The Meals Gwyneth Is Cooking Right Now
We’re learning that making meals for the whole family in between Zoom meetings and Slack calls is less about the romance of cooking and more about…strategy. What can I make that everyone will eat? How can I use what I’ve already got? How can I use up what’s about to go bad? What can be prepped for later?
GP is staying at home (like everyone), which means she’s doing a lot of cooking between meetings, too. And while she’s certainly leaned on old standbys (her chopped salad lunch game is unmatched), she’s also trying some new things in the kitchen.
Having been at this for about six weeks now, we’ve narrowed it down to three main takeaways:
• Pick crowd-pleasers. When you’re feeding a family, it helps to rely on menus that can make everyone happy (you’re not a short-order cook, after all!).
• Make a double batch. Being home for three meals a day adds up: It’s a lot of cooking, even if you’re a pro. GP suggests making a few things in big batches so you can use them throughout the week.
• Use it up. Now is the time to get really creative, use everything, and throw away as little as possible. It’s kind of a thrill to use every last bit.
GP’s Latest Dinners
Delicious and inventive recipes photographed by Gwyneth—very OG goop.
Seared Scallops with Asparagus and Peas
A riffable dinner you can make with almost any seasonal produce. It’s so satisfying.
Spanish Tortilla and Tuna White Bean Salad with Pimentón
This Spanish-inspired spread relies on staple ingredients you probably already have (tuna, beans, potatoes, eggs) yet somehow feels elegant.
DIY Poke Bowls
DIY dinner menus like these poke bowls are a hit because everyone gets to make theirs just how they like it. While it does have a lot of components, everything comes together quickly and a few of the fixings can even be store-bought (crispy shallots, Sriracha vegenaise). The MVP among them is definitely the Japanese Chili Crisp—it adds texture and incredible flavor. GP said she’d eat it on plain white rice and be very happy.
A Really Good Chopped Salad
Chopped salads have been the lunch of choice for GP lately, largely because they are so riffable: As long as you have some greens as a base and a flavorful dressing, you can make a really good chopped salad with whatever else you have on hand. It was hard to choose which one to feature—we loved her Cobb-inspired move with bacon, boiled egg, grilled chicken, and blue cheese, as well as her charred chop with grilled veggies: scallions, asparagus, red pepper, zucchini, and a little added anchovy in the dressing because it complements that roasted pepper so nicely. But this one seemed extra pantry-friendly, with canned chickpeas for protein and the highly underrated tangy and spicy jarred pepperoncini. Think of this as a salad blueprint to work off of: Use what you have and make it yours.
goop Classics
Recipes GP comes back to again and again.
Turkey Ragu
In 2008, GP launched the first goop newsletter with two recipes. And this was one of them. Her turkey ragu cooks slowly and gets a deep, layered flavor. You won’t miss the red meat at all. Serve it over pasta or polenta, folded into baked ziti, or layered in lasagna. Leftovers freeze beautifully.
Easy Black Beans
Black beans have always been a staple for GP’s kids, and they certainly are now. Prep a big batch to use in burritos, enchiladas, and nachos—and with the addition of some cooked rice, they even make a solid base for veggie burgers.
Huevos Rancheros
This one is one of GP’s kids’ favorites, and it uses ingredients that you probably already have on hand. (The one pictured above is Apple’s—she likes extra crispy cheese on the outside.)
Bruce Paltrow’s World Famous Pancakes
GP’s son has been asking for pancakes almost every morning, so she makes big batches and keeps the batter in the fridge for the week (it gets even better as it sits).
Slow-Roasted Tomatoes
Tomatoes that are about to go can be turned into something really delicious if you slow-roast them.
Classic Tartar Sauce
This sauce will come in handy for several meals: We like it as a side for some pan-seared sole, on sandwiches for lunch, and as a dip for fried zucchini.
New Favorites from the NYT, Bon Appétit, and More
GP’s drawing inspiration from lots of amazing food publications and cookbooks right now.
Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Alison Roman’s recipe from The New York Times was an instant classic. GP’s kids loved it. Super simple, and great with gluten-free pasta.
Sautéed Beet Greens with Garlic and Olive Oil
GP roasted some beets from the farmers’ market to use in salads throughout the week, and she saved the beautiful green tops. A quick steam and sauté with garlic and chili flakes, as in this NYT recipe, makes for a really easy side.
Crispy Potato Cake with Garlic and Parsley
The folks at Bon Appétit never let us down. According to Gwyneth: “This was bomb.”
Red Wine and Honey Brisket
If you’re like GP, you love to share a meal with friends. And missing out on that is one of the hardest things about staying home. So she recently made this brisket from Leah Koenig’s Jewish Cookbook (one of many amazing recipes) and dropped half of it off at a friend’s house (no contact, and from a safe distance, of course). Then they set up a dinner party via Zoom so they could enjoy the meal together-apart.
A Perfect Pot of Lentils
This pot of lentils went a long way and spruced up a number of meals GP and her family ate throughout the week. It was especially delicious as pictured above, with anchovy toast, poached eggs, and dressed beets.
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