Staying In No. 43

Salmon and avocado salad. Coconut black bean soup. Chocolate babka.

Apr 07, 2025

Welcome! This is “Staying In,” a Sunday newsletter with recipe ideas for your week ahead. Every other Thursday I also publish a “Going Out” edition where I review a restaurant, bar, or activity here in Portland. Want even more recommendations? Check out pdxrecs.com and follow RR on Instagram at @rileysrecs. Enjoy!

I’ve always felt like I have an inequitable relationship with the Internet. I’m all take and no give. Funny videos, memes, recipes, Reddit skincare recommendations, etc. I consume it all.

This newsletter is helping me change that a bit—and it’s nice to put something back out into the world—but, generally speaking, I’m not the person who is going to post a funny video, edit Wikipedia pages, or give lengthy advice on Reddit.

This is all a long way of saying that Melissa Clark deserves a humanitarian award for all that she’s contributed to the Internet. She is PROLIFIC. Any time I click on a trending NYT recipe, I just know it’s going to be from Melissa Clark. How does she do it.

Two recipes in this week’s Staying In come from Melissa Clark: the Black Bean Coconut Soup and the Chocolate Babka.

Enjoy!

✨ Inspo ingredients: feta and jalapeños ✨

DINNERS

Peruvian Roasted Chicken with Spicy Cilantro Sauce | Salt and Vinegar Roasted Potatoes
Coconut Black Bean Soup
Lentils, Marinated Feta, and Chard
Mustardy Salmon with Avocado and Cucumber Salad

BREAKFAST

Chocolate Babka

Notes:

I have a few repeat dishes this week: the Peruvian chicken and the lentils and marinated feta.
I’m just going to eat leftovers for lunch this week. Or a PB&J if I’m in a pinch.
Jalapeños are used in the Peruvian chicken and black bean soup.
Feta is used in the Peruvian chicken and lentil dish.

Salt and Vinegar Roasted Potatoes

Lidey Heuck | New York Times (Gifted Link)

Roasted potatoes that taste like Kettle chips? I’m in. There’s no way they actually pack the same punch as a bag of potato chips—so I’ll temper my expectations—but I’m eager to try this new-to-me potato preparation regardless. To make, I’ll toss the potatoes with the olive oil and vinegar mixture in a bowl, roast, and then splash with a little more vinegar again at the end. I recommend lining the sheet pan with aluminum foil for easier cleanup (and a little more browning).

Coconut Black Bean Soup

Melissa Clark | New York Times (Gifted Link)

The RR reader who recommended this recipe (thanks Anders!) says this soup is super easy on a weeknight because it mostly calls for pantry ingredients like cumin, canned black beans, coconut milk, etc. He tends to throw andouille or another spiced sausage into the soup, too, for “a little more oomph.” I’ll follow suit. Melissa estimates a 35-minute cook time and, judging by the minimal ingredients list and recipe steps, I’m sure that’s spot on.

Mustardy Salmon with Avocado and Cucumber Salad

Alexis deBoschnek | Side Dish

I’m so close to finishing the CSA salmon in my chest freezer, and this recipe from

Alexis deBoschnek

will help get me one step closer. I would normally stay away from brown-sugar salmon marinades (they make everything a little too sweet imo) but the acidity of whole-grain mustard along with the fat from the mayonnaise (or olive oil if you prefer) should keep the sweetness in check. I also love the idea of quick pickling some cucumber and avocado for a bright side salad.

Side Dish

Mustardy Salmon with Avocado & Cucumber Salad

Two years ago I got one of my most memorable emails to date. Did I want to go on a brand trip hosted by Maille Mustard and my dear friend Rebekah Peppler to learn about the brand and its rich history in Dijon? I grew up with Maille as the only mustard in our pantry–and it’s still what I stock today–so it was a no-brainer to see where my favorite mustard…

3 months ago · 32 likes · 30 comments · Alexis deBoschnek

Chocolate Babka

Melissa Clark | New York Times (Gifted Link)

Babkas are a deliciously rewarding bake. Although it takes times and finessing to get the right shape and texture, you can’t mess them up too terribly. At the end of the day, it’s butter and sugar and chocolate.

Keep in mind: you’ll need to start preparing the dough the day before you want to bake it and eat it. Here’s a sample schedule:

4 pm on Saturday: make the dough. Do an initial rise of about 1.5 hours.

5 pm on Saturday: cover dough and let rise overnight in the refrigerator.

8 am on Sunday: make the filling and braid and shape the dough. Let rise another 1.5 or so hours.

10 am on Sunday: bake for 40-50 minutes.

11 am on Sunday: eat!

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