Cold noodle salad with spicy peanut sauce

And more vegetarian deliciousness from Hetty Lui McKinnon.

View in browser|nytimes.com May 23, 2024 Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Very delicious vegetarian eating By Mia Leimkuhler If you're a frequent reader of this newsletter (hi, Mom), you're familiar with the name Hetty Lui McKinnon. I talk about Hetty's recipes a lot — they're delicious, of course, but also consistently satisfying, delivering a lot of wow and oomph (technical terms). Hetty, along with Alice Callahan, a Times reporter who covers health and nutrition, have shared everything you might want to know about vegetarian eating in a special collaboration with Well. "We tend to cook and eat what we know, but giving up meat doesn't mean leaving behind your favorite flavors," they write. "If you enjoy the vibrant flavors of larb, make it with mushrooms or tofu, just as you can create an adobo with either eggplant or cauliflower, riff on Indian butter chicken by using chickpeas, and satisfy your schnitzel or breaded cutlet craving with halloumi or tofu. Change takes time, but it is much easier if you lean on familiar flavors and dishes." Speaking of familiar dishes, if you haven't already made Hetty's cold noodle salad with spicy peanut sauce, now — specifically this long weekend — is the time. The soba noodles and peanut-butter-based sauce provide a savory, nutty foundation for the crisp vegetables (a mix of zucchini, radishes and bell peppers) and the garlicky, limey peanut sauce can be as spicy as you'd like. I use chile crisp instead of chile oil to add extra tingly crunch; I've also subbed tahini for the peanut butter, and I can't tell which version I like better. In other words: Make these noodles and make them yours. Featured Recipe Cold Noodle Salad With Spicy Peanut Sauce View Recipe → These cumin green beans and mushrooms are a new Hetty recipe, and I already know it'll be on repeat in my home. I love the bright and earthy note that cumin adds to everything (see: Hetty's vegetarian take on the signature lamb dish at Xi'an Famous Foods); combining it with spicy ginger, sweet green beans and umami-rich mushrooms feels like a no-brainer. Will I add a fried egg on top if I'm feeling ravenous, breaking the yolk so that the yellow goodness mingles with the already gold-stained cumin mix? I will indeed. In the spirit of wedding season, let's move on to "chicken or fish." If you get your chicken in its citrus-chile marinade Saturday morning, you'll be all set for Ham El-Waylly's pollo asado come Saturday evening. This roasted lemony fish with brown butter, capers and nori, a recipe by Danielle Alvarez adapted by Melissa Clark, doesn't require any marinating, though you could whirl up the nori oil in advance. Given how simple the nori oil is to make — just put seaweed snack sheets, olive oil and black pepper in a blender — it's probably worth making extra to slick on some baked chicken thighs or pan-seared salmon. Maybe you're headed to a party this weekend, and maybe you've offered to bring a salad or dessert. Maybe you're remembering this just now. Ali Slagle's refreshing cucumber salad comes together quickly and requires just four ingredients (not including salt, pepper and sugar). It's the sort of party-pleaser that won't steal the show from the main event (ribs, shrimp boil, grilled salmon), but will provide a welcome crisp and cool contrast. For dessert, Samantha Seneviratne's blueberry pie bars are much easier to transport and serve than a blueberry pie (no forks or plates necessary). They also contain a delightful secret: Between the jammy fruit and buttery shortbread is a bonus layer of sweetened cream cheese. "Superb!" says Thom, a reader. "Remarkably, this is better than blueberry pie." ADVERTISEMENT IN THIS NEWSLETTER Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Cumin Green Beans and Mushrooms By Hetty Lui McKinnon 30 minutes Makes 4 servings Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Pollo Asado  By Ham El-Waylly 1 hour 10 minutes, plus at least 3 hours marinating Makes 4 to 6 servings  Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Roasted Lemony Fish With Brown Butter, Capers and Nori Recipe from Danielle Alvarez Adapted by Melissa Clark 30 minutes Makes 6 servings Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Pan-Seared Salmon By Lidey Heuck 20 minutes Makes 4 servings Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Cucumber Salad By Ali Slagle 15 minutes Makes 4 servings Julia Gartland for The New York Times Blueberry Pie Bars By Samantha Seneviratne About 1 hour 10 minutes, plus chilling Makes 16 servings Sign up for the Five Weeknight Dishes newsletter Fresh dinner ideas for busy people who want something great to eat, with NYT Cooking recipes sent to you weekly. Get it in your inbox Sign up for The Veggie newsletter Tanya Sichynsky shares the most delicious vegetarian recipes for weeknight cooking, packed lunches and dinner parties. Get it in your inbox ADVERTISEMENT Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Cooking from The New York Times. To stop receiving Cooking, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. 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