Weeknight Kitchen

I always feel like I’m the last one to pick up my kids from school, probably because I always think that I have more time than I actually do or that I can get from A to B faster than I really can. Copenhagen’s Torvehallerne Market is practically next door to the school, and I stop in just about every day before picking them up. Of course, once I’m there I have to get a coffee, and then I bump into a friend and stop to chat for what seems like only a minute, and all of a sudden time has gotten away from me and I know I’ll only have a half-hour to cook dinner when we get home. Fortunately, this baked fish takes even less time than that. It’s a go-to for busy weeknights.

In this recipe adds Swiss chard, sausage and tender ricotta cheese to a classic bread pudding recipe. Make this the day ahead and pop it in the oven when you get home at day’s end.

The more limited produce offerings of colder months encourage me to get creative with salads. In place of fresh greens, I’ll often use a base of radicchio, chicory, endive, or even thinly shaved root vegetables. I brighten up dressings with citrus zest, parsley, or flavored oils and vinegars, which offer a nice contrast to the earthiness of winter vegetables. Walnut and hazelnut oil are my favorites: they’re pricey but intensely flavorful, so a small amount goes a long way.

These simple yet flavorful ingredients can be put together in minutes and left to cook. This recipe can be made with chicken, lamb, or chopped potatoes. The simple yet distinct flavors of the greens and spices make it taste delicious with the chutney of your choice and a side of rice or bread.

Green coconut chutney is delicious with kababs and fritters or in sandwiches.

Roasting mushrooms gives them a great, meaty texture that is perfect for this grilled cheese sandwich. This takes more time, but – trust us – the flavor is far more intense.

I don’t know what it is about tinned tuna but I think it’s rank (that’s Yorkshire for disgusting). Having said that, this pasta dish is delicious and could turn me. The recipe comes from Jo Courtney – friend, farmer and one half of Bridge Farm Organics with her husband, Trevor. They grow amazing asparagus and rhubarb that I have been using for years. The original recipe comes from a lady, Mrs Lorenzetto, who used to look after Jo when she was a young pup.

Greens, avocado, tomato and red onion are sprinkled liberally with the chaat masala and a little fresh chile. Layer cooked chicken breast on top and drizzle the whole thing with a cumin-coriander based dressing.

Moxie soda is a beloved New England soft drink first created in 1876 as a medicinal beverage. It’s flavored with gentian root, giving it a bitter flavor, with hints of cola, root beer, and Dr Pepper, which is what you should substitute if you can’t find Moxie where you live. It’s the secret ingredient in these beans, giving them a complex, sweet, and fruity flavor.