A Melissa Clark pantry pasta to greet the weekend

And for said weekend: chan chan yaki, cheesy pan pizza, pork gyros and green curry-glazed tofu.

View in browser|nytimes.com July 19, 2024 Melissa Clark's pasta with tuna, capers and scallions. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. (Photography and Styling) A Melissa Clark pantry pasta to greet the weekend By Sam Sifton Good morning. It would be nice to cook a project recipe this weekend, to spend Saturday tending to a brisket softening in wood smoke out in the yard, or assembling a lane cake at my kitchen counter. I could set up some gravlax to cure all week, for next Sunday's breakfast. I could make a timpano or roll up a platter of kimbap. There are so many possibilities. But today, tonight, after five days' labor in the fetid heat of a New York City summer, alternating between the chill of offices and retail establishments and the rank fever of the open street? Perhaps all I can do, all any one of us can do, is stare at the cans and boxes in the cupboard and wonder if there's a dinner in there among them, something to make quickly, with a minimum of fuss. And of course there is. On a night when I'm right on the edge of despair, I like Melissa Clark's recipe for pasta with tuna, capers and scallions (above). The recipe title belies the simple complexity of the dish: canned tuna amped up with olive oil, garlic and anchovies, run through with lemon juice, heightened by red-pepper flakes and made fragrant with torn herbs and sliced scallions, everything tossed with long strands of spaghetti or bucatini until they're glistening in the steam. Featured Recipe Pasta With Tuna, Capers and Scallions View Recipe → I twirl that onto a plate and think: Made it. The dish, yes, but also through the week. Eat well in celebration, sleep deeply and, tomorrow, explore the new. For instance, how about this recipe from my editor, Mia Leimkuhler, for chan chan yaki, or steamed miso-butter salmon with vegetables? It's a dish common in Hokkaido, an island in northern Japan, often cooked on a large griddle. Mia's recipe, adapted from one by Marc Matsumoto, a Tokyo-based blogger, streamlines the process, bringing it into a single skillet. It's a beautiful Saturday evening meal. But so is a table full of pork gyros. So is a cheesy pan pizza. I like a green curry glazed tofu on a Saturday night. And I really, really like simple, Italian American-style chicken cutlets, crispy and moist. You could use them for a freestyle chicken Parm or eat them plain with sliced lemons and a green salad. Whichever, do make extras so you can assemble a hero on Sunday: cutlets, provolone, lettuce, tomato, maybe some bacon, definitely Russian dressing. That travels well. See you at the beach! There are thousands and thousands more recipes to make this weekend waiting for you on New York Times Cooking. Stipulated: You need a subscription to read them. Subscriptions make this whole operation possible. Please, if you haven't already, would you consider subscribing today? Thank you. We're watching our inboxes in case you run into problems with our technology. Just write for help. We're at cookingcare@nytimes.com. Someone will get back to you. Or, if you'd like to speak to a manager, you can write to me: foodeditor@nytimes.com. I can't respond to every letter. But I read every one I get. Now, it's nothing to do with snap peas or Boston mackerel, but you should read Conor Niland in The Guardian on the loneliness of the low-ranking professional tennis player. Also, Maureen Dowd on Scarlett Johansson, in The New York Times. I don't know if Jeremy Renner's character in "Mayor of Kingstown" is meant to resonate with news editors. But sometimes I feel seen there: "My job, my primary function, is to create a balance." Finally, here's Bright Eyes, a long way from Omaha, with "Bells and Whistles." Bay Ridge boys! I'll see you on Sunday. IN THIS NEWSLETTER Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Chan Chan Yaki (Miso Butter Salmon) Recipe from Marc Matsumoto Adapted by Mia Leimkuhler 35 minutes Makes 4 servings Gentl and Hyers for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Rebecca Bartoshesky. Pork Gyros By Sam Sifton 1 hour, plus marinating Makes 6 servings Gentl and Hyers for The New York Times (Photography and Styling) Cheesy Pan Pizza Recipe from King Arthur Flour Adapted by Tejal Rao 45 minutes, plus resting Makes 1 (9-to-10-inch) pan pizza Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Green Curry Glazed Tofu By Ali Slagle 25 minutes Makes 2 servings Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Chicken Cutlets By Lidey Heuck 40 minutes Makes 4 servings David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Kimbap By Darun Kwak 40 minutes Makes 4 rolls (2 servings) Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Lane Cake By Yewande Komolafe 1 1/4 hours, plus cooling Makes 8 to 10 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 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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