I read a lot of recipes, for inspiration, but when it comes to actual cooking, I almost always free-style. The ones that I actually FOLLOW include:
Nobu’s Miso-Ginger Cod - Dead-simple marinade, which works on any firm fish
Chicken Marbella - but I halve the amount of sugar in the Silver Palate recipe and brown the skin in a skillet first
Sara Moulton’s simple, unstuffed roast chicken: 4.5# chicken, 450F, 45 minutes
Food & Wine curried pan-roast chicken thighs http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/curried-chicken-and-vegetable-pan-roast but use less than half the oil called for, or it will be very greasy. You can use whatever yogurt, onion, curry powder, and oil you like, and thighs/legs with/without bone
Jacques Pepin’s Braised Pears in Caramel Sauce http://blogs.kqed.org/essentialpepin/2011/09/18/braised-pears-in-a-caramel-sauce/
is equally good with a firm variety of apple
This stew from A Flash in the Pan, which I use for monkfish or hake. On my stove, I have to cook it longer to reduce the liquids:
Cod braised with potatoes and golden onions (4 servings)
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3/4 pound small red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, plus sprigs for garnish
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup bottled clam juice
1 pounds cod fillets, cut into 1-inch strips or chunks
Salt and freshly ground pepper
In a large, deep skillet with a lid, heat the butter. Cook the onion and potatoes over medium heat, stirring often, until the potatoes are nearly cooked through and the onion is tinged with gold, about 6 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the chopped thyme, the cream, wine, and clam juice. (The recipe can be prepared up to 30 minutes ahead to this point and kept at cool room temperature.) Bring to a simmer, and add the fish. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer, stirring gently once or twice, until the fish is cooked through and the potatoes are tender. Stir in the remaining I tablespoon of chopped thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve in shallow soup bowls, garnished with thyme sprigs.
