Five-star, five-ingredient creamy miso pasta

"Divine. Divine, divine, divine."

View in browser|nytimes.com November 18, 2024 Alexa Weibel's five-ingredient creamy miso pasta. Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Carrie Purcell. Five ingredients, 20 minutes, five-star pasta By Melissa Clark "So how come you call it midnight pasta when you can't stay awake past 10?" my daughter asked as I was cooking pasta with garlic, anchovies and red pepper flakes. Fair point (if a little smart-alecky). As much as I rely on this easy, pantry-friendly combination on weeknights — sometimes adding lemon zest, herbs and olives if I've got them — I have never cooked it, or anything else for that matter, at midnight. "Midnight pasta is a state of mind," I responded. When you get home tired, famished and pressed for time, it can feel as if it's 11:59 p.m. no matter what the clock says. A recipe that's speedy, easy and uses whatever ingredients you have available is welcome any time of day. And Alexa Weibel's five-ingredient creamy miso pasta not only fits this bill, but it's also delicious enough to stop time. A minimalist blend of butter, miso and Parmesan, the sauce emulsifies to coat each pasta strand with silky, umami richness. You can top it all with nori or furikake or sliced seaweed snacks if you like (we love the seaweed snacks), or leave it be. It's perfect any which way — and at any hour. Featured Recipe Five-Ingredient Creamy Miso Pasta View Recipe → Slightly more involved, but still meatless, is Hetty "The Velveting Rabbit" Lui McKinnon's one-pot mushroom and ginger rice. The recipe works its magic through the Cantonese technique of velveting the mushrooms, coating the pieces in cornstarch so they stay plump and slippery as they cook in the gingery rice. At the end, she drizzles the mixture with soy sauce and sesame oil, then turns up the heat to create a sizzling, crispy crust at the bottom of the pot, a snappy contrast with all those plush textures. You'll find more velvety plushness in Yewande Komolafe's lentil and orzo stew with roasted eggplant. Cubes of eggplant are roasted until browned on the outside but still custardy within, adding an appealing, oily depth to the soupy, gently spiced mixture of green lentils, vegetables and pasta. Crumbles of feta or ricotta salata add a salty bite right at the end. On the crisper side of the spectrum, my savory shrimp cakes with chile-lime mayonnaise are seasoned with basil and cilantro for fragrance, chiles for heat and a touch of fish sauce for that funky je ne sais quoi. Using crushed rice cakes as a binder makes the cakes light and crunchy, but panko or cracker crumbs do the trick nearly as well. If chicken is on your list for the week, Millie Peartree's maple roasted chicken thighs have a smoky, tangy sweetness from the combination of maple syrup, apple cider vinegar and smoked paprika. The thighs will absorb even more of those complex flavors if you have time to marinate them overnight, but even an hour in that bath will get you a top-tier meal. Don't judge a dessert by its name. Most muffins are really just cupcakes without frosting, but Yossy Arefi's cranberry orange muffins are more like tea cakes at heart. These adorable golden-domed treats, made with buttermilk to keep them moist for several days, are topped with a tangy glaze flecked with orange zest. They're a great way to use the extra cranberries that seem to accumulate this time of year, whether fresh or frozen. Just don't try to call them cupcakes. And, as always, you'll want to subscribe to get all these smart recipes and so many more (tens of thousands). If you need any technical help, the brilliant people at cookingcare@nytimes.com are there for you. And I'm at hellomelissa@nytimes.com if you want to say hi. That's all for now. See you on Wednesday. IN THIS NEWSLETTER Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini. One-Pot Mushroom and Ginger Rice By Hetty Lui McKinnon 40 minutes Makes 4 servings Tara Donne for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Liza Jernow. Lentil and Orzo Stew With Roasted Eggplant By Yewande Komolafe 45 minutes to 1 hour Makes 4 servings David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Crispy Shrimp Cakes With Chile-Lime Mayo By Melissa Clark 45 minutes Makes 3 to 4 servings Dane Tashima for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini. Maple Roasted Chicken By Millie Peartree 45 minutes, plus brining Makes 4 to 6 servings Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Cranberry Orange Muffins By Yossy Arefi About 1 hour Makes 12 muffins Sign up for Dinner Tonight One quick and easy recipe in your inbox each night to answer that eternal question: What's for dinner? 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. Subscribe to NYT CookingGet the NYT Cooking app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018