Recipes

Zainab Shah · NYT Cooking

There are said to be more than three hundred kinds of kibbeh in Aleppo, the Syrian city where Rala Ziadeh, the chef and co-founder of Lammeh, a catering company in Brooklyn, was born. In this adaptation of her recipe, the hashweh, or filling, is spiced ground meat and nuts, wrapped in a supple dough of bulgur and meat, and then fried until crisp and golden. Though traditionally deep-fried, this version is pan-fried for ease. (Kibbeh can also be baked in a sheet pan as well.) Yes, it takes time, soaking and kneading, shaping and stuffing, and you’ll need a sturdy food processor. But the result is deeply worth it — a confetti of textures, with soft meat, sweet onions, crunchy nuts and a chewy bulgur crust. The formed kibbeh freeze well, ready to fry on demand for gatherings, family dinners or a taste of home.

Zainab Shah · NYT Cooking

This roast chicken is built on layers of warmth and citrus, which provide a balance of spice, bitterness and brightness that transforms a simple bird into something deeply aromatic. Butter infused with orange zest, dried peel and cardamom seeps into the skin, flavoring the meat as it roasts over a bed of onions. A halved orange and head of garlic tucked into the cavity infuse it from within, while black pepper and cloves lend depth and a touch of heat. The result is a bird that’s burnished and fragrant, with a pan sauce brightened by fresh orange juice. Add carrots and potatoes to the roasting pan (see Tip), and your meal is complete.

Zainab Shah · NYT Cooking

This dish brings the cozy richness of a South Indian coconut curry to a weeknight noodle bowl. Noodles are tossed in a quick sauce of coconut milk, garlic, ginger and warming spices, then brightened with cilantro. Shrimp cooks directly in the sauce, absorbing the fragrant flavors, though the dish is just as satisfying with tofu or vegetables. Optional mustard seeds and curry leaves add extra depth and crackle, but the recipe is designed to be flexible, leaning on pantry staples. With a luxurious, layered sauce, this filling, 30-minute meal feels like a small miracle.

Zainab Shah · NYT Cooking

Thicker and spongier than a crepe and thinner and lighter than a pancake, baghrir is a staple across countries in North Africa, and particularly comforting when enjoyed for breakfast during Eid. Baghrir is made with fine semolina, flour, yeast, salt and sugar, blended with warm water to make a batter and allowed to ferment and gather airiness and tang. When the creamy batter is poured into a hot pan, tiny craters open up one by one across its surface — the process is almost mesmerizing. It makes sense that baghrir is never flipped; the holes serve as receptacles for any sticky, sweet richness the moment calls for. Typically drizzled with a mix of melted butter and honey, this version calls for date syrup (homemade or store-bought) and salted yogurt which add a delicious complexity and balance. The toppings may vary but the spirit remains the same: a bubbled, honeycombed delight meant to hold sweetness.

Zainab Shah · NYT Cooking

These spiced scrambled eggs, known in South Asia as anda bhurji, come together in just 20 minutes and are packed with flavor. Cumin, garlic and ginger add layers of earthiness and depth; green chiles bring a fresh heat reinforced by a more fiery red chile; and tomatoes and shallots cook down into a savory, jammy mixture. Beaten eggs are folded in and gently scrambled until soft and curdy, then finished with garam masala and a sprinkle of cilantro. The result is a comforting, versatile dish that’s just as good spooned onto buttered toast as it is scooped up with warm roti. Though not traditional, serving the anda bhurji with simply boiled white rice is just as enjoyable. This recipe is perfect for breakfast, but hearty enough for any time of day.

Zainab Shah · NYT Cooking

That bunch of cilantro or mint threatening to wilt in the fridge is ideal for this vegetal, herby, luxurious paneer dinner—even better if the herbs are fresh. Bright, peppery cilantro blended with refreshing mint makes the perfect backdrop for mild, milky paneer, while green chiles bring a complementary edge that’s fortified with heat from red chile powder. Cumin seeds add texture and earthiness, and zesty lemon juice ties it all together. Unlike the tomato-based curries typical in the northern parts of India and Pakistan, green (or hara) curries like this one rely on crushed-up nuts for richness. This recipe calls for a formidable shortcut: cashew butter. For even more creaminess, don’t skip the yogurt.

