Alison Roman’s sophomore cookbook may be called Nothing Fancy, but a lot of these recipes feel pretty fancy. If you keep up with foodstagram, you’ve probably seen a few of Alison’s recipes come across your timeline. The recipes are bright, fun, and quintessentially millennial. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it seemed like a perfect time to test out a few recipes from Nothing Fancy. The recipes are perfect for an elevated dinner at home with your partner, or even your roommates!
*Note: For copyright purposes we are unable to share the full recipe. However, the cookbook can be downloaded on Kindle here, so you’ll still have the recipes in time to make the perfect Valentine’s Day dinner!*
Main Dish: Citrus Chicken Rested in Herbs
Ingredients
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½ cup fresh lime or lemon juice, plus one lime or lemon thinly sliced
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½ cup of fresh orange juice, plus 1 orange thinly sliced, seeds removed
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½ cup of soy sauce
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2 tablespoons of canola oil plus more
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3 ½ to 4 pound chicken or bone-in chicken pieces
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½ cup fresh cilantro and stems, coarsely chopped
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½ cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
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A few sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme, oregano, or marjoram (optional)
The chicken turned out nice. I marinated it for about an hour, and it was already packed with flavour. Next time if I have the forethought, I’ll marinate it for a few hours. I was a little surprised how herbaceous it was, considering it just rested on top of them. I grow a lot of my own herbs in my Aerogarden, so I used a few that were suggested.
I would definitely make this dish again. My husband even said it was dinner party-worthy!
Side Dish:Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Maple and Sour Cream
Ingredients
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1 ½ pounds small sweet potatoes (about 4-6)
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1 cup sour cream
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2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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1/3 cup pure maple syrup
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¼ cup toasted buckwheat groats
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2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
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Flaky sea salt
These were great! I don’t always loooove sweet potatoes, but the lime and sour cream base toned down the sweetness, as did the toasted buckwheat. I thought the sour cream went really well with the chicken too.
Dessert: Lemony Turmeric Tea Cake
Ingredients
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1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
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2 teaspoons baking powder
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1 teaspoon kosher salt
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¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
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1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
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2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
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2 large eggs
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½ cup unsalted butter, melted
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½ lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed
I’m a big fan of this cake. It’s not only pretty striking when finished, but also really delicious. It’s not overly sweet, it’s just the perfect ending to a nice, homecooked dinner!
I love the style of Nothing Fancy, but I don’t think it’s a book where I will ever cook every single recipe. I live in a small town, so it’s not always easy to find the more specific ingredients required. But if you’re looking for a book that branches out a little bit and features some gorgeous photography, then it’s a great pick up.
You can find Nothing Fancy on Amazon here!
What are you planning on making your love for Valentine’s Day? Let us know in the comments!
For More From Our Cooking The Books Series, Check Out:
Cooking The Books — The Amazing Dutch Baby From Chrissy Teigen’s Cravings
Cooking The Books – The Well Plated Cookbook’s Ultimate Mac & Cheese Broccoli Cheddar
