A weeknight-dinner personality test

By Emily Weinstein, The New York Times

I have been absorbed in holiday baking and menu planning lately, so much so that I had to do a little reset and check in with myself to figure out what to make for dinner in the days ahead. Was I feeling beefy or fishy? Rich or light? (The answer, unhelpfully, was all of the above.)

So, how about you? Are you feeling saucy and creamy? Bold and bright? Maybe subtle and a little soft? If you’ve answered yes to any of the above, I have superb recipes for you below. And just a reminder that latkes can, in fact, be dinner, especially with smoked salmon and sour cream.

1. Chicken Florentine

In this weeknight recipe, perfectly browned chicken breasts are smothered in a creamy spinach sauce that comes together with ease, all in one skillet. The highlight of this recipe is the buttery white-wine sauce, which is enriched and thickened with a secret ingredient: cream cheese. The sauce nicely coats the wilted spinach, though you can use sun-dried tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms or canned artichokes instead of, or in addition to, the spinach. A side of mashed or roasted potatoes would round out this dish well, but some crusty bread to sop up every last bit is a must.

By Dan Pelosi

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• Salt and black pepper
• 4 thin-cut boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 cups packed baby spinach (about 3 ounces)

Preparation

1. On a plate, mix together the flour, Parmesan and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Dredge each chicken breast in the mixture, evenly coating on both sides.

2. Heat a large pan over medium. Add olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and melt to combine. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown (but not cooked through), about 4 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

3. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and let it melt. Add shallot, garlic and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring until the shallot is softened and the garlic is aromatic, about 2 minutes.

4. Add wine, broth, basil and oregano, and stir, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the liquid has reduced by about half, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the heavy cream and cream cheese and stir, allowing the cream cheese to soften and melt, until a thick sauce forms, about 6 minutes. Add baby spinach and stir until it is folded into the cream sauce and the spinach is beginning to wilt, about 1 minute.

5. Return the chicken breasts to the pan and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan on top.

2. Sausage and Barley Soup With Greens

This simple, satisfying soup relies on sausage as its flavorful base. Start by cooking raw sausage, rather than precooked links, since it generally has better texture and flavor for soup. Pearl barley adds heartiness and a wonderful chewy texture. Stir in a handful of greens at the end, plus a little vinegar for brightness, and you have a cozy meal in less than an hour of mostly hands-off time. To make this soup gluten-free, you can substitute French green lentils for the barley. If you are making it ahead of time, wait to add the greens until you’re ready to serve to preserve their bright, fresh flavor.

By Yossy Arefi

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Total time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces raw Italian pork or chicken sausage (casings removed if necessary)
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)
• Salt and black pepper
• 6 cups stock or water
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup pearl barley (see Tip below)
• 6 cups/about 8 ounces tender greens, like spinach or baby kale
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• Grated Parmesan and fresh herbs (optional), for garnishing

Preparation

1. Heat a medium Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the sausage, pressing it into a thin layer that covers the bottom of the pot. Cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Flip the sausage and break it up into bite-size pieces, then cook until golden brown all over, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes more. If there is a large amount of fat left in the pot after browning the sausage, remove all but about 2 tablespoons.

2. Add the onion and carrots, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the stock, tomatoes and their juices and the barley, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender, about 30 minutes.

4. When ready to serve, stir in the greens and cook until bright green and slightly wilted, about 2 minutes.

5. Add the vinegar, taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

6. Divide among bowls and garnish with Parmesan and fresh herbs, if using. (The soup will keep, refrigerated, for up to 3 days. The barley will absorb some liquid as the soup sits, so loosen any leftover soup with a bit of water or stock.)

Tips

If using regular (hulled) barley, add about 15 minutes to the simmer time for the barley to become tender.

3. Kerala-Style Vegetable Korma

A korma can be made with any combination of meats and vegetables, braised or stewed. In the Indian coastal state of Kerala, where coconuts are abundant, vegetable korma is made with desiccated fresh coconut and coconut milk. This quick, convenient version uses the same foundation — onion, tomatoes, ginger and garlic — while skipping the fresh coconut. It works just as well with whatever combination of fresh or frozen vegetables that might be handy. Cashew butter is used in place of making a paste from soaked cashews. Black mustard seeds add complex bitterness; Thai green chiles, black pepper and garam masala give it a kick. Cutting corners doesn’t quell any flavor in this recipe.

