Weeknight Kitchen

This recipe starts with an easy, make-ahead paste of ginger, garlic and cilantro. Marinate the salmon in it a few hours ahead, then bake it in the oven with a quick last minute run under the broiler to sear it to golden brown.

A light hand with the seasonings lets the forest-y mushroom flavor lead the way. I use this as a side dish or as a topping for grilled fish, braised meats, or meatballs. The basic roasted mushrooms without the gremolata seasoning are even more versatile.

This dish can be made wet and soupy if serving with fish, or firmer and more creamy like risotto if serving with chicken.

My mom would make a version of this classic salad all the time when I was growing up, often to accompany baked beans and “red snappy” hot dogs as a sneaky way to get in some fruits and veggies. I still love the combination of flavors, but now I like to up the ante with fennel and candied walnuts, which are sweet and salty in all the right ways.

Before the conflict began, there was a little restaurant in a hidden corner of a back alley in Aleppo’s Old City, next to the old Jewish cemetery. The restaurant was called the King of Omelettes (Malik Al Ijja) and aptly named it was, too. The place was so tiny, they could only cram in two customers at a time, and there was only one thing on the menu: Aleppian Omelettes. People from all around the ancient souq flocked to it every lunchtime and lined up to get a taste. Celebrities from all over Syria came to visit and the owner proudly covered his front window with pictures of himself and the famous people. The place was shabby and unpretentious, and it operated for generations without ever changing a thing. We’re not sure whether this restaurant is still there. We loved it, and now we’re passing on its secret.

This kebab is a perfect balance of flavors; juicy aromatic spiced chicken, garlicky, creamy labneh, and crispy fried savory onions, all topped off with little pops of sweet and sour pomegranate.

Nordic palates prefer beets to be pickled. No wonder, the flavors of this sweet, earthy vegetable shine with a kiss of vinegar and herbs. Be patient: it takes about a week for the spices to marry. The longer you wait, the better these beets will taste.

Make this salad at the height of summer, when heirloom tomatoes look like they’re about to burst open with flavorful juices. You can use any small, freshly dug potatoes, but try to get a mix of colors.

The secret to a good Thai larb is the roasted rice powder, which adds texture and also thickens the dressings, helping them to stick to the chicken. Served with some raw vegetables, it makes for a great light dinner. You could also try this with pork, beef or turkey mince.

Japanese noodles and edamame serve as the bed for cubed mango, scallions, basil, cashews and grilled Halloumi cheese. Drizzle the entire tangle with the cilantro-coconut dressing and dive into this summery dish.