Fuchsia Dunlop's Pantry Noodles

There are days - you know the ones - when you must make a meal out of nothing. In winter, my go-to is Jen's Linguine with Sardines, Fennel, and Tomato (often with onion instead of fennel, since that's always around). In summer, it's slices of sourdough and perfect tomatoes and some sort of cheese. When it's not that, it's migas or chilaquiles. I really like tomatoes.

But still, it's nice to have other options. And last night, while planning Friday night dinner, I came across a Guardian article about making dinner from the pantry. Bookmarked, saved.

I had been gushing over yet another round of videos about Turkish cooking, trying to back my way into a decent recipe for Kanafe. Not so simple. Turned out it was much easier to figure out a dinner plan for the evening. I revisited that Guardian piece, saw Fuchsia Dunlop's recipe for spicy sesame noodles, and called it a day.

Good Chinese food is all about balancing the hot, sour, salty, and sweet. So why do sesame noodles always get a pass? We load them up with peanut butter until they're gluey and cloying. If we're being honest, here, I find it sort of gross. But thanks to Fuchsia, there is a better way. I'll never make sesame noodles the same again.

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Dunlop's sauce is a pantry sauce. It's based on peanut butter. But smartly, she has you add a bit of water to the mixture, giving an otherwise clumpy sauce the texture of light cream. The noodles get slicked and flavored, but never clump.

Also likely in your pantry: soy sauce, vinegar. Maybe some sesame oil. A cucumber, a scallion. Maybe some sesame seeds. That's it. If you don't have any of the above, don't sweat it. You need something acidic. Chianking vinegar is best, but red wine vinegar and lime juice both work. I bet lemon juice would work, too. As for the vegetables, Dunlop calls only for scallion, but adding a cucumber makes the experience feel less "crap, instant ramen" and more "wow, I'm a genius." If you have some kale or bok choy or cabbage or carrots red pepper or whatever else, feel free to throw that in, too. And remember, this is pantry dinner: don't worry so much about quantities.

We've got four pints of sungold cherry tomatoes on the counter, and I've been munching on them almost maniacally, waiting for regular tomatoes to get good and seconds to hit the markets. August is canning season around here, and while I already pressure-canned 6 pints of salsa (!), the fun is just beginning. Happy end of July, folks. See you in the dog days.

Fuchsia Dunlop's Pantry NoodlesAdapted from Fuchsia Dunlop, via this article in the Guardian Serves 4

This is a pantry dinner, but still - Fuchsia Dunlop's pantry might look a bit different than yours. I've listed her recommended ingredients first, followed by one or more totally acceptable substitutes. Remember, don't sweat it.

For the noodles:
4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons light soy sauce or scant 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce
1.5 teaspoons dark soy sauce or 1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon Chianking vinegar or scant 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar or lime juice
3 teaspoons chili oil (to taste - Dunlop says 2-6), or use whatever chili paste/sauce you have (sriracha, sambal oelek, etc), adding to taste
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
500 grams dried udon noodles or any other noodle you like

To finish:
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
2 scallions, sliced thinly
2 Persian cucumbers, quartered lengthwise and sliced
Any other vegetables you have lying around (red pepper, carrot, cabbage, bok choy, kale, whatever), chopped into bite-sized pieces

Toast the sesame seeds in a small dry pan over medium heat until golden. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, use a fork to mash the peanut butter with the soy sauces (or soy sauce and honey) and vinegar until completely smooth. Stir in the chili and sesame oils and the garlic, and add enough water to make the mixture the consistency of whipping cream.

Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the package. If you're serving these noodles cold, as I did, set up an ice bath and use it to shock the noodles as soon as they finish cooking. Drain the noodles.

Separate the noodles into 4 bowls. Divide any vegetables you're using among the bowls, and ladle a spoonful of the sauce over each bowl. Top with scallions and sesame seeds. Tell your guests to mix everything well before eating.

