YURA’S MEALS-TO-GO

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

As any thoughtful cook would, Salvador froze all those wonderful brisket ends from his Passover braising panswith tender Brisket Blintzes in mind for the future—and that’s now! Caramelized Onion Gravy (on the side) means this dish is oh-so savory. A chilled Dilled Cucumber Salad accompaniment is just about as Eastern European as it gets!

Here’s a delicate dinner of salmon, bathed for a moment in ginger-sake solution then steamed over that same aromatic liquid. Ginger-Sake Steamed Salmon seems minimalist, but every careful detail counts. Each piece is served with blanched Baby Bok Choy and a Brown Rice Pilaf showered with sesame seeds and chives. A contrast comes by way of Braised Chinese Mushrooms for which oyster sauce adds a distinctive savory flavor that’s faintly sweet, not too salty, with a velvety texture.

Chicken Cacciatore is an evergreen braise—it’s steadfast throughout winter, yet still appealing when the weather’s calling for a cotton tee. With all those fresh herbs and that young red wine, we can appreciate its relative lightness this time of year. Bunch carrots and bell peppers, cremini mushrooms, celery, onions, and baby peas, mean there are plenty of vegetables alongside the bird. Crushed canned Italian tomatoes keep the braise’s flavor bright, and ensure a pretty picture, served over Jasmine Rice.

Throw me a bun—this dish would make one hell of a sandwich! Take a bite into these Salmon Cakes and you’ll find fresh Grilled Corn kernels, cilantro, parsley and a little bit of pickled peppers inside. Slather them with the side of Jalapeño Mayo and make sure every mouthful is followed by a crunchy bundle of Radish, Corn and Cabbage Slaw. These patties are tender and juicy and might make great oversized sliders. But for now, cut them with a fork, and have them with crisp spring Grilled Asparagus.

If ever there was a name that evoked the delightfulness of a dish, Grilled Steak Thai Crunch Salad is definitely it! Crisp Napa cabbage, snow peas, cucumber, and scallions dance with shredded red/green cabbage, bell peppers and Jumbo Shelled Peanuts. Together, they make one loud and juicy raucous party in a bowl. The steak has its own fiesta bona fides: seasoned with ginger, lime, soy, sugar and red curry paste, it brings rich grilled beef flavor to every room temperature bite. Toss it all with Peanut-Sesame Dressing and Nuoc Cham Seasoning Sauce.

You’ll usually find Chicken Tinga—the saucy Mexican stew of pulled chicken, fire-roasted tomatoes, smoky chipotles, onions and aromatics—filling fresh, warm tortillas, topping crispy tostadas, or fortifying the occasional chilaquiles. We weave ours into a Chicken Tinga Lasagna, spooning the mixture between sheets of fresh pasta, layers of mozzarella and Jack cheese, and sour cream (a tangy stand-in for ricotta).