Milk Street: Tuesday Nights

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August 1, 2021

Pain is Good

October 3, 2023

More than 200 Simple Weeknight Suppers that Deliver Bold Flavor, Fast

By Christopher Kimball

WINNER OF THE JAMES BEARD AWARD AND IACP AWARD FOR BEST GENERAL COOKBOOK -- One of Epicurious' Greatest Home Cooks of All Time delivers creative, delicious weeknight dinners with this quick and easy cookbook for beginner cooks and foodies alike.

At Christopher Kimball's Milk Street, Tuesdays are the new Saturdays. That means every Tuesday Nights recipe delivers big, bold flavors, but the cooking is quick and easy--simple enough for the middle of the week.

Kimball and his team of cooks and editors search the world for straightforward techniques that deliver delicious dinners in less time. Here they present more than 200 solutions that will transform your weeknight cooking, showing how to make simple, healthy, delicious meals using pantry staples and just a few other ingredients. Here are some of the fresh, inventive meals that come together in minutes:

Miso-Ginger Chicken Salad
Rigatoni Carbonara with Ricotta
Vietnamese Meatball Lettuce Wraps
Peanut-Sesame Noodles
White Balsamic Chicken with Tarragon
Seared Strip Steak with Almond-Rosemary Salsa Verde
Chocolate-Tahini Pudding

Tuesday Nights is organized by the way you cook. Some chapters focus on time--with recipes that are Fast (under an hour, start to finish), Faster (45 minutes or less), and Fastest (25 minutes or less). Others highlight easy methods or themes, including Supper Salads, Roast and Simmer and Easy Additions. And there's always time for pizza, tacos, "walk-away" recipes, one-pot wonders, ultrafast 20-minute miracles, and dessert.

Great food in quick time, every night of the week.

TSG Review

As you can see by the number of recipes I have made in the past few weeks, this book is something I am really enjoying. The recipes a very simple to make and easy to follow. Add on short cooking times and you have a winner. Many of these recipes are under half an hour to make. If they have longer cooking times its often because its slow cooked. You don’t even need to do anything but wipe the drool from your bottom lip as you wait for your dinner to be ready! Kimball takes recipes from around the globe and puts his kitchen-chemistry spin on them; strange little steps that make each dish a little better than you would expect it to be.

Taiwanese Five-Spice Pork with Rice (Lu Rou Fan)

Serves 6

The is a spin on a very rich flavored Taiwanese dish. Ground pork simmered in soy sauce and those wild flavors from five spice: Star anis, clove, cinnamon, and schezwan pepper. They recommend using low sodium soy sauce because if you do not the dish becomes too salty…well I used low sodium and it still ended up to salty. Even with that problem I would attempt it again with an even lower sodium soy sauce if I can find one. Easy to make in a short time this recipe worked out for me. I even used the leftovers in an omelet the next day and that was even better than the original dish.

Onion Frittata with Sherry Vinegar Sauce

Serves 4

I have never had a frittata before and I’m now upset that I have been missing out for so long. A variation on an omelet this savory browned onion, egg, and cheese concoction begins on the stove top sauteing the onions until nice and brown, then finishes in the oven melting the parmesan cheese on top. Lastly, you use the same pan to make a sherry vinegar reduction and mustard sauce. Serve them both together and the rich flavors meld into a beautiful moment. You know what I mean, where you taste your food with your eyes closed and make that weird moaning noise. Maybe that’s just me?

Tomato-Herb Salad with Sumac

Serves 4

Simple. Easy. Tasty. Three things I enjoy in a recipe. Fresh Roma tomatoes, red onion, flat leaf parsley, dill, and mint are the players in this dish. The dressing is olive oil, lemon Juice, garlic, and powdered sumac. If you are unfamiliar with sumac it is traditionally a middle easter spice with a dark red color and a warm deep smell and flavor. The recipe also recommended sprinkling crumbled feta on top, so I did—that made it even better!

Rigatoni Carbonara with Ricotta

Serves 4

This recipe had an interesting way to cook the pasta. Use very little water so you do not have to drain it. The pasta came out perfect and the remaining water was the base for the sauce. Carbonara sauce is egg based and rich! How many times have used “rich” in this cookbook review? Anyway, the pasta, peas, bacon, and sauce come together nicely.

Somali Chicken Soup

Serves 4

An easy bone broth with floral cardamom, earthy coriander, and fists fulls of bright cilantro punch up the flavor. The soup is filled with chicken, serrano chilies, tomatoes, garlic, and onions. Garnished with radishes, cabbage, and lime wedges add that fresh element to the soup.

Full Recipe

Pudding Chrômeur

Serves 4

This gooey Québecois dessert is said to have been created during the Great Depression, when many people were au chômage, or unemployed. The individual “puddings” have the texture of a cake-like biscuit, with crusty edges moistened by maple and cream. The vanilla ice cream may seem unnecessary, but its cold creaminess is the perfect foil for the rich, warm puddings.

Milk Street: Tuesday Nights

More than 200 Simple Weeknight Suppers that Deliver Bold Flavor, Fast

By Christopher Kimball

TSG Review

Taiwanese Five-Spice Pork with Rice (Lu Rou Fan)

Serves 6

Onion Frittata with Sherry Vinegar Sauce

Serves 4

Tomato-Herb Salad with Sumac

Serves 4

Rigatoni Carbonara with Ricotta

Serves 4

Somali Chicken Soup

Serves 4

Pudding Chrômeur

Serves 4

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