Eggplant Pea Curry

Last week at work, I spent at least half of a 30-minute meeting peppering an Indian colleague about why my curries don't taste "authentic." I told her I was starting to think that my chosen guides to Indian cooking, Julie Sahni and Madhur Jaffrey, were just like the Jewish grandmothers of my youth, who mysteriously "forgot" one or two ingredients when sharing a family recipe. I wondered, were they adding an extra half-cup of ghee or cream to every recipe? Was there yet another important Indian spice -- not hing or kala namak, because I have both of those -- that they were quietly adding to every dish? Lately, it's started to seem that authentic Indian food, the stuff of Langley Park and Fairfax and my friends' mothers' kitchens, requires a secret handshake, a lifetime of understanding, or something else that I just don't have. My curries taste good, but sometimes they recall hippie sustenance more than Saravana Palace.

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But, until some merciful expert comes to my rescue, I'm going to keep chipping away. The good news is that, with a few dozen experiments under my belt, I'm starting to get the rhythm of curry: making the tarka, or spiced ghee; sautéing the aromatics and adding the tomatoes to build a gravy; cooking the legumes just right; adjusting the heat; and so on.

I wouldn't say I'm ready to take on curry without a recipe, but I'm definitely at the point where I can look at a few templates and find my way. This eggplant-pea curry came out of such an experiment. I love baingan bartha, but coaxing all that smoke out of the eggplant takes more time than I had. I also love a good aloo muttar (peas and potatoes), but I had a couple eggplants that needed immediate attention. That's how I settled on a curry of eggplants and peas, cooked in a style that melded baingan bartha and aloo muttar. I broiled the eggplant, which softens it quickly and infuses it with mild smoke; I used frozen peas, and I'd use them even at the height of spring (which is coming!!) because guys? Frozen peas are always better. Let the farmers come after me.

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The rest is pretty straightforward, and I'm really, really happy with how this one turned out. I'd say it's almost as easy as my very weeknight-friendly mushroom-pea curry from back when, and I'll admit that I like this one even more. Sorry, belatedly, if you're not a fan of Indian food. I'm clearly on a kick. For the rest of you? You're welcome. Let's have curry night together sometime.

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Eggplant Pea Curry Serves 4 as a component of a meal

1 large globe eggplant 2 tablespoons ghee or oil (preferably with a high smoke-point, like safflower or sunflower) 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 medium red onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 serrano or red asian chiles, seeded and chopped 1-inch knob ginger, minced 1 teaspoon garam masala 1-1.5 cups diced or crushed tomatoes (either works) 2/3 cup water 1 teaspoon salt, to taste (less if tomatoes are salted) 8 oz. frozen peas 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish

Cook the eggplant: Preheat the broiler, or turn your oven to its hottest setting. If using a broiler, place a rack in the highest position in your oven.

Pierce the eggplant all over its surface with a fork, place on an ungreased baking sheet. Broil or roast for 25-30 minutes, rotating every 5-7 minutes, until eggplant is blackened in spots and very soft. (Eggplant likely won't blacken if not using the broiler, but no matter.)

Remove the eggplant from the oven and immediately transfer to a heatsafe bowl. Cover in plastic wrap, and set aside to steam while it cools, at least 15 minutes.

Prepare the curry: Heat the ghee or oil over medium-high heat in a deep sauté pan and add add cumin seeds. They will sizzle. When seeds smell fragrant, add the onion, garlic, chilies, and ginger. Stir a few times, then cook about 8 minutes, until very fragrant and starting to soften. Add garam masala, tomatoes, water, and some salt to taste. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 10 minutes, until gravy has come together and reduced slightly.

While the gravy cooks, remove plastic wrap from eggplant, slit the skin with a knife, and scrape the flesh out of the eggplant shell using a fork. You want to break it up a bit, but no need for it to be perfectly pureed. Some chunks are nice.

Uncover gravy and add eggplant. Stir carefully to incorporate, and cook 5 minutes more. Then add peas, stir to incorporate, and cook 2 minutes, just until warmed through. Taste and adjust salt content.

