm there's no allergy before this one hits the table.

The adult version gets the full caramelized miso treatment — deeply savory coconut curry with lime squeezed in at the end and torn basil scattered over the top. Serve it over rice and let the sauce do what it does.

The Split: Adults get salmon in intense miso-coconut curry; kids get salmon poached gently in mild coconut milk over rice.

Serves: 4 | Time: 25m | NYT Cooking →

Start with the red lentil soup — it runs itself and tastes better the next day. Then try the portobello French dip when you have time. Mushroom sandwiches sound like a stretch, but that warm dipping broth changes everything.