The holidays are as good a time as any to go all out with your cooking. For me, that means making relatively simple dishes that I rarely make the rest of the year, rather than spending days in the kitchen doing something one-off and involved. (The exception was December 2020, when I decided to make cassoulet for two adults, a toddler and a baby.)

Sometimes those festive, actually pretty simple dishes, like a roast, are fancy just by virtue of the quality and expense of ingredients involved. Season them right, don’t overcook them, and you’ll do fine. More often, though, I’m cooking fish or chicken in an unfussy way. My go-to move: Chop some herbs, scatter them on top, and suddenly, it’s like you’re at a restaurant.

The top-rated recipes below live at this intersection of easy and fancy, and they’re charmingly casual, too — very “Oh, this? I just threw it together.”

Slow-Roasted Salmon With Salsa Verde

Salsa verde is pesto’s zippier cousin. This Italian green sauce, not to be confused with the Mexican sauce of the same name, is bright, briny and the perfect compliment to silky slow-cooked salmon. Chopping everything by hand saves you from dirtying an appliance and provides just the right amount of rustic texture. Serve the fish with something to catch every drop of sauce, such as farro, orzo, polenta or rice. Any extra salsa verde can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. Drizzle it on grilled meats, toss it with pasta or fold it into scrambled eggs. — Sheela Prakash

Yield: 4 servings. Total time: 35 minutes.

Ingredients

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 (1 1/2-pound) skinless salmon fillet

Salt and black pepper

1 medium lemon

1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves and tender stems

1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves1/3 cup packed fresh oregano leaves

2 anchovy fillets

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed well if salt-packed

1 garlic clove

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil in a baking dish or rimmed sheet pan large enough to hold the salmon fillet. Pat the salmon dry, season all over with salt and pepper and place in the baking dish, turning it gently to coat lightly in the oil. Place skinned-side down and zest about 1/2 of the lemon evenly over the top; reserve the lemon.

2. Roast until the salmon is just cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. (It’s done when the flesh is just able to flake easily. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the thickest part should register 120 degrees.)

3. While the salmon roasts, make the salsa verde: Place the parsley, basil and oregano in a heaped pile on a large cutting board and chop. When coarsely chopped, add the anchovies and capers to the pile and continue to chop until everything is finely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl. Zest the rest of the lemon into the bowl, then halve the lemon crosswise and squeeze the juice into the bowl. Grate the garlic into the bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil and the red pepper. Stir well to combine. Taste and season with salt as needed. (Makes about 1 cup.)

4. Drizzle the salmon with salsa verde and serve directly from the baking dish, with additional salsa verde on the side.

Chicken all’Arrabbiata

Arrabbiata literally translates to “angry” in Italian. Don’t worry — the goal of this angry chicken is to make you just the opposite. Sugo all’arrabbiata is traditionally a simple, spicy tomato sauce that gets its heat and flavor from spicy chile peppers: dried, fresh or both. This recipe uses both crushed red pepper and chopped Calabrian chiles or hot cherry peppers — along with olive oil, shallot, tomatoes and garlic — to make sauce for crispy chicken thighs to lay in as they are roasted to perfection. Additional hot peppers or fresh tomatoes are more than welcome. While there’s plenty of sauce to serve traditionally over pasta, this arrabbiata is happiest over creamy polenta. — Dan Pelosi

Yield: 4 servings. Total time: 45 minutes.

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

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium shallot minced

6 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 cup chopped jarred Calabrian chiles or hot cherry peppers

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 (28-ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes

Polenta, for serving

Fresh parsley, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. On a plate, pat chicken thighs with a paper towel until the skin is dry, then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper all over. Set an ovenproof skillet or pan over medium heat and add olive oil. When oil is hot, add chicken thighs skin-side down and cook, untouched, for 9 minutes. When the skin is crisped and releases from the pan, return thighs to the same plate and set aside. (The chicken will not be cooked through at this point.)

3. Add shallot, garlic, crushed red pepper, chopped chiles and a pinch of salt to the pan. Cook until the shallot is softened and the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomato paste, stirring until the paste darkens, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, their juices and a big pinch each of salt and pepper and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits, for about 5 minutes.

4. Remove the pan from the heat. Tuck the chicken thighs into the pan, skin-side up, ensuring they are covered in tomato sauce. Bake in the oven until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.

5. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning and spice level as necessary. Serve warm, over polenta, and garnish with fresh parsley.

Borani Banjan (Afghan-style Eggplant in Yogurt)

Traditionally in Afghan-style borani banjan, an appetizer or vegetable side, eggplant slices are soaked in salted water for 20 to 30 minutes, drained and dried, then simmered in a spiced tomato sauce before being served in layers of garlicky yogurt. This version significantly simplifies the preparation in the interest of time without compromising its appeal: varied flavors and textures from crispy, caramelized eggplant; creamy, garlicky yogurt; sweet and sour tomatoes; and juicy, bright pomegranate seeds. No soaking or simmering here — just quick pan-frying and layering for the same effect in about 30 minutes. Go back for seconds of a dish that tastes even better when it’s cold. — Zainab Shah

1 cup full-fat Greek or Indian yogurt

1 garlic clove, grated

Salt

1/2 to 1 cup vegetable oil

4 Japanese or Indian eggplants (see Tips), or 1 globe eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

3 plum tomatoes, chopped

1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri or other red chile powder (optional)

2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

4 to 6 small mint leaves

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bowl, mix the yogurt, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons water. Place in the fridge to chill and develop garlicky flavor.

