By Emily Weinstein, The New York Times

I have to confess something to you all here: Sometimes I really just can’t think of anything to make for supper. It’s the worst at the end of a season, when the cravings I had at the beginning have been fully addressed. (I’ve had my share of soup.)

The fix for this is to look for something totally different — an ingredient I don’t use very often, a dish I don’t usually make, a piece of equipment that has been gathering dust. Something to inject a little curiosity into the process or deliver a jolt at the table.

I’m looking to Nargisse Benkabbou’s crispy halloumi with tomatoes and white beans this week to do just that. I love the tangy flavor and chewy squeak of halloumi, but I’ve never had it in a fresh, juicy cherry tomato sauce.

1. Crispy Halloumi With Tomatoes and White Beans

This vibrant vegetarian dish combines savory broiled halloumi, juicy cherry tomatoes and creamy white beans for a satisfying one-pan meal. When broiled, the halloumi becomes golden and crispy on the outside while staying soft and chewy on the inside, adding a deliciously hearty texture to each bite. Highly adaptable, this recipe allows for any canned, creamy white bean that you have on hand, like butter beans or navy beans, and thyme can be used in place of oregano. With a drizzle of olive oil, a touch of honey and fresh herbs, this recipe is perfect for a quick, meatless weeknight dinner that feels special.

By Nargisse Benkabbou

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• Olive oil, as needed
• 1 pound cherry or grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, plus more for serving
• 1 teaspoon honey, plus more for serving
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or thyme
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, butter beans or navy beans, drained
• 1 (8-ounce) block halloumi, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1/2 lemon
• Crusty bread (optional), for serving

Preparation

1. Set broiler to high heat, with a rack positioned in the upper third of the oven, 3 to 4 inches from the heat source.

2. In a large, ovenproof pan over medium heat, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil with the tomatoes, garlic, parsley, honey and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes soften and release their juices, about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the beans and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Turn off the heat.

4. Arrange the halloumi slices on top of the tomato-bean mixture in the pan. Transfer the pan to the oven. Broil until the halloumi is golden and crispy on top, about 5 minutes, depending on the oven’s broiler strength.

5. Drizzle generously with olive oil, squeeze the lemon half over the pan and add a light drizzle of honey. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately, with bread if desired.

2. Roasted Chicken Thighs With Hot Honey and Lime

Roasted chicken thighs with hot honey and lime. Like: crispy halloumi with tomatoes and white beans, roasted chicken thighs with hot honey and lime, Turkish eggs with yogurt. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell. (Armando Rafael/The New York Times)

These sweet and spicy chicken thighs pack enormous flavor using only a handful of pantry ingredients. Generously seasoned with salt, pepper, and onion and garlic powders, they’re roasted at a high temperature to maximize the crispiness of the skin. Halfway through cooking, the chicken is brushed with a butter-and-hot-sauce blend. Finally, honey and lime zest are whisked into the remaining hot sauce butter to coat the fully baked chicken thighs. A squirt of tangy lime juice provides balance and the perfect finishing touch. Serve with a simple and refreshing cucumber salad or coleslaw.

By Vallery Lomas

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• Salt and black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons butter (unsalted or salted), melted
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce (see Tip)
• 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons mild honey

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. On a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, season the chicken all over with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Arrange the chicken skin side up then roast until browned, 20 minutes.

2. While the chicken is roasting, combine the melted butter and hot sauce and whisk to combine; transfer half to a separate bowl and set aside for later. After the chicken has roasted for 20 minutes, brush the chicken all over with the remaining butter mixture. Continue roasting until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove the chicken thighs from the oven.

3. Zest the lime, then cut it in half. Add the honey and 1 teaspoon lime zest to the reserved butter-hot sauce mixture and whisk to combine, then brush over the chicken thighs and squeeze the lime juice on top. Serve immediately.

Tip

Different hot sauces have different levels of heat; choose one that suits your heat tolerance. Tabasco will be quite spicy, while a brand such as Louisiana will yield a milder result.

3. One-Pan Shrimp Scampi With Crispy Gnocchi

One-pan shrimp scampi with crispy gnocchi. Like: crispy halloumi with tomatoes and white beans, roasted chicken thighs with hot honey and lime, Turkish eggs with yogurt. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff. (Kate Sears/The New York Times)

The best part of shrimp scampi is arguably the garlicky sauce, usually poured over pasta or mopped up with bread. This recipe offers another take: Pillows of potato gnocchi are crisped in a skillet that is then used to cook the shrimp. The gnocchi add heft, and their soft yet chewy texture goes nicely with the springiness of the shrimp. Serve this with a big green salad to round out the meal.

