I wrote ode to the anchovy on Monday and obtained a flurry of nice evaluations. Thanks for all of your nice notes and solutions – I am thrilled to be surrounded by so many small fish lovers. (A-fish-ionados?) Give it up due to the “fishtails,” as one avid reader calls them.
Subsequent up on my all-time BIF (Greatest Components Ceaselessly) listing: lemons.
I have been a lemonhead since method again. As a bit of child, I all the time selected lemon tarts over chocolate chip cookies, lemonade over chocolate milk (assuming I could not have each directly). As I write this, I am sipping on a glass of sizzling lemon water, a easy drink that retains me comfortably hydrated all winter lengthy.
(Professional tip: Preserve a bowl of chopped, seedless lemon wedges within the fridge so you’ll be able to simply add a squeeze to a glass of sizzling water or a glass of seltzer, to not point out a dressing, sauce, or different dish that wants a bit of zip; extra about this in this video at 1:38.)
Lemons, like all citrus, are in season in the course of the winter, which is when their tangy sharpness is most wanted.
Small grievance, granted wildfires in Southern California — please take care — however we’re in the course of a chilly snap right here within the Northeast. To Sarah DiGregorio Lemon Greek Chicken, Spinach and Potato Stew is a energetic dish made for chilly temperatures. A easy mixture of lemon, garlic and many herbs brightens up a base of floor hen (or turkey) and potatoes, which is then rounded out with silky spinach. Sarah requires crumbled feta cheese and crushed pita chips to high it off, including simply the appropriate salty crunch.
Featured recipe
Lemon Greek Chicken, Spinach and Potato Stew
Lemon and salmon are a kind of holy grails, with the acidity of the citrus tempering the richness of the fish. This mix shines in my tremendous easy grilled salmon with mustard and lemonA 15-minute meal with a spicy, caramelized crust. Serve it over rice with a bit of mustard and olive oil that may act as a sauce.
Would you want a salad with that? I by no means say no, and in our home lemon dressings (citronettes) are a favourite. Our teenage designated salad maker has her personal no-nonsense recipe: a number of handfuls of greens in a big bowl, a lightweight coating of excellent olive oil, a number of drops of lemon from the trusty citrus slice bowl and a sprinkling of salt, all tossed by hand. She tastes a leaf or two as she goes to regulate the oil, lemon and salt, and thus eats about half her salad earlier than dinner.
If you happen to’re a measuring individual, you may discover Ali Slagle’s arugula salad with parmesan is completely proportioned, with a skinny cap of grated cheese as well. Or for a winter salad with an excellent, juicy crunch, by David Tanis fennel and celery salad with lemon and parmesan brings collectively one of the best of all worlds of citrus, cheese and salad.
Lemon plus black pepper is one other basic mixture and Ali makes use of it to nice impact on this one tofu with lemon pepper and peas. This can be a characteristically intelligent recipe. A coating of cornstarch and sesame seeds makes the tofu good and crispy while you fry it, whereas black pepper, ginger and lemon zest add a tangy be aware. A drizzle of tahini sauce suggests a nutty richness. It is a 30-minute miracle.
Lemon desserts are my soulmates, and I’ve made my method by a lot of them in New York Occasions Cooking. One among my sentimental favorites dates again to 2002 when Regina Schrambling tailored the Jodie Adams movie Lemon Almond Butter Cake. A cross between a cake and a cake, it has a lemon curd filling overlaying a fragile layer of almond cake, all topped with a dollop of almond-flavored whipped cream. It is a good way to finish any meal.
After all you’ll subscribe to get these vibrant recipes, together with the 1000’s of others obtainable at New York Occasions Cooking. If you happen to want technical recommendation, ship a be aware to cookingcare@nytimes.com for assist. And if you wish to say hello — or inform me about your personal BIF listing — I am on hellomelissa@nytimes.com.
That is it for now. I am going to see you on Monday.
