Sam Sifton’s note: This is among the easiest, most flavorful preparations of greens imaginable, and it pairs beautifully with almost any vaguely Asian roasted meat or fish. It is also exceptional on its own, with rice. You could swap out the bok choy for broccoli, if that’s all you have, or chard, or beet greens.
Conne’s note: Or Napa cabbage!
I was also excited to see the delicata squash because I had this recipe from Alexandra Cooks and wanted to try it. It calls for collards but I think that large head of lettuce will do just fine. I could have done it with butternut, but delicata is so easy. No peeling! (I am such a lazy cook.)
I can’t resist sharing this recipe from Epicurious, easiest way ever to deal with a butternut squash. Chop up that rounded base and other trimmings and turn it into soup but use the big beefy neck to an easy dinner. I love that this is skillet cooked, not roasted. Easier for someone like me, who likes to multi-task in the kitchen, to keep an eye on its progress.
Here’s my favorite sweet recipe, courtesy of a PeachDish recipe adapted from April McGreger’s Savor the South. Though PeachDish, the prepared meal service, is gone, I’m grateful to have their simple recipe cards still in hand!
Needing eggplant inspiration from the beatnik 70’s? Try this moussaka recipe from my mother’s ex-boyfriend Paul. The resulting casserole might be short on authenticity, but is long on yum.
From Bon Appetit Y’all, by Virginia Willis. This remains one of my all-time favorite cookbooks. Chef Willis suggests taking a cue from French kitchens and folding the confit into scrambled eggs, tossing with salad greens or pasta, or topping grilled bread crisps with chopped herbs.
from “My Pinewood Kitchen” by Mee McCormick
if you’re up for a project, I’ve got a suggestion. It’s a lentil salad with roasted peppers and tomatoes. I have no idea where the recipe came from, but it called for tuna. Sometimes I use that. Sometimes I just leave it out. I often forget how much I love lentils, then when I’m reminded, I eat them for several weeks in a row. I’ve got a lentil-butternut squash salad waiting in the wings for when butternut squash returns to our box.
How about this recipe from Southern Living back in the day? I’ve got some pepper jelly that needs eating up. I’m going to make this over the weekend. And hope for okra again next week so I can do my cornmeal-okra thing then.
This is a recipe that’s easy to scale up if you have more guests to feed.
The kashk is available at persianbasket.com but Lotfi says you could substitute strained fat-free Greek yogurt if you prefer.