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In New York, we\u2019ve just exited the \u2018season\u2019 named Second Summer, and it\u2019s exactly what it sounds like: A weird period of time\u2014mostly in early September\u2014where temperatures fluctuate to briefly mirror the summery hell we just left behind. This \u2018season\u2019 (I say this loosely, as this is not an official time, just an observation by other New Yorkers) is bookended by False Fall (a brief reprieve from the heat, usually three to five days long), and Actual Fall. And Actual Fall is off to a cold, foggy, rainy start. Yay.<\/p>\n
To get me through this weird week where I feel deeply unmotivated, but very hungry (always), I\u2019ve compiled a list of some of my favorite weeknight dinners I like to make while watching fall-themed rom-coms (Practical Magic anyone?) or hosting pals for a mid-week social boost.<\/p>\n
I started making this recipe often when I was doing a lot of backpacking and camping in 2020. Just me and a cast-iron pan, settled in over an open fire. It\u2019s endlessly adaptable (change the spices, add dried figs, etc), can easily be scaled up to feed more people, and makes for some superb leftovers. The thing I love most about this recipe, that is usually lacking from other one-pot format recipes, is the slow building of flavor, layering item after item, so that each flavor note weaves within the others, creating a quilt of savory aromas and flavors.<\/p>\n
Spoiler: You\u2019re not going to see a lot of \u201ccooking for one\u201d content here, because even though I live alone, I love sharing meals with friends, and also love leftovers, because the idea of cooking an amazing meal from scratch every single night is frankly, exhausting. These chicken-fried mushrooms steaks<\/a>, from my column Plus One<\/a>, are not only veggie-friendly, they\u2019re very easy to re-purpose. Eat them as an appetizer one night, and then transform them into a sandwich\u2014complete with coleslaw and a toasty, plush burger bun\u2014the next day. Simply reheat them in a 450-degree oven for 10 minutes.<\/p>\n I love sun-dried tomatoes, and I believe they should have a bigger stake in the Tomato Girl discourse<\/a>. Ready to provide big, acidic flavor whenever, this recipe applies them to Pesto Rosso\u2014a brilliant Italian pivot to traditional verdant pestos. This is a dish I reserve for my weeknight hosting, as few things are as spectacular as presenting an entire fish to your table. But, feel free to take the sauce and apply it anywhere you\u2019d use traditional pesto<\/a>.<\/p>\n Whenever the weather stinks, our Test Kitchen requests I make this soup. A good work-from-home, stir-while-you\u2019re-in-meetings recipe, this Polish Dill Pickle Soup<\/a> scratches that deep itch of wanting something salty and savory that also has a bit of a bite. Though there\u2019s a ton of back-and-forth online<\/a> about how boiling potatoes in salt makes them tough (sorry y’all, but babcia was just incorrect!) this low-and-slow simmer produces delightful aromas and tender, fall-apart potatoes and vegetables.<\/p>\n Carbonara is my go-to comfort food. Maybe it\u2019s the slow, hypnotic process of turning golden egg yolks into silky, creamy pasta sauce, or the ability to make breakfast for dinner without making breakfast for dinner (IYKYK). Throw in some veg (this spectacular version features spring-y asparagus, but I\u2019d opt for some seasonal green beans), and you have yourself a well-rounded meal.<\/p>\n 3. Baked Cod With Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto<\/h2>\n
4. Polish Dill Pickle Soup (Zupa Og\u00f3rkowa)<\/h2>\n
5. Asparagus & Bacon Carbonara<\/h2>\n
More from Food52<\/h4>\n
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