A Dinner to Keep the Vacation Vibes Going

(Five Weeknight Dishes)

I am back on the clock this week, having been away for spring break with my family and eating a whole lot of escovitch. I love this Jamaican delicacy of pan-fried flaky white fish, seasoned with allspice and typically adorned with a tangle of bell peppers, carrots, onions and Scotch bonnet chiles, all of it soaked in warm vinegar. (As with any staple and well-loved dish, the details can vary.)

Millie Peartree’s quick version uses snapper -- the dish is also known as snapper escovitch -- and takes me back to translucent blue waters and sunshine without end. I think it will transport you, too.

That recipe is below, along with four other excellent options for the days ahead.

1. Snapper Escovitch

A Caribbean favorite, this light, tender and flaky fish is made with whole snapper, but you can also use fillets for ease. This recipe has a mellow spice to let the flavor of the fish shine through, but it’s open to adaptation: Feel free to add a little more hot pepper or allspice, if you like, for more intensity. If you’re in a hurry or low on spices, you can substitute Old Bay, jerk or Cajun seasoning blends for the spice mix in Step 1. Then, turn it into a sandwich (see Tip below), paired with sweet plantain fries, or eat it as a light meal on its own.

By Millie Peartree

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus more as needed

4 (6-ounce) skin-on snapper fillets or 2 pounds whole red snapper

1 dry bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

3 small bell peppers (red, yellow, green or one of each), thinly sliced

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 Scotch bonnet chile, pierced

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon allspice berries or pickling spice

4 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup red wine vinegar

Preparation:

1. Mix together 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, garlic powder, ginger, salt and pepper. Season the fish with the mixture.

2. In a large skillet over medium, heat oil until really hot but not smoking, about 3 to 5 minutes, and add the fish flesh-side down. Cook until the flesh gets a little color, about 5 minutes. Flip, then continue cooking until the skin is crisp. Remove fish and set aside on a serving platter. Drain oil, leaving about 2 to 3 tablespoons in the skillet.

3. Return the skillet to the stove. Add the bay leaf and fresh ginger, and saute over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4. Add bell peppers, onion, carrots, Scotch bonnet chile, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, allspice and the remaining thyme leaves, and continue cooking, stirring, for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.

5. Add vinegar, and stir to combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes, until the vegetables soften but still retain bite, and spoon over fish. (Leave the allspice berries or pickling spice in the topping. Simply eat around them.)

Tip:

You can also turn this into a sandwich. Mix together some mayonnaise, fresh chopped cilantro and lime to taste. Then spread that sauce evenly onto a soft hero bread or crusty French bread, and add the fillets. Serve with sweet plantain fries.

2. Sheet-Pan Chicken and Potatoes With Feta, Lemon and Dill

In this simple but elegant sheet-pan dinner, chicken thighs and potatoes roast together at a high temperature, coming out crispy and golden. A generous squeeze of lemon juice, along with a scattering of fresh dill and feta cheese, elevates this dish from weeknight meat and potatoes to dinner-party fare. While the chicken will still be delicious if marinated for just 30 minutes, marinating it for several hours will yield the best results.

By Lidey Heuck

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 45 minutes, plus at least 30 minutes’ marinating

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice (from about half a lemon)

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 1/2 to 2 pounds small bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 to 6 thighs)

4 small Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 pound), cut into 3/4-inch pieces

2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Preparation:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons oil with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the garlic, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the chicken thighs toss to coat. Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 8 hours, covered, in the refrigerator.

2. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a sheet pan, drizzle the diced potatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; toss well and move to one side of the pan. Pat the chicken thighs dry and place them, evenly spaced, on the other side of the pan.

3. Roast for 15 minutes, toss the potatoes, then return everything to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, the skin is golden brown, and the potatoes are tender, 15 to 25 more minutes, depending on the size of the thighs. If the potatoes are not quite tender, remove the chicken thighs to a plate to rest, and return the potatoes to the oven to roast until tender, another 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Place the chicken and potatoes on a serving platter, and sprinkle them 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Scatter the feta and dill over the potatoes, sprinkle the whole dish with salt and pepper, and serve hot.

3. Bò Lúc Lắc (Shaking Beef)

This savory-sweet stir-fry, known as bò lúc lắc or “dice” in Vietnamese, gets its English name from the constant shaking of the pan performed by the cook while browning the meat. It can be tough work to move the hot wok constantly, and the intense heat can burn the ingredients in a wink. This recipe, adapted from the one served at Slanted Door, Charles Phan’s immensely popular Vietnamese restaurant in San Francisco, has been simplified for the home cook. Once the meat is marinated, it is quick work -- 20 minutes from start to finish -- but don’t try to expedite matters further by dumping all of the meat into the wok at once. Cook the meat in two batches (a pound at a time) so you get a nice, crisp sear.

