Phew! The holidays are over, and it feels like you’ve been cooking special meals for weeks, right? It’s time to exhale, take it easy, and grab a supermarket rotisserie chicken for dinner. But that chicken alone does not a proper repast make, so here are a few simple side dishes to complete the meal.
Parmesan-Black Pepper Drop Biscuits
Makes 12 approximately 2½-inch biscuits
Freshly and coarsely ground pepper is a must for these biscuits.
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons sugar
1¼ cups finely grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper
1 cup buttermilk, cold
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6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Neutral oil or baking spray
With the rack in the middle position, heat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a large baking sheet (roughly 18 by 13 inches) with parchment paper or a nonstick (silicone) liner and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, grated Parmesan, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1½ teaspoons pepper to combine well. In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk and melted butter (the butter will clump, which is fine). Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and, using a flexible spatula, fold and stir until wet and dry ingredients are just incorporated (do not overmix).
Grease the inside of a ¼-cup dry measure or equal-sized portion scoop with the oil (or spray with baking spray) and scoop scant ¼-cup portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, about 1½ inches apart. Bake until the tops are golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking time. Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack, cool for about 5 minutes, and serve.
FOOD SAFETY TIP
Pan-Roasted Potatoes with Spinach
Serves 6
2½ pounds small or medium redskin or all-purpose potatoes, scrubbed
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2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
12 cups (loosely packed) fresh baby spinach leaves (about 6 ounces)
Salt and pepper
Cut each potato in half if small (1½- to 2-inch diameter) or in quarters if medium (2- to 3-inch diameter), rinse in cold water, drain well, and dry thoroughly.
In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the potatoes, cut side down, in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown (oil should sizzle gently; adjust heat if necessary), about 10 minutes. Turn potatoes and cook, again without moving them, until deep golden brown, about 7 minutes longer. Add the onion and crushed red pepper and stir to mix. Shake the pan so potatoes fall into a single layer, adjust heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender when poked with a paring knife, about 8 minutes longer.
Remove cover, add about a third of the spinach, and cook, stirring frequently, until leaves begin to wilt, about 1 minute. Add remaining spinach in 2 more batches, cooking and stirring frequently, until all spinach is wilted and bright green, about 3½ minutes longer. Add ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste, stir to mix, and serve at once.
Glazed Cherry Tomatoes
Makes about 2 cups
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons pressed or grated garlic (about 3 medium cloves)
1½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme, rosemary, or tarragon
¼ cup vermouth
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1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1½ tablespoons balsamic or sherry vinegar
Salt and pepper
1 dry pint cherry or large grape tomatoes, halved
In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and herbs and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 40 seconds. Add the vermouth, brown sugar, vinegar, ¾ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste, swirl the pan to blend, adjust the heat to medium-high, and bring to a strong simmer. Simmer until reduced to a very thick glaze, about 5½ minutes. Add the tomatoes, shake the pan to coat with the glaze, and cook, shaking the skillet occasionally, until tomatoes soften (but do not collapse), 2½ to 3½ minutes longer. Cool briefly, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary, and serve warm.
Cabbage and Noodles
Makes 6 to 7 cups
This simple dish has roots in Eastern Europe. Caraway appears in many versions, and I love it, but you can leave it out if you prefer. You’ll need a huge skillet to accommodate all the cabbage when it’s raw, but don't worry, it cooks down considerably.
2 tablespoons neutral oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, quartered and each quarter thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
1½ pounds green cabbage (about half a medium-small head), shredded about ½ inch thick (about 12 cups)
1 teaspoon caraway seeds, optional
8 ounces egg noodles, cooked, drained, and hot, with 1/3 cup cooking water reserved
¾ cup sour cream, or more if necessary
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¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
In a very large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil and butter, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter is melted and hot. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Adjust the heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring more frequently to prevent scorching, until deeply browned, 3 to 6 minutes longer.
Add the cabbage, caraway, if using, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste and cook, tossing and stirring frequently, until the cabbage is wilted fully and beginning to brown, about 15 minutes.
Add the noodles and continue to cook, tossing and stirring to distribute them, until they are well incorporated and hot, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Add the sour cream, most of the parsley, and another ¼ teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and adjust the consistency with sour cream or a little cooking water if necessary. Scrape the mixture into a warmed serving bowl, sprinkle with the remaining parsley, and serve at once.
Adam Ried appears regularly on “America’s Test Kitchen.’’ Send comments to cooking@globe.com.