I Can’t Believe It’s Not ChickenPoor tofu, still denigrated by meat eaters, despite its deep versatility and pleasing ways. I love tofu, especially when it’s prepared in ways that smartly highlight its texture, whether it’s luxuriously silken, extra firm or somewhere in the vast middle. Nisha Vora’s recipe for grated, pan-fried tofu (a.k.a. “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Chicken”) is a great example. The chewy shards of firm tofu crisp up in the skillet and absorb far more of the savory sauce than your typical cube or slab. Please try it, even if you think tofu isn’t for you. That recipe, and four others for the week (Steak! Chicken! Cod! Quesadillas!), are below. We also recently published our annual list of the 100 easy dinner recipes to make this year, and it has some of the nicest reader comments you’ll see on all of NYTimes.com. Thanks so much, and apologies to everyone who clicked on the broken link in the newsletter last week. It works! Some good news to end on: For now, the recipes in this newsletter are free to access on our app, no subscription needed. Click here to access them. And reach out to me anytime at dearemily@nytimes.com with recipe news and notes. I’m also making classic French toast, yogurt-marinated roast chicken and seared scallops with tomato salad.
1. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Chicken (Super-Savory Grated Tofu)The wonderful Nisha knows the trick that gets everyone at the table, ages 5 to 95, happily eating tofu. This easy recipe generates texture and flavor that the sad, sodden tofu at the salad bar could only dream of. Bonus: You can watch Nisha make it in this video.
2. Chile-Garlic Steak and ZucchiniChristian Reynoso makes magic of a very short list of ingredients here. The red wine vinegar dressing and zucchini are a pairing I love: The tangy vinegar jolts the zucchini to life.
3. Dijon Chicken With Tomatoes and ScallionsYasmin Fahr gives us zip and zing in this chicken dinner, which is perfect for tomato season. The Dijon mustard in the pan is what makes the tomatoes really pop.
4. Baked Cod With Buttery Cracker ToppingA thick cap of crushed-and-baked Ritz crackers has the power to make everything better. Sarah DiGregorio’s recipe is especially good with a final squeeze of lemon and a green salad on the side.
5. Corn QuesadillasThe recipe I didn’t know I needed, but surely did. Inspired by elotes and esquites, this dish comes from Kayla Hoang, and I will be making it for dinner as soon as possible. For a limited time, you can enjoy free access to the recipes in this newsletter in our app. Download it on your iOS or Android device and create a free account to get started. Thanks for reading and cooking. If you like the work we do at New York Times Cooking, please subscribe! (Or give a subscription as a gift!) You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest, or follow me on Instagram. I’m dearemily@nytimes.com, and previous newsletters are archived here. Reach out to my colleagues at cookingcare@nytimes.com if you have any questions about your account. View all recipes in your weekly plan.
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