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.
Dinner This Week: Linguine with Seafood
This week’s menus include Linguine with Seafood (Linguine allo Scoglio), Sichuan Stir-Fried Pork in Garlic Sauce, and Grilled Chicken Souvlaki for dinner in about an hour
By Published May 21, 2022.
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Dinner 1: Linguine with Seafood and Green Beans Amandine
Game Plan: Start by prepping the pasta recipe, then cook it through step 2. While seafood sauce is reducing, make the butter-almond mixture for the green beans (step 1). Parboil and drain the linguine. Once the pasta has been added to the seafood sauce (step 4), cook the green beans.
To create a bold sauce for Linguine with Seafood, we fortify the juices shed by the shellfish with bottled clam juice and minced anchovies. Cooking the seafood in a careful sequence—starting with hardier clams and mussels and then adding the shrimp and squid during the final few minutes of cooking—ensures that every piece is plump and tender. Adding parboiled linguine to the sauce allows the noodles to soak up its flavors while also shedding starches that thicken the liquid. Cherry tomatoes, lots of garlic, herbs, and lemon contribute freshness and complexity. Green Beans Amandine starts with toasted almonds, nutty browned butter, and a splash of lemon juice. We steam the beans in a little water in a covered skillet until they are crisp-tender, then add the sauce right before serving to preserve the texture of the green beans and almonds.
Printable Shopping Lists: Linguine with Seafood and Green Beans Amandine
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Dinner 2: Sichuan Stir-Fried Pork in Garlic Sauce and Steamed White Rice
Game Plan: Start by cutting and soaking the pork (step 2). While the pork sits, prep the remaining ingredients for the stir-fry. Start steaming the rice. Once the heat for the rice has been turned to low, cook the stir-fry.
To ensure that the meat in Sichuan Stir-Fried Pork in Garlic Sauce is tender and succulent, we soak the pieces in a baking soda solution to tenderize them and help them retain moisture. We serve the stir-fry with Steamed White Rice, which is soft enough to soak up the savory sauce, yet sticky enough to pick up with chopsticks. Rinsing the grains removes some of their surface starch and starting the rice in boiling water provides enough agitation to release the remaining starch, resulting in just the right amount of stickiness.
Printable Shopping Lists: Sichuan Stir-Fried Pork in Garlic Sauce and Steamed White Rice
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Dinner 3: Grilled Chicken Souvlaki and Tomato Salad
Game Plan: Start by making the tzatziki sauce and brining the chicken for the souvlaki (steps 1 and 2). While the chicken brines, prep the remaining ingredients for both dishes. Salt the tomatoes for the salad and light the grill. Grill the chicken. While the pita is warming (step 6), toss the salad.
For moist, flavorful Grilled Chicken Souvlaki, we quickly brine chunks of chicken breast before tossing them in a bold mixture of lemon, olive oil, herbs, and honey. To prevent the chicken pieces on the ends of the skewers from overcooking, we protect them by threading pepper and onion pieces onto the ends. For our Tomato Salad with Feta and Cumin-Yogurt Dressing, we salt the tomatoes before mixing them into the salad, which brings out their juices and makes a base for the dressing. Sliced scallions and minced oregano add freshness and a sprinkling of feta cheese adds a salty tang.
Printable Shopping Lists: Grilled Chicken Souvlaki and Tomato Salad
View more weeknight dinner ideas below, or check out all of the Dinner This Week menus.
- Dinner This Week: Garlicky Spaghetti
- Dinner This Week: Chicken Caesar Salad
- Dinner This Week: Risi e Bisi
- Dinner This Week: Pasta with Broccoli Rabe
- Dinner This Week: Sesame-Crusted Salmon
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