Yossy Arefi · NYT Cooking

For this delicate, fluffy cake, snow white layers are made by ditching egg yolks and going straight for egg whites. To avoid overmixing, the batter calls for the reverse creaming method, made popular by the cookbook author Rose Levy Beranbaum, in which the dry ingredients are mixed with a solid fat (butter in this case) before the liquid ingredients, including oil, are added. A mix of butter and oil helps create the soft, tender crumb. Ice the cake with whatever frosting you prefer, though vanilla is classic. Use clear vanilla extract for the brightest layers and buttercream.

Yossy Arefi · NYT Cooking

This stunning summer dessert is more relaxed than it looks. The cheesecake is baked without a messy water bath and can be made days in advance. To avoid cracks on the surface, make sure to turn off the oven when the cheesecake is just set around the edges and quite wiggly at the center. If your cheesecake does happen to crack while cooling, the blanket of jammy berries will cover up any imperfections. Use the juiciest, most vibrant berries you can find, as they are the true stars of the show. Substitute an equal amount of blackberries, raspberries or blueberries for the strawberries, if you like, and adjust the sugar to taste.

Yossy Arefi · NYT Cooking

This cake is a bit of a choose your own adventure. Make it as is, without any topping at all, for a simple apple-packed treat, or pump up the flavor with a coating of cinnamon sugar (or pumpkin spice) that bakes up into a crunchy crust in some spots and gooey glaze in others. If you really want to take it to another level, add a drizzle of cream cheese icing that takes this cake into cinnamon roll territory. Use tart, firm baking apples: Mutsu, Cortland, Braeburn, Northern Spy and Stayman Winesap are all great options. We’ll leave it to you whether to peel or not to peel.

Yossy Arefi · NYT Cooking

This towering loaf is packed with applesauce and chopped apples, plus lots of cinnamon and nutmeg. Enjoy a slice with a cup of tea in the afternoon or turn it into dessert with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream. Use tart, firm baking apples (such as Mutsu, Cortland, Braeburn, Northern Spy and Stayman Winesap) in this cake for best results. The bread is best enjoyed the day it is baked, but will stay soft and delicious for a few days when stored in an airtight container or bag at room temperature.

Yossy Arefi · NYT Cooking

Pumpkin purée and pumpkin spice make these chewy, cake-like cookies the ultimate cozy fall treat. The cookies are great on their own, but a cap of pumpkin spice frosting makes them even better. In keeping with the autumnal theme, the frosting includes a little bit of pumpkin purée, which imparts a creamy orange hue and well balanced flavor. If you don’t keep a pumpkin spice blend on hand, cinnamon is a great substitute.

Yossy Arefi · NYT Cooking

Candy making can be intimidating, but this sweet and salty brittle is actually easy to make, no candy thermometer required. With a few basic ingredients and about 20 minutes, you’ll have a perfect, giftable treat. Sugar is cooked with butter and lots of salt until fragrant and the color turns a deep amber. Then, a little bit of baking soda is stirred in to create air in the candy, making it easier to bite through, while the addition of plenty of vanilla maximizes flavor. Buttery cashews make delicious brittle, as they are soft and yielding in contrast to the deep crunchy caramel. Use roasted and salted nuts for the best taste. This brittle recipe is quite salty as written, so scale back to 1 teaspoon of salt or use unsalted, roasted nuts for a less salty version. To avoid getting splashed by hot sugar, use oven mitts and a long-handled utensil to stir.

Yossy Arefi · NYT Cooking

Making homemade dinner rolls sounds a lot more intimidating than it actually is, and with this straightforward back-pocket recipe you may find yourself baking them often.

Yossy Arefi · NYT Cooking

Tangy cranberries and zesty orange are a classic pairing, and they both shine in these perfectly domed muffins. Soft and fluffy, the muffins are dotted with a generous amount of bright red cranberries, and topped with an optional glaze packed full of even more orange flavor. You can opt for fresh or frozen cranberries, simply increasing the bake time by a few minutes if using frozen berries. This recipe makes a tidy dozen, and they keep well on the counter for a few days, or can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to one month.

Yossy Arefi · NYT Cooking

Tender and sweet caramelized carrots and crisp-edged roasted kale make a delicious pair in this simple side. The two are roasted on every cook's favorite baking pan, a large rimmed baking sheet, also known as a half-sheet pan. The carrots get a little head start to make sure they are caramelized and sweet, and the kale is sliced thinly and massaged with oil and salt before cooking, ensuring that it roasts quickly and procures some prized crispy edges that contrast nicely with the tender carrots. A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens the whole dish.

