Samin Nosrat shares easy fall weeknight recipes
Fall is around the corner, and Samin Nosrat has a lineup of cozy recipes to make weeknight cooking a breeze.
The chef and cookbook author joined "Good Morning America" on Friday to share seasonal dishes from her cookbook, "Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love," including chicken braised with butternut squash and harissa, roasted broccolini with corona beans and feta, a shaved carrot salad, and vanilla bean rice pudding.
Check out her full recipes below.
Chicken braised with apricots and harissa
Makes 8 thighs
Ingredients (Requires overnight marinating)
For the tebil
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 1/4 teaspoons turmeric
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds, ground
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the chicken
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons mild harissa paste
3 tablespoons Cardamom Ghee (page 61), Ghee (page 62), or extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and roll-cut (see page 32) into 3/4-inch pieces
8 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
1 cup crushed tomatoes (canned or fresh)
1 cup chicken stock (page 314) or water
2 bay leaves
Small handful of cilantro stems (reserve leaves for serving)
1 cup dried apricots, halved
1 teaspoon ground cumin
For serving
Cilantro leaves and tender stems
Steamed couscous, pearl couscous, or rice
Garlic and Herb Labne (page 48)
Green Sauce (page 51)
Directions
To make the tebil, in a small bowl, stir together the coriander, turmeric, caraway, and pepper.
The day before you plan to cook, season the chicken generously on both sides with kosher salt. In a medium bowl, mash together the harissa paste and about half of the tebil. Add the chicken and use your hands to evenly coat it all with the spiced harissa paste. Cover and refrigerate overnight, then bring to room temperature before cooking.
Adjust an oven rack to the center position and preheat to 375°F.
Set a large nonreactive skillet over medium-high heat and add the cardamom ghee. When the fat shimmers, add the onion, carrots, and garlic. Season lightly with salt and sprinkle in the remaining tebil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, translucent, and just beginning to take on color, about 12 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and chicken stock and stir to deglaze, then let the mixture return to a boil.
Transfer the vegetable and tomato mixture into a 9 × 13-inch baking dish and layer in the bay leaves and cilantro stems. Arrange the chicken thighs, skin-side down, atop the bed of aromatics, then nestle the apricots around the chicken. The braising liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the chicken, so if you’re at all short, add a splash of water or stock to make up the difference. Lay a piece of parchment atop the chicken, then seal the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
Transfer to the oven and cook until the chicken is completely tender and shows no resistance when pierced with a sharp knife, about 1 1/2 hours.
When the chicken is completely tender, adjust the oven rack to the highest position and increase the oven temperature to 425°F. Remove the foil and parchment from the pan and flip the chicken thighs over so that they sit skin-side up. Sprinkle the cumin into the braising liquid as you flip the thighs.
Return the baking dish to the oven and cook the chicken until the liquid is nicely reduced and the skins are crisp and golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes longer.
To serve, use tongs to gently arrange the chicken in a rimmed serving dish or shallow bowl. Discard the bay leaves and cilantro stems. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the braising juices with salt as needed, then spoon the apricots and braising juices over the chicken. Garnish with cilantro and serve with steamed couscous, garlic and herb labne, and green sauce.
Refrigerate leftover meat, apricots, and braising juices together in a covered container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to a boil before serving.
Variation
To make a Lamb Tagine, substitute 4 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 3-inch pieces and salted in advance, for the chicken. Before cooking the aromatics, melt 3 tablespoons of ghee (page 62) or oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb on all sides, about 4 minutes per side, then set the meat aside. Discard the used fat and continue the recipe as written, cooking the aromatics in fresh ghee. Note that the lamb may take up to 30 minutes longer than chicken thighs to become tender.
Roasted broccolini with corona beans, feta, and house dressing
Ingredients (Vegetables to roast)
Beets
Broccoli and broccolini
Cabbage wedges
Carrots
Cauliflower and Romanesco
Eggplant
Fennel
Onions
Parsnips
Potatoes (simmer until tender first for maximum creaminess)
Summer and winter squash
Sweet potatoes
Tomatoes
Turnips
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Adjust a rack to the center position (if using two sheet pans, adjust the racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions). Line one or more sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.
Cut the vegetables into even-size pieces that aren’t too thick or too thin -- for most vegetables, a one-and-a-half bite-size piece is perfect. (Consult "Eating with Your Eyes," page 32, for a primer on my favorite ways to cut various vegetables.)
Place the vegetables in a large bowl. Toss with enough oil or melted fat to coat and enough salt to season generously. Add any desired spices.
Spread the pieces onto the prepared pan(s), making sure to scrape out any oil and spices that might remain in the bowl. Bake on the prepared rack(s) for 25 to 45 minutes (most vegetables will be done around the 30-minute mark), using tongs or a thin metal spatula to flip the vegetables and move them around the pan every 10 minutes. Rotate the pan(s) front to back and, if using more than one pan, swap racks after 15 minutes.
