Five quick and easy recipes for a laid-back week

It’s almost summer but the spoils of spring aren’t over yet, writes Emily Weinstein in this week’s meal plan. Here’s five recipes that are just right for this time of year

There’s deep, complex flavours at work in this glazed tofu dish (Getty/iStock)

Summer is nigh! But, OK, spring weather will be with us beforehand.

Many of the recipes below are gloriously green and all are just the right heft for this in-between moment. Best of all, they are legitimately easy to make. Here are five dishes to cook this week.

Glazed tofu with chilli and star anise

Infuse the tofu with a sweet, acidic and umami sauce (Getty/iStock)

This sauce – a dark, star anise-spiced caramel intermingled with rice wine, soy sauce, ginger and spring onions – builds sweet, acidic and umami notes as it coats and infuses tofu. Sichuan hui guo rou, twice-cooked pork, inspired the technique which is used here with tofu: the blocks are first seared whole then torn into bite-sized pieces and returned to the pan, where the craggy edges absorb the sauce. Additions from your pantry, such as a spoonful of doubanjiang, fermented broad bean paste, fermented black beans or chilli oil can invite deeper, more complex flavours. Serve warm with steamed rice and stir-fried greens.

By: Yewande Komolafe

Makes: 4 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 (400g) packages firm tofu, drained

2 tablespoons neutral oil, such rapeseed

Salt

50g sugar

1 whole star anise

240ml vegetable broth or stock

3½ tablespoons (60ml) Shaoxing wine

3½ tablespoons (60ml) dark soy sauce (see tip)

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 (1.5cm) piece fresh ginger, scrubbed and thinly sliced

1 small hot dried chilli

6 spring onions, whites cut into 1.5cm pieces, greens thinly sliced

Steamed rice, for serving

Method

1. Place the tofu blocks between paper towels and press gently to remove excess liquid.

2. In a large frying or cast-iron pan, warm the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season both sides of the tofu with salt and place in the pan; sear without moving until the contact side is browned, about 4 minutes. Turn the pieces over and sear the other side until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer the tofu to a plate.

3. Carefully add ½ cup (118ml) water, the sugar and star anise to the pan (the mixture will sputter and steam). Cook, stirring, until the syrup is reduced and turns deep amber, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour in the stock carefully (again being mindful of sputtering), Shaoxing, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and chile and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced, syrupy and glossy, 5 to 7 minutes.

4. Use your fingers to break the tofu into 1.5cm pieces, return to the pan and add the spring onion whites. Toss to coat with the sauce and cook until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and discard the star anise and dried chilli. Garnish with spring onion greens and serve immediately with steamed rice.

Tip: To replicate 3½ tablespoons (60ml) dark soy sauce using regular or light soy sauce, combine 3½ tablespoons (60ml) regular or light soy sauce with 2 teaspoons treacle molasses.

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Crispy grains and halloumi with smashed cucumbers

A quick and easy vegetarian one-pan meal (Getty/iStock)

This vegetarian one-pan meal is inspired by crispy rice dishes such as tahdig, fried rice and pegao but, instead of white rice, this recipe calls for whole grains such as brown rice. For best results, spread the grains and chickpeas on a sheet pan and pat lightly with a paper towel to remove moisture before cooking – the drier they are, the more they’ll crisp up. Then top everything with smashed cucumbers that have been combined with citrus and fresh herbs. As the whole grains cook, the cucumbers marinate, releasing sweet, grassy juices that are then used as a dressing (you can also use the liquid on a simple panzanella or a baby-green salad).

By: Ali Slagle

Makes: 4 servings

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

50g cooked grains (such as brown rice), shaken or patted dry

225-250g halloumi or feta, torn into 1.5-2.5cm pieces

1 (400g) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and shaken dry

4 small cucumbers

Salt

2 limes or lemons or 1 grapefruit

10g finely chopped coriander, dill or parsley leaves and stems, or a mix

3½ tablespoons (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon ground cumin or coriander

Black pepper

Method

1. Heat the grill on high with a rack 15cm or less from the heat source. Put the grains, halloumi and chickpeas on a baking tray to air dry while you prepare the other ingredients (you can do this up to a day ahead and refrigerate).

2. Meanwhile, smash the cucumbers with the side of your knife until they’re craggy and split. Coarsely chop into irregular 1.5cm pieces. Transfer the cucumbers and any liquid on the cutting board to a small bowl and season with salt. Finely grate about 1 teaspoon of the citrus zest over the cucumbers, then squeeze in 3 tablespoons juice. Cut any remaining citrus into wedges for serving. Add the herbs and 1 tablespoon olive oil, stir to combine and set aside (cucumbers can be prepared up to 3 hours in advance).

3. Add remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and the cumin to the tray. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, spread in an even layer, and broil, shaking the pan occasionally or tossing with a fork, until the chickpeas start to pop and everything is crisped and golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes.

4. Serve the grain-bean mixture topped with the cucumbers and the dressing in the bowl. Season to taste with salt, pepper, citrus juice and olive oil.

Tip: You can crisp the grains, halloumi and chickpeas in a large skillet over medium high in a little oil instead of the broiler; simply work in batches. If you choose to use feta instead of halloumi, know that depending on the type, it may melt instead of crisp.

