This recipe from NYT Cooking is a savoury combination of steamed clams, tomatoes and pearl couscous. Make a sauce with shallots, garlic, chile and tomatoes. Add wine and the clams and steam until the clams are cooked. Set the clams aside and add the couscous to the sauce. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the couscous is tender. Pour the sauce over the clams and serve. Cook’s note: On the advice of the person at the fish counter, I soaked the clams in cold water and a tablespoon of cornmeal instead of salt. I did not use parsley. I found this dish to be quite salty, so taste as you season.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives:

I used a wine from Frogpond Farm that contains a sulphite level below 10 parts per million. Ace Bakery’s crusty white bread is additive-free.

Cook shallots, garlic and chile

Steam clams and set aside

Add couscous to the sauce

Return clams to sauce and serve

Ingredients:

3 pounds (1.36 kg) clams

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

2 large shallots, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 small red chile (such as a red jalapeño), seeded and minced (about 1 tablespoon/15 ml)

3 cups (750 ml) cherry tomatoes

½ cup (125 ml) dry white wine

½ cup (125 ml) pearl couscous or fregola

2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped fresh parsley

Crusty bread, for serving

Preparation:

Place the clams in a large bowl along with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) salt and fill the bowl with cold water. Set aside to let the clams release any grit.

While the clams soak, prepare the sauce: In a large Dutch oven (or a deep 12-inch/30-cm skillet with a lid), heat the olive oil over medium. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chile and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Add the cherry tomatoes, ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to collapse, 6 to 8 minutes.

Stir in the wine and bring to a boil.

While the wine comes to a simmer, lift the clams from the water and rinse well under running water, scrubbing if necessary.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the clams to the pot, evenly nestling them into the sauce. Cover and cook until the clams open, 8 to 12 minutes, checking every few minutes and removing clams and placing them in a large serving bowl as they open. (This will prevent the clams from overcooking.) Discard any clams that do not open.

Bring the liquid in the pot back to a boil over medium-high heat and add the couscous. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the couscous is tender and the liquid in the pan has reduced, 10 to 15 minutes.

Off the heat, season the couscous mixture with salt and pepper to taste then carefully pour it over the clams. Garnish with the parsley and serve immediately, with crusty bread on the side. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking

This hearty dish from Food and Wine combines spicy pork sausages with tomato sauce and garlic-rosemary white beans. Soak and cook the dried beans. Brown the sausages and set aside. Cook onion and garlic, add hot red pepper flakes, wine, tomatoes, water and fish sauce, return the sausages to the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove sausages when they are cooked, slice into thirds and return to the pan. Divide the warm, cooked beans among serving bowls and spoon the sauce and sausages over them. Garnish with arugula and cheese. Cook’s note: I omitted the arugula.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Free From hot Italian sausages, Blue Menu tomatoes and Cock fish sauce; all are free of additives. Check the red pepper flakes to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. I used a wine from Frogpond Farm that contains a sulphite level below 10 parts per million. Genuine Parmesan cheese contains no additives; look for the name stamped on the rind.

White beans with sausage and arrabbiata sauce

Ingredients:

1 pound (454 g) dried white beans (such as Marcella beans or cannellini beans)

2 dried bay leaves

1 (6-inch/15-cm) rosemary sprig

3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for garnish

1 ½ tablespoons (22.5 ml) kosher salt, plus more to taste

5 medium garlic cloves, smashed, divided

1 pound (454 g) spicy Italian pork sausage

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup/250 ml)

1 teaspoon (5 ml) crushed red pepper flakes

½ cup (125 ml) dry white wine

1 (28-ounce/796 ml) can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained

1 ½ cups (375 ml) water

1 tablespoon (15 ml) fish sauce

Arugula, fresh lemon juice, and shaved Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Preparation:

Place beans in a 6-quart (6 L) pot. Add water to cover beans by 2 inches (5 cm). Refrigerate, covered, at least 8 hours or up to 12 hours.

Add bay leaves, rosemary sprig, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil, salt, and 2 garlic cloves to pot with beans. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook at a bare simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender, 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours. Season with additional salt to taste. Set beans aside; keep warm.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add sausages; cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 5 to 6 minutes. (Adjust heat as needed to prevent overbrowning.) Transfer sausages to a plate, reserving drippings in skillet. Add onion and remaining 3 garlic cloves to skillet. Cook over medium, stirring often, until onion is softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add crushed red pepper, and cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Add wine, and cook, stirring often, until nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, water and fish sauce; bring to a simmer over medium, stirring occasionally. Return sausages and any accumulated juices on plate to skillet; cook over medium, stirring occasionally and breaking up tomatoes into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until sauce has thickened slightly and flavours meld, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove sausages when fully cooked through. (Sausages should register between 160°F and 165°F/71°C and 73°C.) Season tomato mixture with additional salt to taste. Slice sausages diagonally into thirds and nestle pieces back into sauce.