By Zainab Shah

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 18 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup ghee, coconut oil or neutral oil
• 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
• 1 yellow or red onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic
• 3 Thai green chiles, sliced
• 2 teaspoons coarsely ground Malabar black pepper or 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon Kashmiri or other mild red chile powder (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 3 Roma tomatoes (optional), finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons cashew butter
• 1 pound frozen (not thawed) or fresh mixed vegetables, such as cauliflower florets, chopped carrots, peas, broccoli florets, chopped green beans and corn
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)
• Rice, roti or naan, for serving

Preparation

1. Heat ghee or oil in a large pot over high for 30 seconds. Add mustard seeds. When they start to sputter, add onion, ginger, garlic and green chiles. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Stir in black pepper, salt, red chile powder and turmeric. Add tomatoes (if using) and cashew butter and stir until the cashew butter has melted. (If using the tomatoes, continue cooking until the tomatoes start to break down, about 5 minutes.) Stir in vegetables then coconut milk. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce the heat to medium and continue simmering until the vegetables are cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Top with garam masala and cilantro, if using. Serve with rice, roti or naan.

4. Ginger-Scallion Steamed Fish

Connie Chung wanted to add steamed whole fish — a dish served at the Cantonese banquet meals of her childhood — to the menu at Milu, her restaurant in New York City. But to make it work in a fast-casual setting, she needed to make some changes. She wanted to keep the tender fish heady with soy sauce, ginger and scallions, but it had to hold up during delivery and be easy to eat. She landed on steaming cubed fish with soy sauce and a ginger-scallion stock, a forgiving method that isn’t stinky or splattery and results in deeply seasoned, buttery fish. While any firm fish works in this adaptation, Chung uses salmon, her mom’s suggestion. At Milu, this dish is served with rice, charred broccoli, a watercress-cilantro salad and a ginger-scallion oil, but would also be great in a nori hand roll, over salad greens or tossed with ramen.

Recipe from Connie Chung

Adapted by Ali Slagle

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds firm fish, such as salmon, halibut or haddock, cut into 1-inch cubes and patted dry
• 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 4 scallions
• 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar, plus more as needed

Preparation

1. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup water with the fish and salt. Set aside for 10 minutes. (This quick brine will help the fish stay tender.)

2. Meanwhile, slice the scallion whites and light green parts into 1-inch-thick segments, then thinly slice the greens for garnish. Peel the ginger and cut into thin matchsticks.

3. In a large pot or skillet with a lid, combine 1/2 cup water with the scallion segments, ginger, soy sauce and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium-high and cook until reduced by about half, 5 to 7 minutes.

4. Reduce heat to low, then use a slotted spoon or your fingers to transfer the fish to the pot. (No need to pat it dry first.) Stir to coat in the soy mixture, then shake into an even layer. Cover and cook until the fish is cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes.

5. Taste the sauce in the pot ,and if it’s too salty, stir in a pinch of sugar. Divide the fish among bowls, including the sauce, ginger and scallions, and top with the thinly sliced scallion greens. It’s good warm, at room temperature (you can leave out up to 2 hours), or cold from the fridge (store it for up to 1 day).

5. Plantains With Jammy Tomatoes and Eggs

Plantains are nutrient-rich starches that can sweeten as they cook, and, in many parts of the world, they find their way into the best stews and porridges. This recipe is based on “tomato eggs,” a dish popular in Lagos, Nigeria, and across West Africa. Tomato eggs can be made with yams or plantains, and here, firm yellow plantains work best because they hold their shape and texture while absorbing the flavors of the surrounding stew. It’s a perfect meal for days when you want something hot but not too heavy or filling. Any herbs you have on hand will work well, and the dish can be made vegan by substituting medium-firm or soft tofu for the eggs.

By Yewande Komolafe

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 firm yellow plantains (about 1 pound)
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• 1 fresh or dried bay leaf
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper or 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
• 1 (14-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup fresh herbs, such as dill or flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preparation

1. Cut off the ends of each plantain. Use a sharp knife to slice the peel along the length of each plantain without cutting into the flesh. Remove peels and discard. Cut each plantain into 2-to-3-inch-long pieces, and then cut each piece in half lengthwise.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium until it shimmers. Place the plantains in the skillet with the long cut side down. Sear until the cut sides are deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the plantains to a plate and set aside.

3. Pour in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the roasted red peppers and bay leaf, and drop in the Scotch bonnet pepper. Season to taste with salt. Cook, stirring, until the liquid from the roasted peppers evaporates, about 2 minutes.

4. Add the whole peeled tomatoes with their liquid. Use a spatula to carefully break the tomatoes into smaller pieces in the skillet. Fill the can with 1 cup water, swirl to rinse it and pour the liquid into the skillet. Raise the heat to high and bring the sauce to a simmer. Allow the sauce to reduce, stirring occasionally, until thickened and about three-quarters its original volume, about 5 minutes. Season with additional salt if necessary.

5. Reduce the heat to medium and return the plantains to the skillet, nestling each piece in the sauce seared side up until almost submerged. Cook until the plantains are just soft and the tomatoes are jammy, 4 to 6 minutes. When you poke the plantains with a fork, there should be little resistance.

6. Remove and discard the bay leaf and Scotch bonnet pepper. Make four wells in the sauce, spaced out evenly, and gently crack the eggs into the wells one at a time. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil. Cook until the whites of the eggs are set and the yolks runny, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. Garnish with the herbs and serve immediately.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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