I don’t know what to say any more. You’re expecting a meal plan to help you feed your families. I understand how important food can be in a time of crisis. Taking care of our loved ones lets us feel like we have a bit of control. But I can’t not say anything about the state of this country. I can’t write an intro with a funny GIF as if everything’s normal. I’ve been donating to bail funds and attending a nightly vigil in my neighborhood, and I’ll bet a lot of you are, too.
Whenever I hint at politics here I lose a handful of subscribers and I always wonder if that’s why, but honestly: If you have a problem with me saying Black Lives Matter, I’ll just wish you well and hope you find your way at some point.
That’s it. Like I said above, I can’t not say anything. But feeding our families really is important, so…
Here’s the menu for next week:
MONDAY:
Photo courtesy Bon Appetit
Lentil Niçoise Salad from Bon Appetit with baguette slices. This recipe was written to be “endlessly riffable,” so you can use virtually any vegetables you like. Cook an entire pound of lentils—you’ll need some for Thursday, and you can freeze the rest. And as long as you’re hard-boiling eggs, add enough for Wednesday, too. Note that this recipe makes 6-8 servings, so unless you’d like to eat some for lunch tomorrow you can cut down the quantities.
TUESDAY: Baked Gnocchi alla Puttanesca by yours truly. This is a pantry-based recipe I created around the time my cookbook came out. To make it, you throw together a five-minute puttanesca sauce with olives, capers, canned tomatoes, and a bit of anchovy (vegetarians, you can leave it out!). Then add a package of gnocchi, pour it into a baking dish, top with mozz, and bake.
WEDNESDAY:
Photo courtesy Simply Recipes
Pan Bagnat (with tuna, from Simply Recipes, or vegetarian, from Food Network) with chips. Pan bagnat is a perfect early-summer dinner sandwich. The classic French version has tuna, hard-boiled eggs (remember, you’ve got some from Monday), olives, and other bits of deliciousness inside a baguette or crusty roll; the vegetarian riff uses cream cheese, olives, marinated artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers as the anchors.
THURSDAY: Lentil Tacos from Budget Bytes. That big batch of lentils from Monday makes tonight’s dinner come together in a snap. Note that this recipe is written to serve 8, but it’s adjustable. I’ve included ingredients to serve 4 in the shopping list.
FRIDAY: Pizza Night! By now you’re likely to have a variety of leftover vegetables in small amounts—perfect for topping a pizza. Use whatever appeals to you. As for the dough, you can buy it or make it, but know that if you’re making your own I didn’t include yeast or flour in the shopping list.
Here’s the shopping list:
As I’ve said before, I know you probably can’t run out grocery shopping. This list will help you figure out which of the menu items you can make. Remember, I didn’t include toppings for Friday’s pizza here—that’s up to you. An asterisk * indicates an item for vegetarian recipes.
Produce
1 lb. asparagus OR green beans OR frozen green beans (M)
1 pint grape tomatoes AND/OR 1 bunch radishes AND/OR 1 bulb fennel (M)
2 medium tomatoes (W)
Mixed vegetables such as carrots, celery, cucumbers, fennel, peppers, zucchini, enough to make 4 cups thinly sliced* (W)
4 cloves garlic (T, W, Th)
1 small red onion (W)
1 small yellow onion (Th)
12 large basil leaves (W)
1 small avocado (Th)
2 lemons (M)
Pico de gallo OR prepared salsa (Th)
Pantry
1 lb. dried lentils, any type (M, Th)
1 1/4 cups olive oil, ideally extra-virgin (M, T, W, Th)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (W)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (M)
1 teaspoon honey (M)
Olives, capers, pepperoncini, pickles, or other pickled-briny ingredient (M)
1 cup pitted kalamata or niçoise olives (T, W)
2 tablespoons capers (T)
1 large jar marinated artichoke hearts* (W)
4 roasted red peppers from a jar* (W)
Red pepper flakes (T)
1/2 tablespoon chili powder (Th)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (Th)
1/2 teaspoon cumin (Th)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (Th)
1/4 teaspoon oregano (Th)
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch (Th)
1 can anchovies (T, W)
1 (28-oz.) can crushed, diced, or whole tomatoes (T)
1 (1-lb.) package vacuum-packed gnocchi OR cut pasta like ziti (T)
1 bag potato chips (W)
Prepared salsa OR pico de gallo (Th)
Prepared marinara or pizza sauce, or canned whole tomatoes (F)
Dairy
8 eggs (M, W)
3-4 cups shredded mozzarella (T, F)
1/2 cup whipped cream cheese* (W)
4 oz. sour cream (Th)
Bakery
2 baguettes OR round crusty bread (M, W)
8 small corn tortillas (Th)
1 lb. prepared pizza dough OR 1 batch of your favorite recipe (F)
Freezer Case
Frozen green beans OR fresh green beans OR asparagus (M)
Stay safe, be kind, and wash your hands.
Debbie
Debbie, is there a substitute for lentils that you can suggest? My husband is allergic, so even though I miss them I avoid cooking with them altogether. But if there's another food that makes a decent substitute in most situations, I'd love to give some of these recipes a shot. (Complicating matters further is that I am celiac, so couscous, bulgar, pearled barley, etc. are right out.) Thank you!