Weeknight Kitchen

This recipe is admittedly a little basic, but sometimes, basic is good. Basic is a garlicky, white winey, tomatoey broth that will take care of your expensive seafood, cook it gently, and make everything taste delicious.

Shchi is one of the most famous soups in Russia. It is usually made with white or green cabbage, but some versions are made with other green leafy vegetables, especially spinach, sorrel or nettles.

You can find kung pao chicken on pretty much every Chinese takeout menu. It’s a staple for anyone who orders late-night Chinese food, and it is one of those Americanized Chinese dishes that everyone I know grew up with—except me. Chef and Christopher were trading stories about their favorite takeout dishes and raving about the addictiveness of a super-spicy, garlicky, well-made kung pao dish. I was skeptical that it could really be that tasty, but then Chef came up with a brilliant idea to make me a vegan version with chickpeas. I was sold. It’s crunchy and earthy, and I love it over a bowl of hot fluffy rice.

Dukkah—a condiment of nuts, seeds, and spices—has its origin in ancient Egypt, but this innovative recipe from chef Chris Feldmeier redefines dukkah in the modern spirit of vegetable-based cooking. Chris, who ran the kitchen at Bar Moruno, now closed, transforms butternut squash into a spectacular vegetable main dish with heaps of toasty, crunchy spiced nuts. It could even be the centerpiece for Thanksgiving if you celebrate sans turkey.

So many of my favorite dishes are connected to memories from years ago, if not decades ago, and this is one of them. My son always loved a good meatball soup, and when Wolfie was a little boy and I didn’t feel like cooking, I opened a can of Progresso Chickarina soup. It’s regarded by many as the greatest tasting soup ever sold in a can, right up there next to Campbell’s classic tomato soup. Years ago the grocery stores in my neighborhood quit carrying the chickarina soup, which led me on a quest to make my own—and all I can say is thank goodness I set out on that journey. The meatballs are the key to my version; they’re tiny and sticky and decidedly unlike those you’d make for spaghetti and meatballs or turkey meatball soup. They have a unique consistency, enabling them to cook differently in the chicken broth. They end up as tasty little puffs. And yes, this requires an investment in time, mostly to make the meatballs. But it’s worth the wait. This is comfort food at its finest—a perfect call for lunch or dinner on the coldest day of the year. Or take it in a thermos on an outdoor adventure—a widemouthed thermos, of course.

Tofu is a brilliant blank canvas for adding flavour to, and the firm variety holds really well when fried. Here I’ve coated it in fiery wasabi paste and sesame seeds before cooking it until crunchy, yet still soft in the middle. This delicate Japanese-inspired salad is simply delicious and works brilliantly with tofu.

There are American, Hungarian, French, Portuguese, African, and Scandinavian variations of the story of Stone Soup—a parable that teaches how each of us can contribute a little to the whole, which then becomes something much greater than the sum of its parts. So many different cultures telling a similar story of neighborliness and gathering around a pot of soup is a lesson in and of itself. Think of all the people in your community right now with whom you could share this wonderful recipe.

This crispy noodle and savoury meaty sauce combo is a winner!

This velvety cheesecake is made with toasted coconut in the crust plus a shaggy garnish of shredded coconut on the top.