Five Weeknight Dishes: Easy cleanup is romantic

By Emily Weinstein, The New York Times

Should I be embarrassed by the fact that I like Valentine’s Day? Probably? But I do. I like everything chocolate, I think flowers are charming, I have nothing against a nice glass of wine and I melt when my children present me with homemade cards scribbled with their sweet handwriting. If you welcome an opportunity to cook a special meal for your partner or to put out an amazing spread for your friends, then I’m offering up Valentine’s Day for your consideration.

All that said, there’s nothing less attractive or fun than a kitchen full of tedious cleaning tasks. So I’ve chosen one-pot, minimal-prep recipes for you for this week, along with simple dishes that cook in one pan and could use rice or potatoes on the side, bringing your total to two pots. That’s not so bad, people.

1. Sheet-Pan Cajun Salmon

This full sheet-pan dinner, ready in 30 minutes, couldn’t be any smarter or easier. Here, salmon, potatoes and asparagus are all added to the same tray at different points for a one-pan meal that makes cleanup seamless. A marinade infused with Cajun seasoning and paprika infuses the salmon, adding smokiness and some color. The bite in the asparagus plays off the flaky tenderness of the salmon, and the baby potatoes round it out. This meal stands on its own, but you could also put the leftovers over lettuce for a lunch salad the next day.

By Millie Peartree

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 (8-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets, pin bones removed
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
• 1 pound baby potatoes
• 1 pound thick asparagus stalks, trimmed (see Tip)
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place salmon on a plate, skin side up. Using a sharp knife, make a cut into the skin about 1/8-inch deep, in three different places, making sure not to cut all the way through the flesh. In a medium bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons olive oil with the Cajun seasoning, paprika and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour over the salmon to coat it on both sides and set aside to marinate while you prepare the rest of the dish.

2. To a rimmed sheet pan, add potatoes, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat and roast for about 15 minutes until tender. (Larger potatoes may take longer.)

3. As potatoes roast, toss the asparagus with the garlic, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste.

4. Move the potatoes to one end of the pan and place salmon skin side up next to them. Add asparagus in an even layer to the other end of the pan, and roast everything together for 10 to 13 minutes, until the asparagus is tender and the salmon is cooked to taste. If you’d like the skin to be crispy, you can transfer the vegetables from the pan to a serving platter and pop the fish under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve hot.

Tip

The thicker the asparagus, the better, as the steam from the fish can make thinner asparagus soggy.

2. Brown-Butter Orzo With Butternut Squash

In this autumnal one-pot meal, rice-shaped orzo is cooked with stock and butternut squash until it’s tender and creamy, a little like risotto but without as much stirring. Brown butter, lemon zest and sage add depth of flavor, while red-pepper flakes give this zip and heat. An optional dollop of ricotta intensifies the creaminess but feel free to skip it for a lighter dish. This recipe also works well as a hearty side for roasted meats and fish.

By Melissa Clark

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup thinly sliced shallots (2 to 3), or use onion or leek
• 1 small (2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (3 cups)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves, or 2 teaspoons chopped rosemary or marjoram, plus more for serving if you like
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
• 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
• 3 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cup uncooked orzo
• 1 lemon, zested and halved
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta (optional)

Preparation

1. In a medium Dutch oven, or a large (12-inch) skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the foam subsides, the milk solids turn golden brown and it smells nutty and toasty, 3 to 4 minutes. (Watch carefully to see that it doesn’t burn.)

2. Stir in shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add squash, sage, a large pinch of salt, the 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and the 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, and cook until squash is golden at the edges and begins to soften, 12 to 17 minutes.

3. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in orzo, lemon zest and the 1 teaspoon salt. Cover the pan and simmer over medium-low heat until orzo is just tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 14 to 18 minutes, stirring once or twice. If the pan dries out before the orzo and squash are tender, add a splash or two of water.

4. Remove pan from heat and stir in Parmesan. Taste and add more salt if needed, and a squeeze of lemon juice if the dish needs brightness. Dollop with ricotta if using, and sprinkle with more grated Parmesan and black pepper just before serving, garnishing the top with more red-pepper flakes and sage.

3. Rib-Eye Steak

For crusty, juicy and flavorful rib-eye steaks, pat them dry for better searing and season liberally with salt and pepper before cooking in a cast-iron skillet (which retains heat), then flip the steaks often for fast, evenly cooked steaks. Finally, baste them with butter and, if you like, aromatics like shallots or fresh herbs, to deepen their deliciousness. This method also works for sirloin or strip steaks of the same size. Serve with an arugula salad, green beans or twice-baked potatoes. (For grilling instructions, see Tip.)

By Ali Slagle

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Total time: About 1 hour

Ingredients

• 2 (12- to 16-ounce) boneless rib-eye steaks, at least 1-inch thick, patted dry
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 teaspoons neutral oil (such as grapeseed)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced (optional)
• 3 thyme sprigs or 2 rosemary sprigs (optional)

Preparation

1. Season the steaks all over with salt and pepper and let sit for 45 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature. (You can season and refrigerate the steaks uncovered up to 24 hours ahead.)

