Every week, Executive Food Editor Keith Dresser pairs each main dish with a side to give you a complete, satisfying dinner without the guesswork. Look for the game plan section to learn tips on how to streamline your kitchen work so dinner comes together quicker.
Weeknight Cooking
Dinner This Week: Chicken Schnitzel
This week’s menus include Chicken Schnitzel, Scrambled Eggs with Shiitake Mushrooms and Feta Cheese, and Butter-Basted Fish Fillets with Garlic and Thyme for dinner in about an hour.
By Published Dec. 3, 2021.
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Dinner 1: Chicken Schnitzel and Apple-Fennel Rémoulade
Game Plan: Prep the ingredients for the rémoulade, including mixing the dressing, but wait to toss the ingredients together. Prep and cook the chicken. Toss the rémoulade right before serving.
Chicken Schnitzel is defined by thin, tender, juicy cutlets coated in a fine, wrinkly crust that puffs away from the meat during frying. Fine store-bought bread crumbs held in place by an egg wash form a compact crust, and adding oil to the eggs makes the coating slightly elastic. Bathing the cutlets in oil quickly sets the crust so that the breading traps steam, which then causes the coating to puff away from the meat. Apple-Fennel Rémoulade is a creamy, crunchy, fragrant salad that pairs well with the chicken. Cutting the mayonnaise-based dressing with whole-grain mustard, caper brine, and lemon juice makes for a rich but bright and tangy salad.
Printable Shopping Lists: Chicken Schnitzel and Apple-Fennel Rémoulade
Equipment Review
The Best Dutch Ovens
A Dutch oven is an essential investment for serious cooks. We find the best options at every price and in every size.Read Our Review
Dinner 2: Scrambled Eggs with Shiitake Mushrooms and Arugula Salad
Game Plan: Prep the ingredients for both dishes, starting with the oranges to give them time to drain. Once the eggs have been cooked, toss the salad and serve.
For our Scrambled Eggs with Shiitake Mushrooms and Feta Cheese, we add olive oil to the eggs to tenderize them and lend richness. We cook the eggs quickly in more olive oil, stirring constantly to create large curds. When the curds are well established but still a little wet, we fold in precooked shiitake mushrooms. This way, the eggs can set up around the shiitakes and create a cohesive dish that we garnish with salty feta cheese. To eliminate excess moisture in Orange and Radish Salad with Arugula, we drain the oranges before tossing them with the greens. Lime juice forms the base of the dressing, but lemon juice or white wine vinegar will work equally well. Arugula provides a peppery bite.
Printable Shopping Lists: Scrambled Eggs with Arugula Salad
Equipment Review
Plastic Spatulas
Just a spatula? Sure, but it’s a tool you use every day. So having one that really works can be as important as having the right knife.Read Our Review
Dinner 3: Butter-Basted Fish Fillets and Roasted Mushrooms
Game Plan: Start by prepping and brining the mushrooms. While the mushroom brine, prep the ingredients for the fish. Since the fish needs constant attention during cooking, roast the mushrooms fully and cover them to keep warm while attending to the fish.
Our recipe for Butter-Basted Fish Fillets with Garlic and Thyme employs a technique that involves repeatedly spooning sizzling butter over food as it cooks. It’s great for mild, lean, flaky fish such as cod, haddock, or snapper. The butter helps cook the top of the fillet as the skillet heats the bottom, allowing you to flip the fish only once and early in the cooking process—before the flesh has become too fragile. Roasted Mushrooms with Parmesan and Pine Nuts is a rich, woodsy side dish. We start by brining the mushrooms in a saltwater solution. We then roast them in the oven for about an hour until they are deeply browned. Finally, we coat the mushrooms in melted butter and lemon juice before adding flavorful mix-ins: Parmesan, parsley, and pine nuts.
Printable Shopping Lists: Butter-Basted Fish Fillets and Roasted Mushrooms
View more weeknight dinner ideas below, or check out all of the Dinner This Week menus.
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