Divide beans evenly among serving bowls, and spoon sauce and sausages evenly over beans. Lightly dress arugula with olive oil and lemon juice to taste. Garnish bowls with arugula mixture and shaved Parmesan. Serves 4-6.

From Food and Wine

This recipe from Nigella Lawson is a one-pan meal that delivers delicious, Indian-spiced roast chicken and potatoes. Toss peeled and chopped potatoes with spices, lime zest and juice, garlic, salt and water. Add the chicken and toss to combine. Drizzle with oil and salt and roast for about an hour, until chicken is cooked through.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check the spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents.

Combine potatoes, chicken and spices

Roast for about an hour, until chicken is done

Garnish with cilantro and serve

Ingredients:

3 lbs (1½ kg) potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes

2 teaspoons (10 ml) cumin seeds

2 teaspoons (10 ml) fennel seeds

2 teaspoons (10 ml) yellow mustard seeds

2 teaspoons (10 ml) nigella seeds

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground turmeric

Finely grated zest and juice of 2 limes

4 cloves of garlic (peeled and minced)

2 teaspoons (10 ml) sea salt flakes plus more for sprinkling

4 tbsp (60 ml) cold water

12 chicken thighs with skin on and bone in

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil

Fresh coriander for garnish

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Put the cut potatoes into a large, shallow roasting pan (15 x 14 in/37 x 34 cm) and sprinkle with the spices, followed by the lime zest and juice, garlic, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of salt and the water.

Tumble the chicken into the pan and toss everything well together, then turn the chicken skin-side up on top of the potatoes. Drizzle the skin with the oil and sprinkle over a little salt, then cook in the oven for 1 hour, or until the potatoes are tender and the chicken cooked through, its skin golden and crisp. Serve scattered with chopped coriander. Serves 6.

From Nigella Lawson

This recipe from Half Baked Harvest cooks in minutes, once you have assembled all your ingredients. Make the sauce, then add beef and peppers. Add seasoning and cooked noodles. Add the fresh herbs and green onions and serve topped with more green onions, sesame seeds, lime juice and nuts. Cook’s note: I cooked the noodles in boiling water until tender. I did not use lemongrass paste or sesame seeds. I had some asparagus, so cooked it along with the peppers. I used chopped fresh ginger instead of pickled ginger and cashews instead of peanuts.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used tamari, Nature Value sriracha, Cock brand fish sauce, Marukan rice vinegar, Lee Kum Kee sesame oil and butter that contained only cream, with no colour added. Check the dried spices, sesame seeds and nuts to make sure they don’t contain additives.

Assemble all your ingredients before starting to cook

Thai basil beef noodles

Ingredients:

6 ounces (170 g) pad thai/wide rice noodles

1/3 cup (82 ml) tamari or soy sauce

¼ cup (60 ml) Thai chili sauce

2 tablespoons (30 ml) fish sauce

2 tablespoons(30 ml) rice vinegar

1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemongrass paste (optional)

Black pepper and chili flakes

3 tablespoons (45 ml) sesame oil (or olive oil)

1 pound (454 g) flank steak, thinly sliced

2 bell peppers, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons (30 ml) butter, sliced

1 shallot, sliced

4-6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon (15 ml) chopped pickled ginger

½ cup (125 ml) chopped cilantro or Thai basil

4 green onions, chopped

¼ cup (60 ml) sesame seeds

1/3 cup (82 ml) roasted peanuts, chopped

Preparation:

Soak the rice noodles according to package directions, then drain.

To make the sauce. In a bowl, combine the tamari/soy sauce, Thai chili sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, lemongrass, black pepper, and chili flakes.

Add the oil, beef, and bell peppers to a large skillet set over medium heat. Cook until the beef becomes crispy, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) butter, the shallot, 3 cloves garlic, ginger, and a pinch of chili flakes. Continue to cook the beef in the butter until the garlic begins to turn golden, 1-2 minutes.

Add the noodles and sauce, tossing to combine. Cook until the noodles are warmed through and begin soaking up the sauce, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Add the cilantro/basil, and green onions, and toss again.

Heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of butter, 1 clove of garlic, and the sesame seeds in a small skillet. Cook until toasted, 5 minutes.