Cook until the edges/sides/tips are very dark brown and a paring knife easily slides in and out.
Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
And remember: Unlike boiling, roasting can coax out all the sweetness a vegetable has to offer by browning and crisping its surface to create textural contrast. Opt to roast any produce that’s been sitting in your crisper drawer for a little too long.
Use any fat that feels right for the dish -- olive oil, neutral oil, lard, schmaltz, ghee, butter, or coconut oil will all work.
To ensure even browning, allow time for the oven to preheat and use a sheet pan instead of a roasting dish. Cut produce into similar-size pieces and spread them out in a single layer, leaving room between them for steam to escape.
You can combine similar types of produce on a single pan with great success -- potatoes and sweet potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower, carrots and turnips. But avoid combining vegetables that have dissimilar amounts of sugar, starch, or water -- they won’t cook at the same rate. Instead, use a separate pan for each, or use half of the pan for one type and the other half for another, and remove each as it’s done cooking.
For the most even browning, carefully tend to your vegetables as they roast. Stir them, turn or flip them, rotate the pans front to back, and swap racks.
And finally, salt watery produce -- including eggplant, summer squash, and tomatoes -- in advance. This will encourage browning and prevent the vegetables from cooking in a puddle of their own juices. Season these ingredients 30 to 60 minutes before cooking, then drain or blot off excess water and proceed as directed on page 196. If you’re in a hurry, skip the salt before cooking, then season the pan only once the vegetables have begun to brown.
House dressing
Makes 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients
1 large shallot, very finely diced
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon aged sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon warm water
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
2 sprigs thyme, leaves picked and finely chopped (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 teaspoon (3g) kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place the shallot in a fine-mesh sieve and quickly rinse with cold water. Allow to drain, place in a medium bowl, add the vinegar and warm water, and let the shallot mixture sit for 2 minutes.
Whisk in the oil, honey, both mustards, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust the salt and vinegar as needed.
Cover and refrigerate remaining dressing for up to 1 week.
Three ways to use house dressing:
1. To make a crunchy and refreshing green salad, toss Little Gems (or your favorite variety of baby lettuces), thinly shaved fennel, tender dill fronds, whole cilantro and parsley leaves, 1-inch pieces of chives, and dressing. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Delicately mound onto a serving platter and serve immediately.
2. Make an autumn chicory salad: Toss radicchio torn into bite-size pieces, crumbled parmesan or Roquefort, toasted walnuts or pecans, and sliced seasonal fruit -- pears, persimmons, or apples -- with this dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
3. Generously drizzle the dressing over a platter of just-boiled broccoli, broccolini, carrots, cauliflower, or string beans. Garnish with flaky salt and serve immediately.
Shaved carrot salad
Ingredients
1 pound carrots
3 Medjool dates
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1 or 2 pickled Thai chiles
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon chile vinegar
Salt, to taste
Directions
Thinly slice 1 pound of carrots on a mandoline or use a peeler to shave them into thin, wide ribbons.
In a large bowl, combine the carrots with 3 pitted and chopped Medjool dates, 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 finely grated garlic clove, 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, and 1 or 2 minced pickled Thai chiles (page 76).
Make a simple dressing by whisking together 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil,1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 tablespoon chile vinegar (page 76), and salt to taste.
Season the carrots with salt and toss with enough dressing to lightly coat.
Let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Vanilla bean rice pudding
Makes about 4 cups
Ingredients
3 cups (720g) whole milk
1 cup (240g) heavy cream
6 tablespoons (75g) sugar
Kosher salt
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
1/2 heaping cup (110g) medium- or long-grain rice (I like jasmine and Arborio)
2 large egg yolks
Directions
In a medium Dutch oven, combine 2 cups of the milk, the cream, the sugar, and 1 teaspoon (3g) kosher salt. Use a sharp paring knife to scrape the vanilla seeds from both halves of the bean, and add both the seeds and the pod to the pot. Stirring regularly, bring the milk to a boil over medium heat, then turn off and let steep until the rice is ready.
Meanwhile, in a medium pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Season the water lightly with salt, then add the rice and cook for 2 minutes.
Drain the rice and add it to the pot of milk. Stirring regularly, bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low -- the milk should be barely simmering -- and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 1 hour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and remaining 1 cup milk. Whisking constantly, ladle 2 cups of the hot rice mixture into the bowl with the eggs to temper them. Whisk the warmed egg mixture into the pot and continue cooking the pudding over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes longer. Taste and adjust the seasoning and remove the vanilla bean pod.
Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold. To prevent a skin from forming, press a piece of parchment or plastic wrap onto the surface of the pudding as it cools.
Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days.
'GMA' kitchen picks
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