YURA’S MEALS-TO-GO

Here are some highlights from this week’s Meals-to-Go:

Now that summer’s long gone and autumn’s almost over, we look to new ways to bring tomatoes into our cooking. Those that were picked at peak ripeness, and sun-dried for later, are just the tomatoes to reach for right now. Simmering them in cream with Buddy’s fresh seafood stock transforms Sun-Dried Tomatoes into a cheery Sauce for Sautéed Salmon. For the sake of reheating, the rare fish is nestled in the creamy liquid, served with an Orzo Rice Pilaf and Lemony French Beans.

We could have called this dish Walk Away Chicken, a recipe to pop in the oven then go do other things. Its inspiration is the accidental genius of a not particularly resolute cook, one who’d just as soon salt-pepper-roast, than fuss over the details. Tuesday’s iteration adds just enough zhsooh to Simple, Roasted Chicken Thighs to make it our own: sprinkle with herbes de Provence then roast with shallot halves, garlic cloves, and quartered whole lemons, with just enough vermouth to maybe squeak out some jus. This is “end-of-day-Mom cooking” at its greatest. Served with Spinach-Mashed Potatoes as well as French Green Beans with Crushed Tomatoes.

The secret to Tex-Mex Meatloaf is the flavor stashed into the meat mix itself. Imagine an inverted taco, mainly beef, with some chorizo, plenty of cumin, and roasted poblanos. And why not bind the mixture with ground tortillas instead of the usual bread crumbs? Sour cream in the mix keeps the meatloaf tender and juicy as it bakes. A sauce? Nothing to it—enter Charred-Tomato Salsa Glaze. There could be no better side dish than Chipotle Roasted Zucchini-Sweet Peppers with the exception, of course, of mind-blowing Cheddar Cheese-Chive Mashed Potatoes.

Stone fruit and berries are behind us, and man cannot live on pears and apples alone. Sweet, juicy citrus—that cold-weather-fruit favorite—is the go-to to finish Monday’s Oven-Roasted Australian Sea Bass. Cross-sections of navel orange and grapefruit figure prominently in the fish dish’s room-temperature “relish” of Citrus, Green Olive and Quick-Pickled Red Onion. Golden Couscous is a supporting side, studded with Toasted Almonds and Raisins, along with lanky spears of Roasted Broccoli tossed with Orange Cauliflower florets seasoned with melted anchovy.

With the nickname, Pizzazz, you can bet this sauce will liven up lasagna! Ragu di Pizzaiola is a real show-stopper that makes a wallflower of conventional meat sauce or marinara. Everyday lasagna? Buttoned-up by comparison to this Roasted Bell Pepper-Sweet Italian Sausage Lasagna layered with this life-of-the-party sauce. We can barely contain its personality for the time it’s in the oven. Just wait for the flavors to come alive as it goes from plate to palate!