Weeknight Dinner Ideas for the Tail End of Winter

Try our Spicy Pork Miso Soup

Try our Cornish Hens, Horseradish-Cheddar Potatoes and Cress Salad with Apples

Try our Shrimp, Mexican Chorizo & Pineapple Tacos with Tequila & Lime

Try our Mushroom-and-Kale Barley Soup

Try our Brown Butter & Cream Orecchiette with Cremini Mushrooms & Kale

For the spicy pork miso: 

• 3/4 lb. ground pork
• 3 cloves garlic
• Star anise pods
• Szechuan peppercorns
• Granulated onion
• Chicken stock
• Red miso
• Fresh egg noodles
• Baby spinach
• Fresh cilantro

For the Cornish hens: 

• 2 Cornish Hens
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh thyme
• Granulated onion
• Granulated garlic
• 3 starchy potatoes
• Grated white sharp cheddar
• Half-and-half or cream
• Fresh chives
• Prepared horseradish
• Butter
• Upland cress or watercress
• 2 scallions
• 1 apple
• 1 small lemon
• EVOO

For the tacos:

• Olive oil
• Fresh (Mexican) chorizo
• 3/4 lb. medium shrimp
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh pineapple
• 1 bunch spring onions or scallions
• 2 jalapeños
• Cilantro or parsley
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 shots of (3 oz.) silver tequila
• 2 limes
• 12–16 6-inch corn tortillas
• White or red cabbage
• Hot sauce, preferably Green Tabasco or Frank's RedHot

For the barley soup:

• Pearl barley
• EVOO
• 1 pound cremini or mixed mushrooms
• 1 onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 bunch cavolo nero 
• Salt and pepper
• Nutmeg
• Chicken or vegetable stock
• Porcini or mixed wild mushrooms
• Shaved pecorino-romano cheese

For the orecchiette: 

• Orecchiette ("little ears") pasta
• Hazelnuts (I like Buon'Italia's, which are from Piedmont, Italy)
• Butter
• 1 1/2 lbs. cremini mushrooms
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• White pepper
• Fresh thyme leaves
• 4 large cloves garlic
• 1 lemon
• 1 bundle Lacinato kale
• Heavy cream
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano