5 Recipes That Turn Up the Heat (2024)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes

½ cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1-3 Fresno or serrano chiles (1 for medium-spicy, 2 for pretty spicy, 3 for super-spicy)

¾ lb rigatoni

8 cups packed hearty greens (such as collard greens, kale, or Swiss chard), stems removed, roughly chopped

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 lb hot Italian sausage, removed from casings

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1½ cups fresh ricotta cheese (¾ lb)

1. In a small skillet, combine oil, garlic, and chile(s); bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions. About 2 minutes before pasta is done, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water and add greens to pot. Drain pasta and greens and place back in pot.

3. In a large skillet, heat 2 to 3 Tbsp of the garlic-chile oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add sausage and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add sausage and onions to pot with pasta and greens and toss to combine (if mixture is dry, add a bit of reserved pasta water). Transfer to a large serving platter, top with ricotta, and drizzle with additional garlic-chile oil to taste. (Leftover oil can be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.)

Makes 4 servings. Each serving: 795 cal, 36 g fat, 41 g protein, 80 g carb.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for pan

¼ cup each fresh rosemary leaves and fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 scallions, minced

2 Tbsp lemon zest

4 Tbsp peppercorn blend (black, green, white, and pink peppercorns), crushed or coarsely ground

½ tsp crushed red pepper (up to 1 tsp if you want it really spicy)

1 (3-lb) pork loin roast

Note: The pork loin should come tied when you buy it. If not, ask your butcher to do it for you.

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Brush a large rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. On a large dinner plate, mix together rosemary, oregano, garlic, scallions, lemon zest, peppercorns, and crushed red pepper. Rub pork with oil and roll it in herb rub, pressing so peppercorns adhere. Place roast on prepared baking sheet.

2. Bake 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and continue to roast until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145°F on a meat thermometer, about 30 minutes. Remove roast from oven; let rest 10 minutes. Remove twine and slice thinly against the grain to serve.

Makes 6 to 8 servings. Each serving: 312 cal, 13 g fat, 43 g protein,4 g carb.

Buttermilk mashed potatoes

Total time: 30 minutes

Place 2 lb Yukon gold potatoes (peeled, cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces) in a medium pot or large saucepan and cover with at least 2 inches of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes thoroughly and return to pot with 1 cup warmed buttermilk and ¼ cup unsalted butter (cut into cubes). Mash with a potato masher until smooth. Stir in 2 Tbsp chopped chives and 2 Tbsp chopped dill; season with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving: 276 cal, 12 g fat, 7 g protein, 35 g carb.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

1 side of salmon, skin on (about 1½ lb)

4 tsp orange zest

¾ tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

½ tsp sugar

⅛ tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup Greek yogurt

⅓ cup orange juice

4-6 tsp wasabi paste (4 tsp for medium-spicy, 5 tsp for pretty spicy, 6 tsp for super-spicy)

2 scallions, sliced, plus more for serving

Cooked rice, for serving

Note: Wasabi paste, a Japanese condiment akin to horseradish, can be found in the international section of your grocery store.

1. Heat broiler with rack set 4 inches from heat. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place salmon, skin side down, on baking sheet. Mix together orange zest, salt, sugar, and cayenne and rub over salmon flesh. Place under broiler until fish begins to brown and is cooked through, about 8 minutes. (If it begins to char, move to a lower rack.)

2. Meanwhile, place yogurt, orange juice, wasabi paste, and scallions in a blender and puree until smooth; season with salt. Slice salmon into 4 portions and serve with rice topped with wasabi sauce and scallions.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving: 252 cal, 8 g fat, 36 g protein, 6 g carb.

Fennel salad with apple-shallot dressing

Total time: 10 minutes

In a large salad bowl, whisk 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, and 1 finely diced shallot; season with salt and pepper. Toss in 1 small, finely diced apple. Add 1 head Boston lettuce (leaves torn) and 1 cored, thinly sliced small head of fennel and toss to coat. Top with ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese and 3 Tbsp salted pepitas.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving: 230 cal, 15 g fat, 5 g protein, 23 g carb.

Prep time: 10 minutes, plus marinating time

Cooking time: 40 minutes

½ to ¾ cup sriracha hot sauce (½ cup for medium-spicy, ⅔ cup for pretty spicy, ¾ cup for super-spicy)

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup mirin

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1 Tbsp lime zest

2 Tbsp lime juice

1 Tbsp dark brown sugar

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated

4 whole chicken legs (about 2 lb), thigh and drumstick attached

Cilantro leaves and lime wedges, for serving

Note: Mirin, a sweet cooking sake, can be found in the international section of your grocery store.

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together sriracha, soy sauce, mirin, butter, lime zest and juice, brown sugar, and ginger. Reserve ¼ cup of the marinade and set aside. Add chicken to bowl with marinade, tossing to coat well. Cover and marinate in refrigerator at least 1 hour, up to overnight.

2. Heat oven to 425°F, with a rack positioned 4 inches from broiler. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Remove chicken from marinade and arrange on baking sheet in a single layer, skin side up. Bake until chicken registers 165°F on a meat thermometer, 20 to 30 minutes. Brush chicken with reserved marinade. Increase heat to broil and continue cooking until chicken skin begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Serve chicken topped with cilantro and lime wedges.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving: 242 cal, 12 g fat, 29 g protein, 2 g carb.

Cooling cucumber salad

Total time: 35 minutes

In a medium bowl, toss together 1 large cucumber (halved lengthwise, sliced ½-inch thick), 1 small red onion (thinly sliced), 2 Tbsp rice vinegar, and 4 tsp vegetable oil; season with salt and pepper. Chill 30 minutes, then top with ¼ cup torn mint leaves before serving.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving: 59 cal, 5 g fat, 1 g protein, 4 g carb.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 small (½-lb) eggplant, cut into ¾-inch cubes

4 oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced

1 medium red onion, cut into ½-inch wedges

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1-2 Thai or jalapeño chiles (1 for medium-spicy, 1½ for pretty spicy, 2 for super-spicy), stemmed, sliced

4 Tbsp green curry paste

1 (13.5-oz) can light coconut milk

1½ cups vegetable broth

4 oz snow peas, stemmed

1 red bell pepper, sliced into ¾-inch strips

Cooked rice noodles, for serving

Basil leaves and lime wedges, for serving

Note: Green curry paste, a Thai condiment, can be found in the international section of your grocery store.

In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of the oil over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add 1 Tbsp of the oil and mushrooms to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to bowl with eggplant. Add remaining 1 Tbsp oil, onion, garlic, and chile(s) to pan and cook until onion begins to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add curry paste, coconut milk, broth, snow peas, bell pepper, and browned eggplant and mushrooms. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and cook until veggies are tender, about 10 minutes. Serve curry over noodles, topped with basil and a squeeze of lime.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving: 217 cal, 15 g fat, 2 g protein, 17 g carb.