Give basil a break with this arugula-walnut pesto

Slathered on marinated grilled chicken, this easy arugula pesto is a peppery change of pace.

View in browser|nytimes.com July 18, 2024 Farideh Sadeghin's grilled chicken breasts with arugula pesto. Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell. Basil's on the bench. Arugula, you're in. By Mia Leimkuhler I do not consider myself a wild child or a rule breaker. I use the left lane only for passing, I wait to queue until my boarding group is called and I'm pretty sure those menacing "do not remove under penalty of law" tags are still on my mattress. But every once in a while, I feel the need to let loose, to really go crazy, and I make pesto with something other than basil. And Farideh Sadeghin says that's OK! She sees me reaching for that clamshell of arugula and not only says go for it, but also nudges me to slather that arugula pesto all over chicken as both marinade and finishing sauce in her new grilled chicken recipe. I'm going to be even more daring and roast my chicken in the oven, maybe broil it. Or I might use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. What can I say? I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel. Featured Recipe Grilled Chicken Breasts With Arugula Pesto View Recipe → This new recipe for salmon with freshly grated tomatoes and butter from Carolina Gelen looks perfectly summer-minimalist: just salmon, butter, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper and beefy tomatoes. (I love how, when you grate tomatoes, the tomato skin stays in one piece and turns into a protective layer between your hand and the box grater. So thoughtful, tomatoes!) But, in keeping with my "Whoa there" wildness, I'm going to add some chile flakes in Step 5 because I like a little bit of spice. Speaking of spicy: The minced chile and chile powder in these seekh kebabs, a recipe by Chintan Pandya and adapted by Alexa Weibel, give them a good bit of kick, which is exactly what's needed to match the warming spices (garam masala, cumin and cardamom) and shredded cheese. My wild swerve here might be to double the mint chutney so I have some to spoon on Indian-ish nachos later in the week, or to make the kebabs with ground chicken instead of lamb. (Alexa confirms that this swap is "1,000 percent" doable — "the cheese would bring the fat you need and want," she assures.) I love preserved lemons — so salty! So sour! — and Samantha Seneviratne's buttermilk potato salad with preserved lemon is shooting to the top of my summer cooking bucket list. Also salty and sour is Kay Chun's eggplant adobo, one of my favorite recipes for eggplant. More adobos if you, like me, can't get enough of that soy sauce-vinegar combo: cauliflower adobo, coconut milk chicken adobo, short-rib adobo, adobo chocolate chip cookies. Lastly, I'm so excited about this beautiful vanilla Bundt cake recipe from Yossy Arefi, because it looks so delicious and so ready for my baking whims. I might add grated citrus zest to the batter, or swap the optional almond extract for a necessary splash of bourbon. Maybe I'll dust the cake with powdered sugar and serve it as is, or use it as the base for a voluptuous, over-the-top berry trifle. We love a cake that encourages creativity. IN THIS NEWSLETTER Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell. Salmon With Freshly Grated Tomatoes and Butter By Carolina Gelen 35 minutes  Makes 4 servings Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Seekh Kebab With Mint Chutney Recipe from Chintan Pandya Adapted by Alexa Weibel 45 minutes, plus chilling Makes 6 kebabs Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Sylist: Barrett Washburne. Indian-ish Nachos With Cheddar, Black Beans and Chutney By Priya Krishna and Ritu Krishna 30 minutes Makes 6 to 8 servings Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. Buttermilk Potato Salad With Preserved Lemon By Samantha Seneviratne 55 minutes Makes 4 servings Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. Eggplant Adobo By Kay Chun 40 minutes Makes 4 servings Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Vanilla Bundt Cake By Yossy Arefi 2 hours Makes 10 to 12 servings  Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Classic Trifle With Berries or Citrus By Melissa Clark 1 hour, plus chilling Makes 6 to 8 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. 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