2. Pat the steaks dry once again. Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high until just smoking, about 2 minutes. Add the oil and swirl the pan to coat the bottom. Add the steak and cook, flipping every minute, until crusty and browned, 4 to 6 minutes total. If your steaks have fat caps, use tongs to stack the steaks, grab both and sear the fat caps until crisp, about 1 minute. Return the steaks to the skillet.

3. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the butter, and shallot and thyme, if using. Once the butter is mostly melted, tilt the pan and use a large spoon to baste the steak with the pan drippings for 1 minute. Flip the steaks. Continue to baste and flip every minute until the steak registers an internal temperature of 120 to 125 degrees for medium-rare or 130 to 135 degrees for medium, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer meat to a plate, pour over the pan drippings, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice against the grain and serve.

Tips

To grill the steaks, season according to Step 1 and heat a grill to high (above 450 degrees). Grill until browned and crusty underneath, 4 to 5 minutes. (Cover the grill if using a gas grill.) Flip and cook until the steak registers an internal temperature of 120 to 125 degrees for medium-rare or 130 to 135 degrees for medium, 3 to 7 minutes. If the steak is flaring up, move to a cooler part of the grill. Rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then slice against the grain and serve.

4. Gochujang-Glazed Eggplant With Fried Scallions

Loosely inspired by the Korean banchan gaji bokkeum (stir-fried eggplant), this recipe keeps the eggplant in large pieces and sears it over high heat, yielding beautifully cooked flesh and still-violet skin. Though gaji bokkeum is traditionally soy sauce-based, my mother uses gochujang, the fermented Korean chile paste, for added sweetness and heat. The result is divine: As the sticky red sauce clings to the fried eggplant spears, it caramelizes in the heat of the pan and provides a glossy finish. The real star of this dish, though, is the scallion oil. The tangle of thinly sliced scallions crisps in olive oil, lending its oniony flavor to the oil, which is then used to cook the eggplant. This dish is salty, spicy and sweet — everything you want in a banchan — and tastes great with a bowl of fresh white rice.

By Eric Kim

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound Asian eggplant (about 3 large; preferably Korean, or Chinese or Japanese), halved lengthwise and cut into 4- to 5-inch segments
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons gochujang
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 packed teaspoons dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 scallions, trimmed, cut into 3-inch segments, then very thinly sliced lengthwise, white and green parts separated

Preparation

1. Place the eggplant in a colander set inside a large bowl or the sink. Sprinkle with the salt, toss to combine and let sit for 30 minutes to remove excess moisture.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add the gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and garlic. Whisk to combine, then set aside.

3. To a large nonstick skillet, add the olive oil and the white parts of the scallions. Turn the heat to medium and fry the scallions, stirring often, until crispy and evenly browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried scallions onto a paper towel.

4. Reserve a small handful of raw scallion greens for garnish, then fry the remaining scallion greens in the oil until crispy and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer fried scallion greens onto a paper towel.

5. Remove the skillet from the heat and carefully pour the hot scallion oil into a glass container or measuring cup.

6. After the 30 minutes of salting, dry the eggplant segments with a paper towel. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the reserved scallion oil.

7. When the oil starts to shimmer and you see a wisp of smoke, add half the eggplant, cut sides down, and fry until browned and starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip once and cook another minute on the other side. Transfer to a plate, add 2 more tablespoons of scallion oil back to the pan, and repeat to fry the second batch of eggplants. (If you are lucky enough to have any scallion oil left, use it to fry eggs or to dress a salad.)

8. Finally, sauce the eggplants: Add the first batch of eggplants back to the pan alongside the second batch. Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour the reserved gochujang sauce over the eggplants. Toss until evenly coated and the gochujang starts to caramelize, about 1 minute.

9. Plate the eggplants on a large platter and garnish with the fried scallions and the reserved raw scallion greens. Serve immediately. (To store for later, transfer to a resealable container and keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. This dish tastes great cold, straight out of the fridge, or at room temperature.)

5. Marry Me Chicken

This cozy dish, which went viral on TikTok with claims that if you prepare it for someone, you will end up getting married, features boneless chicken breasts nestled in a creamy, tomato-y sauce. With wedding bells in mind or not, this dish comes together fairly quickly and is just as great for entertaining as it is for a family meal. In this version, the addition of tomato paste adds a bright acidity to the rich cream sauce and complements the sun-dried tomatoes. Serve with crusty bread to sop up all the juices as well as tangy green salad to balance out the sauce’s richness. Or, try it over pasta, rice or polenta.

By Naz Deravian

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 6 chicken cutlets (about 2 1/4 pounds total), patted dry
• Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Red-pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan
• 1/3 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
• Fresh basil, for serving

Preparation

1. If using chicken breasts, start from the thickest end and slice each chicken breast in half horizontally so you end up with a total of 6 cutlets (see Tip). Season both sides of the chicken cutlets well with salt and pepper.