Roasted salmon and Brussels sprouts with citrus-soy sauce

This dish requires very little work on your part (Getty/iStock)

Roasting vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, spring onions and jalapeño peppers next to salmon fillets as they cook makes for a crunchy, sweet and spicy side that requires very little work on your part. When the salmon and vegetables are done, spoon a lively sauce made of citrus juice (any you choose), rice vinegar and soy sauce over everything. If you like, serve with rice, whole grains or Japanese-style noodles – there’s plenty of sauce to go around.

By: Ali Slagle

Makes: 4 servings

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

450g Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced

3 to 4 spring onions, trimmed, white and green parts thinly sliced

1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons toasted sesame or extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper

4 (170g) skin-on salmon fillets, about 2.5cm thick

3½ tablespoons (60ml) freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Honey, to taste (optional)

Method

1. Heat oven to 200C, and line a baking tray with baking paper. In a large bowl, toss Brussels sprouts, spring onions and jalapeño with the 2 tablespoons oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper, then spread out on the prepared baking tray.

2. Pat the salmon fillets dry, then season with salt and pepper and nestle them, skin side down, among the Brussels sprouts. Roast, stirring the sprouts occasionally, until they are tender and the salmon is cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes (the salmon is done when a knife slides through it easily and the fish flakes, or when an instant-read thermometer reaches 50C).

3. While the salmon is roasting, stir together the citrus juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce and 2 tablespoons water (if you find it too puckery, add a little honey or more water). Serve the sauce alongside the salmon and Brussels sprouts for drizzling and dipping.

Chicken katsu

Popular Japanese comfort food (Getty/iStock)

Katsu, a popular Japanese comfort food of breaded cutlets, is commonly made with chicken or pork. For this chicken version, boneless chicken breasts are pounded thin, dredged in flour, egg and panko breadcrumbs, then fried until golden brown for an irresistible crispy crust that yields to – and protects – juicy meat inside. The traditional accompaniments are a mound of crunchy shredded cabbage, steamed rice and a generous drizzle of sweet-savoury katsu sauce. Also called tonkatsu sauce, it’s a tangy Japanese-style barbecue sauce made with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, ginger and clove. The sauce is easy to make, lasts indefinitely in the fridge and serves as a great all-purpose dip.

By: Kay Chun

Makes: 4 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the tonkatsu sauce:

6 tablespoons ketchup

6 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

4 teaspoons unsulphured molasses

2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

¼ teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

For the chicken katsu:

Vegetable oil, as needed for frying

120g all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, beaten

100g panko breadcrumbs

2 (225g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved crosswise then pounded 0.5cm-thick

Salt and black pepper

340g finely shredded green cabbage

Tonkatsu sauce, steamed rice and lemon wedges, for serving

Method

1. Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well.

2. Prepare the chicken: fill a large cast-iron or heavy frying pan with around 8mm oil. Heat over medium until an instant-read thermometer registers 175C.

3. Place flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in 3 separate wide, shallow bowls or large plates.

4. Season chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. Working with one cutlet at a time, dredge in flour until fully coated, then shake off excess. Dip in egg, coating both sides, let excess drip off, then press into breadcrumbs until well coated. Transfer to a clean plate and repeat with remaining 3 cutlets.

5. Gently lower 2 cutlets into the oil and fry until golden underneath, about 2 minutes. Adjust heat to keep it as close to 175C as possible. Turn over and fry until chicken is golden on the second side and cooked through, 1½ to 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and season with salt. Repeat with remaining 2 cutlets.

6. Slice cutlets into thick slices and transfer to plates. Divide the cabbage in mounds next to the katsu. Drizzle the katsu with some of the tonkatsu sauce. Serve with small bowls of rice, lemon wedges and extra tonkatsu sauce.

Spring minestrone with kale and pasta

A flexible broth to suit whatever you’ve got left in the fridge (Getty/iStock)

This one-pot springtime minestrone combines asparagus, peas and kale with a healthy dose of fresh ginger. The ginger is optional but it energises the broth. This recipe is fairly flexible overall: you can swap green vegetables according to taste, use vegetable or chicken stock and toss in any type of short pasta. The pesto and parmesan swirled in at the end provide brightness and richness but you could also finish the soup with tapenade, sour cream, ricotta or even a splash of your favourite hot sauce.

By: Kay Chun

Makes: 4 servings

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

3½ tablespoons (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil

2 large shallots or 1 small onion, thinly sliced

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger (optional)

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1.9L low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock

140g small shaped pasta

225g asparagus, trimmed and sliced into 1.5cm pieces, thinly sliced courgette or chopped broccoli

140g fresh or frozen peas

140 baby kale, baby spinach or torn spinach

Shop-bought pesto and grated parmesan, for serving

Method

1. In a heavy soup pot or casserole dish, heat the oil over medium. Add shallots and celery and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the ginger, if using, and garlic and stir until very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add stock and bring to a simmer.

3. Stir in pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Stir in asparagus and peas and cook until vegetables and pasta are tender, about 3 minutes longer. Stir in kale and season with salt and pepper.

4. Divide soup among bowls. Swirl in some pesto and top with parmesan.

© The New York Times