Recipe from Charles Phan

Adapted by Mark Bittman

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 20 minutes, plus 2 hours’ marinating

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds beef tenderloin (filet mignon), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

2 tablespoons sugar

Salt and pepper

5 tablespoons neutral oil, like corn or canola

1/4 cup rice-wine vinegar

1/4 cup rice or white wine

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 red onion, peeled and sliced thin

3 scallions, trimmed and cut in 1-inch lengths

2 tablespoons butter

2 bunches watercress, washed and dried, or 1 head red leaf lettuce, washed, dried and separated into leaves

2 limes, cut into wedges

Preparation:

1. Marinate meat with garlic, half the sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1 tablespoon oil for about 2 hours. (Refrigerate if your kitchen is very warm.) Meanwhile, combine vinegar, remaining sugar, wine, soy sauce and fish sauce. Taste, and add salt and pepper if necessary. Mix about 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.

2. Divide the meat into 2 portions, and do the same with the onion and scallions. Put a wok or a large skillet over maximum heat, and add about 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil smokes, add the meat in one layer. Let it sit until a brown crust forms, and turn to brown the other side. Browning should take less than 5 minutes. Add half the onion and half the scallions, and cook, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add about half the vinegar mixture, and shake pan to release the beef, stirring if necessary. Add half the butter, and shake pan until butter melts. Remove meat, and repeat.

3. Serve beef over watercress or lettuce leaves, passing salt and pepper mixture and lime wedges at the table.

4. Za’atar Roasted Tofu With Chickpeas, Tomatoes and Lemony Tahini

Tofu and chickpeas form the hearty base for vibrant, woodsy za’atar, the popular Middle Eastern spice blend. The tomatoes, when roasted, become acidic, little bursts in the salad, a great complement to the earthiness of the other ingredients. The roasted vegetables, chickpeas and tofu and the tahini dressing will keep for days once refrigerated. Assemble your bowl to order, and enjoy it for lunch or as a light dinner.

By Yewande Komolafe

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (14-ounce) package firm tofu, drained and patted dry

1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes

Salt and pepper

3 garlic cloves

2 lemons

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons za’atar dry spice mix (see Tip below)

1 teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram

1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 cup tahini

1 tablespoon honey

1 (8-ounce) bag leafy greens, such as baby spinach, baby kale or mixed greens

Preparation:

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch-thick slices and place them on a kitchen or paper towel to dry out.

2. Combine the chickpeas and tomatoes on a half-sheet pan and sprinkle with salt and black pepper to season.

3. Using a Microplane or other fine grater, grate the garlic cloves and zest 1 lemon into a large bowl. Squeeze 1/4 cup juice from the lemon (using the second lemon if needed) and reserve. Add the oil, za’atar, oregano and 1/4 cup chopped parsley to the garlic mixture and stir to combine. Pour half the marinade over the chickpeas and tomatoes, toss to combine and spread in an even layer. Roast until the tomatoes are just beginning to burst open and the chickpeas are warmed through, about 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, add the soy sauce to the remaining marinade and stir. Add the tofu slices to the bowl and carefully turn each piece to coat both sides. Allow the tofu to marinate while the chickpea mixture cooks, then nestle the tofu slices, topped with any leftover marinade in the bowl, among the chickpeas and tomatoes on the sheet pan.

5. Roast until the tofu begins to brown around the edges and top, the tomatoes have burst open releasing their juices and the chickpeas are golden brown and crunchy, about 15 minutes.

6. While the tofu roasts, whisk together the tahini, honey, reserved lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of water. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

7. Divide the leafy greens among 4 bowls. Dress the tofu, chickpeas and tomatoes on the baking sheet with 4 tablespoons of the tahini mixture and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup parsley. Divide evenly among the bowls and spoon additional dressing all over everything.

Tip:

Za’atar, the classic Middle Eastern seasoning, is a mix of savory dried herbs, sumac and sesame seeds. It can be purchased as a premade blend or made at home.

5. Elaine’s Fettuccine Alfredo

This recipe came to The New York Times in a 2004 article about Elaine Kaufman, the founder and proprietress of the famed New York restaurant and celebrity hot spot that bore her name and where this dish was served. There is nothing fancy or complicated about it -- it’s glorified macaroni and cheese, really -- but it is delicious and deeply satisfying. (Fun fact: Jackie O. was a fan.)

Recipe from Elaine Kaufman

Adapted by Alex Witchel

Yield: 6 servings

Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Salt

2 tablespoons butter

1 small clove garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 large egg yolk

1 pound fresh fettuccine

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Bring 6 quarts generously salted water to a boil.

2. While the water heats, melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; saute until fragrant and sizzling, about 2 minutes. Whisk the cream with the egg yolk in a bowl until blended; pour into the garlic butter. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir until hot but not boiling. Keep warm over low heat.

3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta, partially covered, until al dente. (The pasta will float when it’s done.) Drain in a colander, shaking out excess water, but reserve a little cooking water. Pour hot pasta into the cream mixture and toss to coat (still over low heat). Add the cheese and keep tossing gently until cream is mostly absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. If sauce is absorbed too much, toss with a little pasta water. Serve in warm bowls.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

Copyright 2026 The New York Times Company