Spring is fast approaching, and with that comes longer days, warmer weather, and busier schedules. As our calendars fill, it’s important to have a few recipes to rely on for healthy dinners that fun to eat and easy to prepare. These recipes are fresh and delicious, with tips on time-saving prep and building flavor in a short amount of time, ensuring good eating for the entire family all season long.
Warm Chicken and Fingerling Salad
This dish takes the ease of sheet pan cooking and flips it onto a salad. The roasting juices do the double duty of basting the meat and dressing the greens. Cooking the chicken on the bone adds more flavor to the meat and helps to prevent the meat from drying out. If time permits, rub the chicken with the oil mixture up to 24 hours in advance of roasting to develop flavor.
Serves 4
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- Kosher salt
- 4 large split bone-in, skin on chicken breasts, each 8 to 10 ounces
- 1 pound fingerling potatoes, sliced crosswise, about 3/4-inch thick
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large untreated lemon, washed, cut into 6 wedges
- 1 head lettuce, such as escarole, bibb, or romaine, leaves rinsed and dried
- Heat the oven to 375°F.
- Whisk 1/4 cup olive oil, the garlic, lemon zest, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Rub the oil mixture all over the chicken and between the skin and breast meat.
- Place the potatoes in a bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.
- Arrange the chicken, skin-side up, on a rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment. Scatter the potatoes and lemon wedges around the chicken.
- Transfer to the oven and roast until the chicken and potatoes are golden brown and cooked through (the internal temperature of the chicken should register 165°F), about 40 minutes.
Remove and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Carve the chicken off the breast bones and thickly slice crosswise, about 1/2-inch thick. - While the chicken is resting, place the lettuce in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper and toss to coat. Spread the leaves on a serving platter.
- Arrange the chicken over the escarole. Scatter the potatoes around the chicken. Drizzle any pan juices over the chicken and potatoes. Squeeze the juice of 1 to 2 lemon wedges over the salad. Serve with the remaining wedges.
Keep it Local:
- Chicken — Mary’s Free Range Chicken (Woodlands Market, Mollie Stone’s Market, Good Earth Natural Foods)
- Potatoes — Star Route Farms (Bolinas)
Baja Fish Tacos
Eating with our hands has the green light when fresh tacos are on the menu. Tacos are a fun and interactive family dinner allowing everyone to dig in and assemble their own food. For do ahead time savers, make the slaw and crema up to one day in advance, and purchase store-bought salsa fresca.
Makes 8 tacos
Slaw:
- 4 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon runny honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Crema:
- 1 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon runny honey
- 1/4 teaspoon Sriracha, or more to taste
- Pinch of kosher salt
Fish:
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 pounds center cut halibut fillets, cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch strips
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas, warmed
- Salsa fresca
- Sliced avocado
- Chopped cilantro
- In a medium bowl combine the slaw ingredients and stir to coat. Refrigerate until use.
- In a small bowl combine the crema ingredients and stir to blend. Refrigerate until use.
- In a small bowl combine the cumin, paprika, salt, garlic powder, and cayenne. Place the fish in a separate bowl or on a large plate and coat with 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle the spices over the fish, gently turning to coat.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Arrange the fish in the skillet, in batches if necessary, and cook until opaque through the center, 4 to 5 minutes, turning once or twice with a spatula. Transfer to a platter.
- To assemble, place 2 to 3 strips of fish on a warm tortilla. Top with some of the slaw, and the crema. Serve with salsa fresca, avocado, cilantro.
Keep it Local:
- Whole milk Greek yogurt — Straus Family Creamery (Petaluma)
- Fish — Anna’s Seafood (Petaluma)
Salade Niçoise
Une salade for dinner? Yes, please. This classic French salad is easy to prep. Once you’ve got the ingredients checked, it takes minutes to assemble. The beans, potatoes, and egg can be cooked in advance. Be sure to use a high-quality oil-packed tuna, which can be purchased in advance and stashed in the pantry, ready for an impulsive weeknight dinner. The olive oil truly makes a difference, adding richness and lip-smacking flavor to the tuna.