Serve the noodles topped with green onions, peanuts, and garlicky sesame seeds. Add a squeeze of lime juice. Serves 4.

From Half Baked Harvest

This baked pasta from Mary Berg’s In Mary’s Kitchen was a big hit at our dinner table. While pasta cooks, make a sauce with shallot, garlic, cherry tomatoes, tomato paste, vodka, cream and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and place the burrata in the centre of the pan. Scatter mozzarella around the edges and top with pesto. Bake for 20 minutes and serve topped with fresh basil.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use butter that contains only milk or cream, no colour. No-Name tomato paste and mozzarella are additive-free. Genuine Parmigiano-Reggiano is additive-free; check for the name stamped on the rind. Make sure the burrata does not contain preservatives. Store-bought pesto can contain additives. You can make your own with basil, garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano, pine nuts and oil.

While the pasta cooks, make the sauce

Add cooked pasta to sauce

Top with burrata, mozzarella and pesto

Bake until golden brown

Ingredients:

1 lb (454 g) rigatoni

Kosher salt

3 tablespoons (45 ml) unsalted butter

1 large shallot, finely minced

Freshly ground black pepper

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 cup (250 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved

1 (5 oz/156ml) can tomato paste

¼ cup (60 ml) vodka

½ cup (125 ml) whipping cream

½ cup (125 ml) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 ball burrata

1 cup (250 ml) grated mozzarella cheese

4-6 heaped tbsp (60-90 ml) basil pesto

3 tablespoons (45 ml) roughly chopped basil

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 F (204 C).

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Season well with salt and add in the pasta to cook according to package directions just until al dente. Reserve 1 cup (250 ml) of pasta water and drain.

For the sauce, melt the butter in a large, oven-safe high sided sauté pan over medium heat. Add in the shallot, season with salt and pepper, and cook until lightly golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds before adding the tomatoes and tomato paste and seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes to allow the cherry tomatoes to cook down and to further intensify the tomato flavour.

Carefully deglaze the pan with the vodka and allow it to bubble away for about 1 to 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol then turn the heat down to low and stir in the whipping cream and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add in the pasta as well as ½ cup (125 ml) of the reserved pasta water and stir to combine, adding more of the pasta water if needed to reach a saucy consistency. Gently tear the burrata open and set in the centre of the pasta. Scatter the mozzarella around the edge to cover the rest of the pasta and top with pesto

Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown. If desired, turn the broiler to high for the last minute of cooking for a deeper golden-brown colour. Allow the pasta to cool for 5 minutes before serving, scattered with basil. Serves 4.

From In Mary’s Kitchen

This recipe from Serious Eats uses bread as a base for pizza. Heat butter, oil, garlic and red pepper flakes and stir in basil and parsley. Brush half of the mixture on the bread. Add tomatoes and spices to the remaining butter mixture and simmer for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, sprinkle mozzarella cheese on the bread and bake for about eight minutes. Spread the bread with the sauce, sprinkle with more cheese and bake for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano and herbs before serving.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use butter that contains only milk or cream, no colour. Check the dried spices for colour and anti-caking agents. I used Ace Bakery Italian bread, Unico crushed tomatoes and No-Name mozzarella. Genuine Parmigiano-Reggiano contains no additives; look for the name stamped on the rind.

Sprinkle mozzarella on bread brushed with butter-herb mixture

Make the sauce while the bread bakes

Top with sauce and more cheese, bake and sprinkle with herbs before serving

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons (45 g) unsalted butter

4 tablespoons (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

Pinch red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) dried oregano

¼ cup (60 ml) minced fresh parsley or basil leaves, or a mix

Kosher salt

1 large loaf French or Italian bread, about 18 inches (45 cm) long and 4 inches (10 cm) wide, split half lengthwise and crosswise

1 (14.5-ounce/400g) can crushed tomatoes

8 ounces (225 g) freshly grated whole milk mozzarella cheese

2 ounces (60 g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preparation:

Adjust oven rack to upper position and preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Heat butter and 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Add garlic, pepper flakes, and oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in half of parsley/basil and a big pinch of salt. Remove from heat.

Place bread cut-side-up on a clean work surface. Using a rimmed baking sheet, press down on bread evenly until compressed to about two-thirds of its original height. Place bread on top of rimmed baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush half of garlic/butter/oil mixture evenly over cut surfaces of bread, making sure to get plenty of bits of garlic and herbs. Set aside.