Serve over rice, with cilantro, yogurt or raita, and chutney if desired.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Feta and Savory Fig Compote

The trendsetters over at Food52 recently told me that I could unabashedly pluRonk a whole cauliflower onto my table and call it dinner. Not just any cauliflower, though: it was this one, simmered in a rich, flavorful broth, then roasted on high high heat until the edges were singed, the whole orb a glistening golden. Then I could plunk it on my table and call it dinner. I needed zero convincing to try this one.

I will confess, though, that I only had one cauliflower in the fridge, and I was nervous that it wouldn't be enough to feed four of us. Since I'd bought a beautiful fillet of shad the previous day, I decided to roast that alongside the cauliflower. This meant that the cauliflower wasn't our only main dish, but no matter: it was a pièce de résistance all the same. The inner flesh was soft and flavorful from the broth, and those outer bits, well - I could eat them all day long.

The sauces didn't hurt, either: one was a whipped feta, made with a bit of yogurt and some softly whipped cream. The other was a savory fig compote, made by heating and steeping dried figs with capers until everything was soft, then blending the mixture until it was smooth. Sweet and briny, it was the perfect compliment to the silky cauliflower.

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The Menu: As promised, here's what we served for dinner that night:

• Leek Apple Walnut Soup (totally vegan, really delicious)
• Cauliflower with whipped feta and savory fig spread on the side
• Simply roasted shad (smeared with a bit of the fig jam; roasted with a few segments of lemon, flaky salt, and a drizzle of olive oil)
• Platter of leeks, turnips, and carrots roasted in equal parts miso and olive oil for about 45 minutes, until soft and browned
• Bulgur salad with eggplant and tahini dressing (from our friend Jana; super tasty)
• This orange marmalade cake, served  with whipped cream fortified with a bit of sour cream. Great combination

Dinner was simple, but we really enjoyed it.  And had we skipped the shad, we wouldn't have missed it.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Feta and Savory Fig SpreadAdapted from Alon Shaya, via Food 52Serves 2 as a main course with leftovers, 4 as a side

For the cauliflower: 1 whole cauliflower, leaves removed, stem trimmed 2 1/2 cups dry white wine 1/3 cup olive oil 1/4 cup salt (don't worry - it doesn't make the cauliflower too salty. Remember, you're seasoning 10 cups of liquid.) 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper 1 tablespoon sugar 1 bay leaf

Heat oven to 475° F. Bring wine, oil, salt, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, sugar, bay leaf, and 8 cups water to a boil in a large pot.

When broth is boiling, carefully lower in cauliflower, reduce heat, and simmer 15-20 minutes, turning once at the 10-minute mark, until a knife easily inserts into center. Using 2 slotted spoons or a mesh strainer or spider, transfer cauliflower to a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan, draining well. Roast, rotating pan halfway through, until brown all over, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer cauliflower to a plate. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil; sprinkle with sea salt. Serve with whipped feta cheese and/or savory fig compote. (recipes below)

That broth, by the way? Do not throw it away. It makes a fantastic base for soup and stew, and works like a charm as the cooking liquid for grains. I made some killer wheatberries in it right after removing the cauliflower.

For the whipped feta: 4 oz. feta cheese 1/2 cup whipping cream 3 oz. yogurt or sour cream

Put feta in a medium mixing bowl. Use a fork to mash the feta until mostly smooth (some chunks are okay). In a separate bowl, whip cream until it just barely holds soft peaks. Fold whipped cream and yogurt/sour cream into feta until combined.

For the fig compote: 1 cup dried figs, stems removed, halved 2 tablespoons capers plus 1 tablespoon caper brine (okay to skip if using salt-cured capers) 1/2 cup brewed chai tea

Bring chai tea and 1/2 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add figs and capers; simmer 5 minutes. Then remove from heat and let steep 1 hour. Blend cooled mixture using immersion or regular blender until smooth.

Eggplant Dirty Rice

When the chef of a two-star Michelin restaurant concocts a dish that is entirely vegetarian and made in one pot, you should cross off whatever main course is currently on your dinner menu and make that dish instead.