Serves 4
Vinaigrette:
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced or pushed through a press
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salad:
- 8 ounces green beans or haricots verts
- 12 ounces new or small potatoes
- Butter lettuce leaves
- 2 to 3 hard cooked eggs, peeled, halved or quartered
- 1 small English cucumber, with skin, sliced on the diagonal
- 1 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup black olives, such as Kalamata or Niçoise
- 12 ounces tuna fillets in olive oil (half-heartedly drained)
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 to 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
- Finely grated lemon zest
- Whisk the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, tarragon, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Add the oil in a steady stream whisking constantly to emulsify. Set aside until use (briefly whisk again before serving).
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and cook until bright in color and crisp tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer to a colander and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- To the same pot, add the potatoes. Bring the water back to a boil, then partially cover the pot and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes, depending on size. Drain and cool. Halve the potatoes and place in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon vinaigrette and toss to coat.
- Arrange the lettuce leaves on a serving platter or in a large shallow serving bowl. Mound the beans, potatoes, egg halves, cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives in a clockwise fashion around the plate. Place the tuna in the center. Scatter the onions and capers over the salad, then drizzle with the dressing to your taste. Garnish with parsley and lemon zest and serve immediately.
Keep it Local:
- Lettuce — Country Line Harvest (Petaluma)
- Beans — Iacopi Farms (Half Moon Bay)
- Tuna — Safe Catch (Sausalito)
Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Cippolini Onions and Mushrooms
Sheet pans are a busy cook’s best friend. Spread all the dinner ingredients on one rimmed baking sheet and let the oven do the work. This cozy chicken dinner self-bastes in the oven, while the onions and mushrooms brown and absorb the chicken juices. To build more flavor, rub the chicken with the oil up to 24 hours in advance of roasting.
Serves 4
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a press
- 6 to 8 bone-in chicken thighs, with skin
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6 to 8 cippolini onions, peeled, halved crosswise
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds assorted mushrooms, such as shiitake, cremini, porcini, halved or thickly sliced if large
- 2 rosemary sprigs, halved, plus fresh chopped rosemary for garnish
- Heat the oven to 375°F.
- Combine 2 tablespoons oil, the garlic, and mustard in a bowl. Rub the mixture all over the chicken and under the skin. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper.
- Spread the onions and mushrooms on the sheet pan. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over the pan and stir the vegetables to coat. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Nestle the chicken between the vegetables. Scatter the rosemary around the chicken. Roast in the oven until the chicken is golden and cooked through (the internal temperature of the chicken should register 165°F), about 40 minutes, stirring the vegetables once or twice. Serve with the pan juices and fresh rosemary.
Keep it Local:
- Chicken thighs — Mary’s Free Range Chicken (Woodlands Market, Mollie Stone’s Market, Good Earth Natural Foods)
- Mushrooms — Far West Fungi (Moss Landing)
Shrimp Creole
A one-pot stew makes for an easy family dinner. This creole-inspired dish takes a mere 30 minutes to prepare, while the contents of your spice drawer ensure the fragrant, deep flavor of a slow-cooked meal. Clean the shrimp in advance of preparing or purchase cleaned shrimp to save the step. Start the rice cooking on the stove while the stew simmers, and your meal will be ready at once.
Serves 4 to 5
Spices:
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Stew:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
- Kosher salt
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a press
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 pounds large (16/18) shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 to 3 scallions, chopped, divided
- Chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
- Cooked long grain white rice, for serving
- Combine the spices in a small bowl.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the celery, onion, bell pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Sauté until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds. Add the spices and tomato paste and cook, stirring to toast, about 30 seconds. Add the stock, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf.
- Partially cover the pot and simmer over medium-low for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon.
- Season the shrimp with salt and black pepper, then add to the pot. Continue to cook until the shrimp are just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in half of the scallions.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with the remaining scallions and parsley. Serve with rice.
Keep it Local:
- Shrimp — Anna’s Seafood (Petaluma)
- Spices — Local Spicery (Tiburon) or Savory Spice Shop (Sonoma)
Lynda Balslev is an award-winning food writer, editor and recipe developer based in the San Francisco Bay area. She authors the nationally syndicated column and blog TasteFood, and co-authored the cookbook Almonds: Recipes, History, Culture (2015 Silver Medal Winner Independent Publisher Awards). She is the 2011 recipient of the Chronicle Books Award (Recipe Writing) to the Symposium for Professional Food Writers, and a 2018 Fellowship Award recipient to the Symposium for Wine Writers at Meadowood, Napa Valley. Lynda’s writing and photography have been recognized by the New York Times Diners Journal, the Los Angeles Times, The Huffington Post and more.