Add tomatoes to remaining garlic/butter/oil mixture in pan, stir to combine, increase heat to medium, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to maintain a bare simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until rich and reduced, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

While sauce cooks, spread one-quarter of mozzarella evenly over surface of bread and transfer to oven. Cook until cheese is barely melted, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until sauce is cooked.

Spread sauce evenly over bread, then spread remaining mozzarella on top of sauce. Transfer to oven and bake until cheese is melted and just starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano, remaining parsley/basil, and remaining tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Allow to cool slightly and serve. Serves 3-4.

From Serious Eats

This quick and easy recipe from In Mary’s Kitchen is great for a weeknight supper or casual dinner party. Combine minced sun-dried tomatoes and tarragon with softened butter, salt and pepper. Place the fish on a baking sheet and spread the butter over the fish. Add cherry tomatoes and lemon quarters to the pan. Roast for about 15 minutes, or until fish is just cooked through.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use butter that contains only cream or milk, with no colour added. Savor brand oil-packed, sun-dried tomatoes are additive-free.

Spread butter mixture on fish and arrange on sheet pan with tomatoes and lemon

Roast until fish is cooked through

Ingredients:

Olive oil

¼ cup (60 ml) sun-dried tomatoes

1 tbsp (15 ml) tarragon or basil, plus more for serving

2 tbsp (30 ml) butter, room temperature

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 rainbow trout fillets

8 oz (227 g) cherry tomatoes

1 lemon, quartered

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 F (218 C) and drizzle baking sheet with oil.

Finely mince the sun-dried tomatoes and tarragon and add to the butter. Season with salt and pepper and mash together to combine. Dry off the fish with paper towel and place the fillets skin side down onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread the tomato butter over the trout fillets.

Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan as well as the lemon quarters, cut side down. Drizzle with a little oil and season with salt and pepper.

Roast for 15 to 17 minutes or until the trout is flaky and cooked through and the tomatoes are tender and beginning to burst.

To serve, use a fish spatula to lift the trout from the skin and scatter with fresh tarragon and a squeeze of roasted lemon juice. Serves 4.

From In Mary’s Kitchen

This recipe from NYT Cooking cooks mussels with shallots, garlic, wine and a spicy cilantro compound butter. Make the butter, form it into a log and chill while cooking the mussels. Cook the shallot briefly before adding garlic, wine and bringing to a boil. Cook mussels until they open, then add cilantro butter and stir while it melts. Serve with lime wedges and crusty bread.

Make the cilantro butter

Mussels in spicy green broth

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use butter that contains only cream or milk, with no colour added. Check the dried spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. I used white wine from Ontario’s Frogpond Farm winery that has a sulfite level below 10 parts per million. Ace Bakery baguettes are free of additives.

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons (120 ml) unsalted butter, softened

2 teaspoons (10 ml) grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground coriander, briefly toasted in a pan

1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cumin, briefly toasted in a pan

1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground turmeric

1 teaspoon (5 ml) freshly ground black pepper

1 cup very (250 ml) finely chopped cilantro (from 1 large bunch)

2 serrano chiles, very finely chopped

1 teaspoon (5 ml) lime zest

Kosher salt

4 pounds (1.8 kg) mussels

2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil

1 large shallot, thinly sliced or finely diced

2 garlic cloves, smashed to a paste with a little salt

1 cup (250 ml) dry white wine

Lime wedges and a crusty baguette, for serving

Preparation:

Make the cilantro butter: Put softened butter in a bowl. Add ginger, coriander, cumin, turmeric and black pepper. Mash together with a wooden spoon to combine. Add the cilantro and chiles, and mash well, extracting as much green cilantro juice as possible. Stir in lime zest and ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) kosher salt. Form the butter into a log, then wrap with waxed paper or film and chill to firm slightly.

As the butter chills, prepare the mussels: In a large bowl, wash mussels in cold water. Pull off any “beards” and discard (also discard any smashed or gaping mussels). Quickly rinse the mussels and set aside.

Put oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add shallot, season with salt, and let sizzle for a minute without browning. Add garlic and white wine and turn heat to high and bring to a boil.

Add mussels, stir well, and cover. Cook mussels over high heat, stirring once, for 5 to 7 minutes, until all mussels have opened. Turn off heat and leave lid on.

To serve, cut cilantro butter into 1-inch (2.54-cm) chunks and stir into the mussels (4 tablespoons/60 ml is probably enough, but use it all if you wish).

