Scala Quinn - Mad hungry: feeding men and boys

Sunday Suppers

Go-To Recipes for a Special Weekend Meal

lucinda scala quinn

Artisan | New York

Contents

Introduction

Sunday is the perfect day to spend in the kitchen savoring time with loved ones before the weekend gives way to the Monday-morning work and school routine. Stretch the day by making a memorable dinner that leaves you not just time to enjoy it but maybe some leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day too. Whether youre gathering with your family or friends or both, you can always count on a delicious meal to bring the whole gang together, and with a little planning and dedication, making Sunday supper a regular habit will bring exponential rewards. Its a time to reflect on the past week, set intentions for the week ahead, and take a minute to enjoy each others company over a satisfying and nourishing meal. Choose a dish like classic , which cooks slowly throughout the day, letting its intoxicating scent waft through the house as a pleasant promise of the coming meal.

Once youve gatheredwhether you are two or tenimportant interactions begin. Around-the-table talk starts with dinner and progresses to sharing thoughts and musings on the day. The dinner table is the first place where our kids gather in a small community to express themselves. To talk with and listen to our dining companions is a skill needed for everything we engage in outside the home. Regard eating together as one-stop shopping for wellness. While your body is being fed, your mind and sensory awareness are too. As a regular activity, it's better than pulling the take-out containers (the detritus of which could build a small home) out of the bag and mindlessly chowing down in front of the television. Sure, that can feel liberating now and thenbut the next time you do it, ask yourself: Who made this food? Where did it come from? What does the kitchen look like? I guarantee you will not know the answers to any of these questions!

Like any commitment, cooking regularly requires discipline and will. It has to become a priority. It is a challenge to take on, but the rewards are immeasurable. When you make the time to produce a meal at home, its totally satisfying. We are not too busy to cook! If you can carve out time on a Sunday to landscape your yard, decorate your home, work out at the gym, or practice an instrument, you can cook interesting, healthy food at home on a regular basis.

Shopping Is Half the Job of Cooking

If you keep a well-stocked pantry and tackle any grocery shopping the day before or the morning of, making an extraordinary dinner will be all the more achievable. Plan your shopping ahead of time so you are sure to get all the ingredients necessary for the recipe. Keep your spices stocked and check them for freshness. Put the freezer, the most underutilized appliance in the kitchen, to good use: you will never run out of key ingredients like eggs, butter, or milk. Buy premium meats and poultry, as well as fish of known origins. Onions, garlic, and shallots are your savory saviors for flavor buildingkeep a full basket in a cool, dark place. Prep fresh vegetables ahead for convenient use: wash, dry, and store salad greens; trim and blanch green beans. Stock your pantry with these staples and supplement for each meal as needed.

Dont Bite Off More than You Can Chew

Dont tackle too many recipes at once. Start simple. Choose one that engages your interestfor instance, something that you love to eat when you go out, like . Then fill out the meal with familiar sides, ones you are used to making. Even the most accomplished cooks I know stick with adding only one or two new things at a time to a routine repertoire.

Think Strategy

Chunk out your time and stay one step ahead. If youre turning on your oven to roast a chicken, roast two: one for dinner and one for sandwiches and soup the next day. Firing up the grill? Make a steak for dinner and grill the vegetables for tomorrows pasta. Thoughtful meal planning is easier, cheaper, and more wholesome than winging it!

Enlist Family Members or Guests to Tag-Team Tasks

Engage your household in the pleasures of cooking and eating good food. First, learn to cook what you love to eat and make it part of your daily routine. Next, involve your family or dinner guests in the process. Make it enjoyable. A shopping trip can be a learning experience for little onesespecially if theyre given the opportunity to choose a favorite cereal or ice cream. As soon as they are old enough, give your kids tasks in the kitchen and dining room; everyone will feel good when the food theyve worked together to prepare hits the table.

Mains

vinegar glossed chicken

serves 6 to 8

When rosemary vinegar is added to a pan of golden-brown chicken, alchemy occurs as the vinegar deglazes those brown bits and reduces itself into a syrup. It permeates each chicken piece with an agrodolce (sweet-and-sour) flavor. Theres no better accompaniment than polenta, soft and loose or firm and sliced. (Rice, pasta, or bread will also workas long as there is something to sop up the sauce.) This is a dish that only improves when made in advance.

1 cup (240 mL) best-quality red wine vinegar

2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)

3 sprigs of fresh rosemary (about 1 tablespoon minced)

5 pounds (2.5 kg) bone-in chicken pieces (each part should be cut in half)

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil

cup (180 mL) chicken broth, plus more as needed

At least 15 minutes but up to 2 hours before cooking, combine the vinegar, garlic, and rosemary to marinate.

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat a 14-inch (36 cm) skillet (or two smaller skillets) over high heat and add a splash of olive oil. Place the chicken in the skillet, skin-side down. Dont crowd the chicken. Work in batches if necessary. You should hear an immediate sizzle when the chicken pieces hit the pan. Dont move them; it takes a couple of minutes to sear the chicken so it doesnt stick. Brown all sides; this will take 10 minutes per batch. Regulate the heat so it stays high but does not burn the chicken. Place all the browned chicken back in the skillet.

Add the chicken broth and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat, simmer, and reduce for 15 to 20 minutes. Increase the heat to high and pour in the vinegar mixture. Swirl the pan and stir around as the vinegar evaporates to form a simmering glaze, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve.

chicken parmesan

serves at least 6

You can prepare the sauce and chicken in the morning, then assemble the dish and pop it in the oven just before dinner. With spaghetti, sauted spinach, and warm, crusty bread, it makes a perfect Sunday dinner.

cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

1 (28-ounce/794 g) can tomatoes, lightly pulsed with a blender or food processor