Get out your gochujang: Alexa Weibel has a new shrimp pasta built around the Korean red chile paste, which gives the dish so much fiery richness and depth. To make sure that the tender bits of shrimp are evenly strewed throughout the pasta, Lex smartly chops them into bite-size pieces before cooking. Cherry tomatoes add a touch of juicy sweetness, which contrasts beautifully with the gochujang’s pungency. And if you don’t have gochujang on hand, fear not; you can substitute another spicy condiment such as harissa paste, Sriracha or chile crisp.
Featured Recipe
Gochujang Shrimp Pasta
Sticking with noodles, Ali Slagle’s spring soba with tinned fish is the kind of speedy, flexible meal that you can really make your own. She calls for tinned mackerel or sardines, but good-quality, oil-packed tuna (the kind that comes in big chunks rather than flakes) will work just as well. Then use whatever spring vegetables you like — asparagus, snow peas or sugar snap peas will all add texture and sweetness to the salty, caper-studded sauce. Or you can let asparagus star in her white beans and asparagus with charred lemon.
To further showcase spring alliums and vegetables, my skillet greens with runny eggs, peas and pancetta is a bit like shakshuka, but instead of the usual tomatoes and peppers, I call for a verdant mix of ramps or scallions and plenty of floppy chard — along with its succulent and often overlooked stems!
If most of your paprika use has been limited to sprinkling it on deviled eggs for a bright red spark, Sarah Copeland makes a strong case for branching out. In her new recipe for quick chicken paprikas, she combines three tablespoons of sweet Hungarian paprika with some hot or smoked paprika to give the creamy, stewlike dish a deep, earthy flavor with just a touch of heat. Using boneless chicken breasts in place of the usual bone-in legs and thighs saves time, so you can have this on the table in under an hour — perfect for any chilly spring nights that won’t seem to wane.
Passover starts tonight — chag sameach! If you’re looking for something sweet to celebrate the holiday, I heartily recommend Joan Nathan’s almendrados (almond-lemon macaroons), which have a tender, chewy texture and a citrus-marzipan flavor that you can spike with cinnamon, ginger or vanilla if you like. (I especially love cinnamon with the lemon and almonds). You do need to let the dough sit in the fridge for at least 12 hours, so start these today to bake tomorrow, just in time for the second Seder, or as a treat to keep on hand for when you need a cookie-like, Passover-friendly bite.
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That’s all for now. I’ll be on vacation on Wednesday, but see you next week.
