YURA’S MEALS-TO-GO

SOME HIGHLIGHTS from this week’s Meals-to-Go: 

If you’ve ever had Peruvian food, you’ve likely tasted the fruity flavor of foundational aji amaillo chiles. Their paste is part of the marinade for Peruvian Roasted Chicken Thighs and Paprika Potatoes along with lime, soy sauce and freshly-ground cumin. This chile does have a kick, though it’s blended into Traditional Yellow Pepper Sauce tempered by full-fat yogurt and creamy feta-like cheese. Served with Roasted Sweet Bell Peppers and Green Beans. 

Spinach-Rice Gratin with Roasted Tomatoes and Goat Cheese is one of those accompaniments we’d happily eat as a main course! But for now, the gratin’s a Mediterranean side for Slow-Roasted Salmon with its sunny Citrus accent (red grapefruit, orange, and lemon) and Provençal Herbs. Honey-Thyme Roasted Carrots make this already colorful dinner really pop.

We say, sheesh to classic shish kebab when Grilled Lamb Kofta’s on the menu, seared brochettes of ground lamb seasoned with a hand-picked mix of Middle Eastern herbs and spices. The skewers sit on a bed of Jewel Box Rice, a stunning basmati pilaf fragrant with cinnamon and cardamom, and studded with Dried Fruit and Almonds. A crisp cucumber and yogurt Tzatziki-style relish is a tangy counterpoint to the deeply savory grilled meat.

As soon as Roasted Australian Sea Bass is pulled from the oven, ingredients for a quick Sauce Veracruz hit the pan. In a matter of seconds, briny capers, blistered tomatoes, and meaty green olives come together into a colorful perky sauce seasoned with rosemary, marjoram and oregano, a spray of squeezed lime and splash of pickled jalapeño. Served with garlicky Spinach-Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Carrots and Green Beans with Cilantro and Lemon.

There’s a long, delicious tradition of taking a popular entrée and shape-shifting it into an over-the-top casserole. Buddy’s trickster Pizza Lover’s Pasta Bake channels not just any old pizza pie—rather a cheeky 1970’s version, in all its mid-western glory. Think: fully-loaded with “toppings” —that means, not just pepperoni, but fennel sausage and ground beef. Sure, mushrooms, but let’s not forget green bell peppers, onions, and some loony canned black olives. Add rigatoni and red sauce, and bake it all under a cloak of mozzarella cheese.