Ladle mussels and broth into heated wide shallow soup bowls. Place a bowl on the table to collect empty shells. Pass lime wedges along with a warm crusty baguette, for sopping up the broth. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking

This delicious recipe from NYT Cooking is quick and easy. Combine brown sugar and fish sauce to make a caramel sauce. Cook shallots, lemongrass, garlic, ginger and chile paste briefly, add the caramel sauce and warm it through. Add the shrimp and cook until they are done and coated with sauce, about three minutes. Serve over rice.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Cock brand fish sauce, Tuttocalabria chile sauce and PC Organics frozen shrimp. All are additive-free.

Cook shallots, lemongrass, garlic, ginger and chile paste

Add shrimp and caramel sauce

Spicy caramelized shrimp with lemongrass

Ingredients:

2/3 packed cup (165 ml) light brown sugar

5 tablespoons (75 ml) fish sauce

2 pounds (900 g) peeled and deveined medium or large shrimp, patted dry with paper towels

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) black pepper

1 ½ tablespoons (22.5 ml) canola oil

2 medium shallots, thinly sliced into rings

3 tablespoons (45 ml) finely minced lemongrass (from 2 stalks)

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 (2-inch-/5-cm-long) piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned

1½ tablespoons (22.5 ml) roasted chile paste or chile-bean sauce

Steamed white rice, for serving

Preparation:

Prepare the caramel sauce: To a heavy medium saucepan, add the light brown sugar and fish sauce and gently heat over medium-low, whisking occasionally, until sugar is fully dissolved and mixture is syrupy, about 5 minutes. (You should have about ½ cup/125 ml.) Set aside caramel.

In a medium bowl, sprinkle the shrimp with the pepper and set aside.

In a 2-quart (2 L) clay pot or large non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium. Add the shallots and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the lemongrass, garlic, ginger and chile paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Pour in the caramel sauce and stir until combined and warmed, about 2 minutes.

Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, just until the shrimp are pink and plump, cooked through and coated with a glossy caramel sauce, about 3 minutes. Serve with steamed white rice. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking

This delicious recipe from NYT Cooking yields succulent chicken and crispy golden rice, all on a single sheet pan. Make a lemon-garlic-ginger-turmeric marinade and set 1 tbsp (15 ml) aside. Use the rest to marinate the chicken for a few minutes while you toss cooked rice with salt, scallions and oil. Spread the rice on the sheet pan and top with the chicken. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes. Add lemon juice and oil to the reserved marinade and drizzle onto the rice. Serve topped with more scallions and chopped cilantro. Cook’s note: I substituted long-grain rice for the short-grain rice. If you do the same, watch it carefully as it can brown and dry out more quickly than plumper grains of short-grain rice.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Check the spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents.

Baking cooked rice on the sheet pan makes it crispy

Garnish with scallions and cilantro

Ingredients:

¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice, plus more for serving

6 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced

2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh ginger (from 1 2-inch/5-cm piece), finely grated or minced

3 teaspoons (15 ml) kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal or use 1 ½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) coarse kosher salt, such as Morton), more as needed

2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground turmeric

2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground coriander

1 teaspoon (5 ml) freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds (900 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks

5 cups cooked short-grain rice (such as sushi rice)

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated

5 tablespoons (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed

½ cup (125 ml) chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems

Preparation:

Place sheet pan on middle rack in oven and heat oven to 450 degrees F (232 C).

While the oven is heating, marinate the chicken. In a large bowl, combine lemon juice, garlic, ginger, 1 ½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) of the salt, turmeric, coriander and pepper, and mix well. Transfer 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the turmeric-ginger mixture to a small bowl and set aside for serving. To the large bowl, add chicken and toss until the pieces are well coated; let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

While the chicken is marinating, toss the cooked rice with the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) salt, scallion whites and 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil (the best way to do this is with clean hands). Add a little more oil if needed to fully coat the rice so that it crisps up in the oven.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil to the chicken pieces, tossing well to coat.

Use a large spoon to carefully spread the rice out on the hot sheet pan, then make divots in the rice for the chicken, making sure the sheet pan is exposed. Place chicken, skin side up, in the divots touching the pan. Drizzle the rice and chicken with a little more extra-virgin olive oil.

Roast until the chicken is deeply browned on top, cooked through and the rice is crisp at the edges, 40 to 50 minutes.

Stir a little more lemon juice and olive oil into the reserved turmeric-ginger mixture to thin it out. Use a spoon to dab or drizzle it onto the rice (not the chicken). Stir up the rice on the baking sheet, so the crisp parts get mixed into the soft part of the rice, and the turmeric mixture gets distributed. (Taste rice and add a little more oil, lemon juice and salt if necessary; rice can take a lot of seasoning.) Top everything with scallion greens and chopped fresh cilantro and serve. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking

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