2. Line a tray or large plate with paper towels. In a large frying pan, heat 1/3 cup oil on high. (The eggplant slices should be submerged about halfway in the oil while frying.) When the oil is heated, about 1 minute, add the eggplant slices in a single layer, and fry 1 to 2 minutes on each side, working in batches to avoid overcrowding and adding oil between batches as necessary. When the eggplant starts to caramelize and turn brown, transfer to the prepared tray or plate. Pat dry with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel to remove any excess oil and to preserve the eggplant’s crisp texture. Season with salt as desired.

3. To the same pan, add tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons water and chile powder, if using. Cook on high until the tomatoes start to break down, about 5 minutes.

4. To serve, spread the yogurt in a single layer in a large shallow dish. Add the eggplant in a single layer on top, and then scatter the tomato over the eggplant (see Tips). Finish with pomegranate seeds and mint.

Tips: Indian eggplants tend to have thinner skin, are round in shape and are about 2 inches in diameter. These eggplants have a milder flavor and creamier texture than globe eggplants when cooked.

If multiple layers are preferred (the traditional way), use half of the yogurt, eggplant and tomato for the first layer, and create a second layer with the second half of the elements.

BBQ Pepper Shrimp

This dish, inspired by the BBQ pepper shrimp at the Lobster Pot (the busy seafood restaurant in Provincetown, Massachusetts, that the McNulty family began operating in 1979), is a rich, satisfying shrimp dinner that comes together quickly. Chef and owner Tim McNulty came up with the idea for the dish after trying New Orleans-style BBQ shrimp. He blends those spicy flavors with the richness of beurre blanc, a classic French butter sauce. “It’s a big seller for us,” McNulty says of the dish, which has been on the menu for more than 10 years. The sauce is an ideal topping for pasta or crusty bread and is a perfect match for any seafood: “It’s a great base recipe, and you can add scallops or lobster to it instead of the shrimp.” The sauce also makes a luscious topping for steak, similar to an au poivre. — Recipe from Tim McNulty, Adapted by Korsha Wilson

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium shallot, diced small (about 1/4 inch)

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 rosemary sprig

1 thyme sprig

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon cayenne hot sauce (such as Tabasco)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving

1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

Crusty bread or cooked pasta, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the butter in the freezer until ready to use.

2. Pat the shrimp dry on a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt. In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high for 2 minutes. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom. Add half of the shrimp and cook until lightly golden in spots and starting to curl (they’ll be almost cooked through), 2 to 3 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate. Repeat with the remaining shrimp, using the remaining tablespoon of oil to coat the pan. Transfer the remaining shrimp to the plate.

3. Adjust heat to medium and add the garlic and shallot. Cook, stirring, until shiny and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine, rosemary and thyme and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Let simmer until the skillet is almost completely dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cream, Worcestershire, hot sauce, lemon juice and black pepper. Continue to simmer and let reduce until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust salt if desired.

4. Remove the butter from the freezer. Adjust heat to low and add half the butter. Stir until completely melted, and then add the remaining butter. Stir constantly until butter is melted and sauce is smooth.

5. Return the shrimp to the pan and cook, stirring to coat in the sauce, until shrimp is piping hot and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately with crusty bread (or over pasta), with lemon wedges alongside.

Pork Chops With Kale and Dates

A fat and juicy pork chop will always shine on a dinner plate, and these are especially star-worthy. For browned outsides, evenly cooked insides and fewer splatters, cook them over moderate heat and flip often. Use this method for basic pork chops, or continue with the recipe for a tangy and bittersweet tumble of kale, dates, garlic and vinegar inspired by bittersweet meat dishes like suon kho, orange beef or root beer-glazed ham. Instead of kale, use another bitter green like escarole or radicchio, but keep the dates, which contribute a sweetness far more nuanced than straight sugar. Eat with roasted potatoes, grits or on top of a thick piece of toast. — Ali Slagle

Yield: 2 servings. Total time: 30 minutes.

2 (1- to 1 1/2-inch-thick) bone-in pork rib chops (10 to 12 ounces each), patted very dry

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon neutral oil (such as grapeseed or canola)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

3 fresh rosemary sprigs or sage leaves (optional)

6 Medjool dates, pitted and sliced

4 garlic cloves, smashed very well and peeled

1 bunch kale, ribs removed, leaves torn

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar or Sherry vinegar

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium. Season the pork chops all over with salt and pepper. Add the oil and the pork chops to the skillet. Cook, flipping every 2 minutes, until browned on the outside and the internal temperature in the thickest part is around 130 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes depending on thickness of pork chops. If your chops have a fat cap, using tongs, stack both chops on top of one another, then grab both chops together and hold upright to sear the fat caps until crisp, about 1 minute.

2. Turn off the heat, add the butter and rosemary, if using. Tilt the skillet and baste the pork by spooning the butter and drippings over the pork for about 1 minute. Transfer the pork and rosemary to a plate, leaving the drippings in the skillet.

3. Add the dates and garlic to the skillet, then pile in the kale but don’t stir. Return the skillet to medium heat and cook untouched until the dates and bottom layer of kale is charred, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add a tablespoon of water, then cook, stirring often, until the kale is dark green and slightly wilted, another minute or two. Remove from the heat, stir in the vinegar, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. To serve, discard the rosemary. Slice the pork away from the bones and thinly slice against the grain. Eat with the kale and any resting juices.