Yossy Arefi · NYT Cooking

Juicy, sweet pears and tart cranberries are a perfect fall pairing in this easy dessert. Dark brown sugar adds a rich caramel note, and a handful of dried cranberries gives this crisp a pleasantly chewy texture. The buttery topping is gently spiced with cinnamon, but feel free to add any warm baking spices you prefer. If you’re the planning type, you can make the crisp topping up to 2 weeks in advance, storing it in an airtight container in the freezer. Break up any large clumps, then use as directed in the recipe, adding just a few minutes of bake time.

Yossy Arefi · NYT Cooking

Cottage cheese provides a rich and creamy base for this herb-packed dip that makes a perfect appetizer, snack or light lunch along with crudités and bread or crackers. A handful of browned onions give the dip a depth of flavor more impressive than the work it took to achieve it. Salt levels vary quite a bit from brand to brand of cottage cheese, so make sure to taste as you go and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.

Yossy Arefi · NYT Cooking

These moist, buttery, pumpkin-y biscuits are the perfect use for that last bit of pumpkin purée in the can. They boast crunchy tops, soft centers and a flavor that lands somewhere between sweet and savory. They come together in no time at all, with just a bowl and a spoon, and their cheery orange hue makes them a perfect addition to any holiday table. The biscuits are best warm from the oven but can be reheated in a low oven or toaster oven just before serving. Don’t forget the sweet and salty honey butter on the side, which makes these biscuits extra special.

Yossy Arefi · NYT Cooking

This cozy spice cake is a one-bowl wonder. Made with oil, the cake stays moist for days and has a soft and fluffy texture. It is generously spiced with the usual warm-spice suspects: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, plus a little bit of peppery allspice. If you stock cardamom in your pantry, it wouldn’t be out of place either. The cake is delicious on its own, with just a dusting of powdered sugar on top, but cream cheese frosting is a classic topper that offsets the spiced cake wonderfully and looks great too.

Yossy Arefi · NYT Cooking

These stunning cookies would be a gorgeous addition to any holiday cookie assortment, and they are not much more difficult than any roll-and-cut cookie. The cookie base is lightly sweetened and tender, thanks to powdered sugar and an extra egg yolk, and the glass-like centers are made from crushed hard candies that melt in the heat of the oven. Use a few different colors of candy for a tie-dye effect or single colors for a bolder look. Feel free to use any shaped cookie cutter you like — just make sure they are large enough that there is space to cut out a good-sized hole in the center. Featured in: Can You Find Awe in Christmas Cookies?

Yossy Arefi · NYT Cooking

Spiced speculoos cookie butter is delicious straight from the jar, and in this cake it makes the perfect addition to a quick and easy buttercream frosting. The plush dark brown sugar and vanilla cake is just as easy to make and is extra moist thanks to a generous amount of sour cream. This cake keeps well on the counter for a few days, loosely covered, although it’s so snackable you shouldn’t be surprised if it doesn’t last that long.

Yossy Arefi · NYT Cooking

Speculoos cookie butter elevates this otherwise simple recipe for blondies. Packed with brown sugar and browned butter, these cookie bars are rich, caramelly and chewy. Shredded coconut adds a bit of toasty depth that pairs beautifully with the lightly spiced cookie butter, and a generous amount of salt helps these blondies from being cloyingly sweet.

Yossy Arefi · NYT Cooking

Magic cookie bars, seven-layer bars and Hello Dolly bars are all variations on a theme: a buttery graham cracker crust topped with sweetened condensed milk, coconut, nuts and semisweet chocolate chips (sometimes with butterscotch chips thrown in, too). This version ups the chocolate factor by adding a bit of cocoa to the crust and lots of bittersweet chocolate to the topping. A sprinkle of dried cherries at the end adds a much-needed punch of bright, tart flavor, making these the perfect afternoon pick-me-up or lunchbox treat. Add a bit of flaky salt to the top to make these extra craveable.

Yossy Arefi · NYT Cooking

This warmly spiced, moist apple cake is the cozy breakfast, afternoon snack or dessert that dreams are made of. The top is covered with a generous layer of crumble that’s spiced with cinnamon or your favorite pumpkin spice blend and caramelized on the edges, which adds delicious toasty flavor and wonderful crunchy texture. The topping is at its most crisp the day that it is baked, but the cake stays soft and delicious for a few days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Brew a cup of tea or coffee, slice a piece of cake and enjoy these cozy flavors in any season.