5 Easy Dinners with Only Five Ingredients

by Jeanne Kelley, Bon Appétit

There are a million reasons to love our new collection of quick dinner recipes. For starters, you can count all the ingredients on one hand.

1) Roast Salmon with Miso Glaze and Sugar Snap Peas

Salmon that has not been previously frozen roasts best. If you use salmon fillets with the skin still on, cook them skin side down.








Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brushing
1/4 cup good-quality teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup white miso (fermented soybean paste)
2 scallions, green and white parts separated, finely chopped
4 6-ounce salmon fillets (about 1 1/2-inch thick)
12 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed, stringed
Kosher salt
Ingredient Info: White miso, also known as shiro miso, is available in the refrigerated Asian foods section of some supermarkets and at natural foods stores and Japanese markets.

Preparation
Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 450°. Brush 2 large rimmed baking sheets with oil. Purée teriyaki sauce, miso, and white parts of scallions in a blender on low speed until smooth. Arrange salmon fillets on a prepared baking sheet. Spread miso mixture over salmon, dividing evenly. Roast salmon on top rack until almost cooked through, about 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss 1 Tbsp. oil and sugar snap peas on remaining baking sheet and season with salt. Roast peas on bottom rack until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer salmon to plates and sprinkle with green parts of scallions. Divide peas among plates.

See also: 10 Authentic Japanese Recipes

2) Roast Rack of Lamb with Fingerling Potatoes, Asparagus, and Tapenade

This elegant complete meal can be prepared in about 30 minutes. Ask your butcher to french the bones (trim excess fat from them) of the lamb for you.







Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for brushing
1 1-pound rack of lamb, rib bones frenched
3 1/2 tablespoons tapenade, divided
1 small bunch asparagus, trimmed
Kosher salt
8 ounces fingerling potatoes (no larger than 1 inch in diameter), cut in half lengthwise
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Ingredient Info: Tapenade, a thick paste or spread made from brine-cured olives, capers, anchovies, and seasonings, is available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets.

Preparation
Preheat oven to 450°. Brush a roasting pan with oil. Spread 2 Tbsp. tapenade evenly over lamb and place lamb, bone side down, in center of pan. Toss asparagus with 1 Tbsp. oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and set aside. Roast lamb for 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, place remaining 1 Tbsp. oil, 1 Tbsp. tapenade, and potatoes in a medium bowl; toss to coat potatoes. Arrange potatoes in a single layer around lamb. Continue roasting until potatoes are crisp on the edges, golden brown, and tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of lamb registers 135°-140° for medium to medium-rare, 15-20 minutes. Remove lamb and potatoes from oven.

Roast asparagus until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, transfer lamb to a cutting board. Divide potatoes between plates. Stir remaining 1/2 Tbsp. tapenade, wine, and 2 Tbsp. water in pan over medium heat, scraping up browned bits, until sauce reduces slightly, about 1 minute.

Cut lamb into individual chops. Arrange lamb and asparagus on plates with potatoes, dividing evenly. Drizzle lamb and potatoes with sauce.

Related: 6 Easy Ways to Cook with More Flavor

3) Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Bacon, Oyster Mushrooms, and Scallions

These sandwiches can be made in minutes entirely in a panini press. If you don't have the handy sandwich-making machine, follow the instructions below. A cheese slicer makes it easy to thinly slice the cheese for the sandwiches.

Ingredients
4 slices bacon
3 ounces oyster mushrooms, sliced
4 scallions, trimmed
4 1/2-inch-thick slices country-style boule
5 ounces sharp cheddar or Emmenthal cheese, thinly sliced

Preparation
Preheat a cast-iron griddle or large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook bacon, turning once, until crisp and brown. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour drippings into a small bowl; return griddle to medium-high heat.

Brush mushrooms lightly with bacon drippings. Cook mushrooms, turning once, until tender and brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a plate. Cook scallions, turning once, until tender and brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to another plate and let cool slightly. Coarsely chop mushrooms and scallions.

Brush one side of each bread slice with bacon drippings. Place, brushed side down, on a work surface. Top two slices of bread with cheese, covering bread completely, then 2 bacon slices. Continue layering, starting with a thin layer of cheese, then mushrooms, then another layer of cheese, scallions, and a final layer of cheese. Top cheese with remaining 2 bread slices, brushed side up.

Cook sandwiches, placing a heavy pan or pot on top of sandwiches to weigh down, until bread is crisp and golden brown and cheese melts, about 4 minutes per side.

Five Steps to the Ultimate Grilled Cheese

4) Egg and Chorizo Burritos
These big burritos are rich and satisfying; they're equally suitable for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Serve them with a salad of shredded cabbage and sliced peeled oranges sprinkled with lime juice, chili powder, and salt. Use either jalapeño or habanero hot pepper Monterey Jack, depending on how spicy you want your sandwich-the former being milder.

Ingredients
12 ounces Mexican chorizo sausage, casings removed
4 10-inch whole wheat tortillas
5 ounces hot pepper Monterey Jack, shredded
6 large eggs, beaten to blend
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Preparation
Cook chorizo in a medium heavy skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until chorizo is brown and fat is rendered, about 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chorizo to a medium bowl. Drain all but 1 Tbsp. drippings from pan; set pan aside.

Preheat broiler. Divide tortillas between 2 baking sheets; sprinkle half of cheese over, dividing equally; set aside. Heat drippings in reserved skillet over medium-low heat; add eggs and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are just set, about 4 minutes.

Cook tortillas until warmed through and cheese begins to melt, about 20 seconds.

Working quickly, top tortillas with chorizo and eggs, dividing evenly. Sprinkle with remaining half of cheese and cilantro. Working one at a time, fold in top and bottom ends of tortillas, then roll up, starting from an unfolded side, into burritos.

5) Stir-Fried Eggplant and Green Beans with Tofu and Chili-Garlic Sauce
The trick to simple stir-frying is to have all the ingredients prepared in advance and ready to add to the skillet quickly. Serve this dish with steamed white or brown rice for a quick and hearty vegetarian meal. If you have peanut oil on hand, use it in place of the olive oil.

Ingredients
3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
6 ounces green beans, trimmed, cut into 2-3-inch pieces
1 long, narrow Chinese eggplant (about 9 ounces), cut in half lengthwise, halves cut into 1/2-inch slices on a wide diagonal
3 scallions, green and white parts separated, thinly sliced
7 ounces teriyaki-flavor baked tofu, preferably organic, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce
Kosher salt
Ingredient Info: Chili-garlic sauce is available in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets and at Asian markets.

Preparation
Heat 1/2 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add green beans and stir-fry until coated, about 30 seconds. Add 1 Tbsp. water to skillet, cover, and cook until beans are almost crisp-tender and water evaporates, about 2 minutes. Transfer green beans to a bowl.

Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and stir-fry until tender and brown, about 2 minutes. Add white parts of scallions and stir-fry until scallions are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Return green beans to skillet; add tofu and stir-fry until tofu is browned and heated through, about 2 minutes.

Mix chili-garlic sauce and 2 Tbsp. water in a small bowl. Pour into skillet and stir-fry vegetables and tofu gently until lightly coated, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt. Sprinkle with green parts of scallions and divide among plates.

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