That's what happened here. I was scrolling through Food and Wine's website and came across this humble, strange-looking recipe for dirty rice - a New Orleans staple - with absolutely no shellfish, with absolutely no fussing. Adam said it was the best vegetarian meal he'd eaten in a long time. I wanted it to be the best vegetarian meal I'd eaten in a long time. So I scrapped my menu of sun-shaped spinach pie (though, how cool does that pie look?!) and harissa hummus, in favor of David Kinch's eggplant dirty rice. Mistake? Not even a little.

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It's hard to believe this dish is completely vegan. The flavor comes from the NOLA trinity - onions, celery, and green pepper - and plenty of umami from sou sauce and tomato paste. And guys, seriously, the whole thing happens in one big ol' pot. Don't you have to cook the eggplant separately, as one of our guests asked? Why no, you don't. You just pile it all in there. And somewhere between the vegetables sweating and browning and the rice cooking, the eggplant turns into something soft and silky and amazing, all with absolutely no effort. I don't know what else to tell you.....besides you must make this.

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Menu planning: I've been mulling over adding a section to the website where I document the menus from dinner parties and other times we've hosted. For me, the hardest part of getting a meal together is figuring out the menu. I struggle to figure out what dishes go together, and I often end up feeling like I've made either one too many or one too few dishes. If you'd like to see more menus up here, give a shout in the comments. Meanwhile, let's try it on for size. Here's what I served for Saturday lunch with the dirty rice:

• Caramelized onion focaccia(recipe forthcoming. Awesome.)
• Salad (brought by our friend Ron: a mixture of lettuce, beet and sunflower sprouts, carrots, and peppers. Basic vinaigrette. Delish.)
• Pepper-crusted seared tuna with soy-avocado sauce based on the one in this recipe
• Brussels sprout hash with poppy seeds and lemon
• Lemon custard cups with whipped cream and graham cracker crumbs (recipe forthcoming)

I thought the meal worked well, and it's nice to have the template recorded for the next time I'm totally lacking inspiration and have to cook.

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Without further ado, your new favorite weeknight dinner:

Eggplant Dirty RiceAdapted from David Kinch's recipe in Food and Wine

First, know that this recipe makes a ton. We had a huge pot, enough to serve 6 people as a side dish with tons left for weekday lunch. You won't hear any complaints from me about the quantity, but if you're having 8 people, unless it's a main course with little else on the side, you probably don't need to double the recipe. Second, you really do need the 1/4 cup of oil. Can you use less? Yes. Will it be as creamy and silky as it would with the full amount? Probably not. Plus, think of it this way - the recipe serves 8-10, which means there's 1/2 a tablespoon or less in each serving. However, if you'd rather use olive oil, I won't tell David Kinch on you. Third, depending on how salty your broth and soy sauce are, you may want to reduce the quantities of salt I recommend. Consider starting with a 1/4 teaspoon at each interval and adding more later. Finally, do make sure you bring the rice to a boil before sticking it in the oven. If you don't, the rice on the bottom of the pot will cook perfectly but the top layer will be pretty raw after 17 minutes in the oven. Not that I would know...okay, I made the mistake so you don't have to. xo -r

1/4 cup canola oil 3 celery ribs, finely chopped 2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped 1 medium onion, finely chopped Kosher salt 1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into 3/4-inch cubes 1 tablespoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon finely ground white pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 1/2 cups medium-grain white rice 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth 1/4 cup chopped parsley, for serving Hot sauce, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot (I used a Dutch oven), heat oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add celery, bell peppers, and onion, and season with about 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (less if using table salt). Cover pot and cook 5 minutes, until onions have softened. Uncover and cook 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have browned slightly.

Add eggplant, thyme, and all three peppers, along with 1/2 teaspoon more of kosher salt. Cook on medium heat for 6-8 minutes, until eggplant has softened considerably but maintains its shape. Add tomato paste and garlic, stir to combine, and cook for 1 minute. Then add soy sauce, rice, and broth, and bring to a boil over high heat.

Cover pot, transfer to the oven, and bake for 17 minutes, until the rice is just tender. Remove from the oven and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice and serve with hot sauce and chopped parsley.