By Melissa Clark

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1 pound gnocchi (fresh, frozen or shelf-stable)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (or clam juice, or broth)
• Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
• 1 pound large or extra-large shrimp, shelled (deveined, if you like)
• 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

Preparation

1. In a large, preferably nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Add gnocchi to the pan, breaking up any that are stuck together. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, tossing every 1 to 2 minutes, so they get golden and crispy all over. Transfer to a bowl or plate.

2. In the same skillet over medium-high, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and all of the butter, letting it melt for a few seconds. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add wine, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and all of the red-pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, and let the wine reduce by half, about 2 minutes.

3. Add shrimp and saute until they just start to turn pink, 2 to 3 minutes, depending on their size.

4. Return gnocchi to the pan and add another 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using a Microplane or other fine grater, grate the zest from the lemon into the pan. Add parsley, tossing well. If your pan looks dry, add a splash of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing to combine, then remove pan from the heat.

5. Cut the naked lemon in two and squeeze in the juice from one half, gently tossing to combine. Taste and add more salt if you like. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges for serving.

6. Top with more olive oil and more red-pepper flakes, if you’d like, and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

4. Korean BBQ-Style Meatballs

Korean bbq-style meatballs. Like: crispy halloumi with tomatoes and white beans, roasted chicken thighs with hot honey and lime, Turkish eggs with yogurt. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. (Julia Gartland/The New York Times)

These meatballs, inspired by traditional Korean barbecue, bring the savory-sweet flavors of caramelized meat without the need for a grill. As the meatballs bake, the soy sauce marries the garlic and scallions to create a glaze. This meatball mixture can be made ahead and left to marinate in the fridge for 3 hours or even overnight. Use ground beef that is 85% lean meat and 15% fat, or 80% lean and 20% fat for juicier meatballs. The Ritz crackers here make for a more tender meatball, but feel free to substitute plain dry bread crumbs. The meatballs are tasty on their own, but for a simple dipping sauce, combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar. Serve over steamed rice with kimchi, or as a sandwich with mayonnaise or marinara sauce.

By Kay Chun

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef (round or chuck)
• 1/2 cup finely crushed Ritz crackers (12 crackers)
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and use your hands to gently mix.

2. Shape the meat into 12 golf-ball-size rounds (about 2 inches in diameter), and arrange on a greased rimmed baking sheet.

3. Bake until golden and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Tips

Leftover meatballs freeze well and can be reheated in the oven at 375 degrees until warmed through (about 20 minutes). To make the Ritz crumbs, place the crackers in a resealable plastic bag and lightly crush them with the back of a wooden spoon or measuring cup.

5. Çilbir (Turkish Eggs With Yogurt)

Çilbir (Turkish eggs with yogurt). Like: crispy halloumi with tomatoes and white beans, roasted chicken thighs with hot honey and lime, Turkish eggs with yogurt. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. (Christopher Testani/The New York Times)

This traditional Turkish egg dish of garlicky yogurt with poached eggs and a drizzle of spicy butter is rich, luscious and faintly smoky. Typically served as a meze among a spread of other dishes, it makes a light lunch or brunch that comes together in the time it takes to poach eggs. For your base, opt for Greek yogurt to mimic the thicker yogurt common in Turkey. Next, bloom Aleppo pepper in butter or olive oil. Also known as pul biber, it delivers about as much heat as chipotle, with smoky notes and a fruity flavor. This version of çilbir is adapted from Özlem Warren, a cookbook author and blogger. Although the dish is traditionally served without herbs, she recommends dill or parsley for a modern flourish.

Recipe from Özlem Warren

Adapted by Alexa Weibel

Yield: 2 servings

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup thick, strained yogurt (such as Greek yogurt), at room temperature
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil (or a combination of both)
• 1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper (or 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, to taste)
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• Chopped fresh dill or parsley leaves (optional), for garnish
• Toasted crusty bread or flatbread, for serving

Preparation

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a simmer over medium heat.

2. Prepare the garlic yogurt: In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt and garlic. Divide between two shallow bowls, using the back of a spoon to spread it out.

3. In a small saucepan or skillet, heat the butter or olive oil over medium. Add the Aleppo pepper and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds; remove from heat.

4. Crack the eggs into four separate small bowls. Add the vinegar to the simmering water. (You want the water to be at a low simmer, with very small bubbles rising to the top. Reduce the water temperature to medium-low if need be.) Using a slotted spoon, give the water a swirl, then gently add one egg at a time, trying to space them evenly apart. (Swirling the water helps the egg whites form tight, round nests as they cook.) Cook the eggs just until the whites are cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Using the slotted spoon, transfer 2 eggs to each bowl of yogurt, lifting out one at a time and dabbing underneath the spoon with a folded paper towel to remove excess water.

6. Season the eggs with salt and pepper, then drizzle with the spiced butter and sprinkle with herbs, if using. Serve with bread.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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