The 15 must-have dishes of 2016: Best of Recipe Box (2024)

Nathan Hostler, Special to The Oregonian

The 15 must-have dishes of 2016: Best of Recipe Box

Beginning with our special soup issue last January, through all of the holiday recipes we’ve shared in recent weeks, we’ve cooked some great dishes this year. Here are 15 standouts that are worth cooking again and again.

-- Grant Butler

gbutler@oregonian.com

503-221-8566; @grantbutler

Stephanie Yao Long

Indonesian Fried Rice

Strategic Cooking columnist Matthew Card came up with this budget-stretching fried rice dish last winter as a way to embrace simplicity after the holiday season. It’s hearty and spicy, and with plenty of vegetables, tofu and eggs, it’s well-rounded enough for busy weeknights.

Recipe: Sweet-and-Spicy Indonesian-Style Fried Rice With Tofu, Eggs and Vegetables.

Joan Harvey, Special to The Oregonian, OregonLive

Portuguese Clam Soup

Regular contributor Joan Harvey shared this soup recipe for our annual soup issue back in January. The recipe is based on the sort of Portuguese kale and sausage soup that’s common in New England but rarely seen in the Pacific Northwest. Harvey made the dish her own, adding clams. It’s a keeper.

Recipe: Portuguese Clam and Kale Soup With Linguica Sausage.

Mims Copeland, The Oregonian/OregonLive

Sara Perry's crab salad

When longtime Oregonian food columnist Sara Perry passed away in February, we took a deep dive into her legacy of celebrating great recipes from Oregon cooks, including this incredible crab salad that was featured in a Taste Makers profile of Emily Crumpacker. Perry championed Northwest ingredients, and this recipe celebrates their simplicity.

Recipe: Crab Salad With Shallot Dressing.

Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive

Spicy Cold Soba Noodles

This soba noodle salad recipe, which originated from the long-gone Benji's Deli Express in downtown Portland, was a favorite of Oregonian readers back in the 1990s. We’re glad we rediscovered it, since the spicy dressing gets its heat from Sriracha, the Asian hot sauce that would have been an unusual ingredient at the time, but is an essential ingredient for how we eat today.

Recipe: Spicy Cold Soba Noodles.

Nathan Hostler, Special to The Oregonian/OregonLive

Perfectly Simple Chicken Pie

Dinnertime pot pies were one of the biggest trends in home cooking this year, so we turned to our baking guru Joan Harvey to create the ultimate comforting supper. She calls this “the quintessential chicken pie -- simple, elegant and perfect,” and we couldn’t agree more.

Recipe: Jeannie Stantos' Perfectly Simple Chicken Pie.

Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive

Clarke's Asparagus Salad

Jonathan Clarke, chef/owner of Clarke's Restaurant in Lake Oswego, first shared his recipe for this wonderful salad in 2002, and we rediscovered it last spring during asparagus season. Thanks to the year-round availability of asparagus at most supermarkets, it can be made anytime. Just make sure you peel the base of each spear to get to the tender heart. The recipe makes more dressing than you need to dress up the salad, and leftovers make a terrific marinade for chicken, pork roast, even tofu.

Recipe: Clarke's Artichoke and Asparagus Salad With Serrano Ham.

Ellen Silverman, St. Martin's Press

Brussels Sprouts and Pear Carbonara

We love food TV personality Nikki Dinki for her fun approach to cooking, which de-emphasizes meat, without eliminating it altogether. And we’ve fallen hard for her twist on pasta carbonara, which incorporates Brussel sprout leaves and pear slices to cut through the richness of the comforting sauce.

Recipe: Brussels Sprouts and Pear Carbonara.

Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive

Chickpea Salad Sliders

These Chickpea Salad Sliders are perfect party fare because they’re quick and inexpensive to make, and are a crowd-pleaser. Serve them at potluck suppers or tuck the salad into pita pockets for school lunches. Thinking ahead to your Super Bowl party? This is perfect halftime fare. If you don’t like cilantro, you can substitute Italian parsley.

Recipe: Chickpea Salad Sliders.

Gregor Torrence, Special to The Oregonian/OregonLive

Grilled Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi

Weeknight Simplicity columnist Ivy Manning came up with this streamlined version of Vietnamese Banh Mi. While it’s perfect for outdoor grilling when the weather cooperates, it can be made year-round using a stovetop grill pan. It’s easy to assemble, but plan ahead: the chicken needs to marinate for at least four hours.

Recipe: Grilled Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi.

Leigh Beisch, Chronicle Books

Green Curry Braised Salmon

Portland author Diane Morgan gave readers the definitive guide to cooking the Pacific Northwest’s favorite fish with her cookbook “Salmon,” which featured 45 recipes, including this warm and remarkable green curry. She uses a pre-made curry paste, which means this can be pulled together on busy weeknights in about the time it takes to make a batch of jasmine rice.

Recipe: Green Curry Braised Salmon.

Alan Weiner, Ten Speed Press

Margherita Pizza

For more than a decade, Portlanders have lined up for Ken Forkish’s arugula-topped margherita pizza at Ken’s Artisan Bakery and Ken’s Artisan Pizza. Now, thanks to his landmark cookbook “The Elements of Pizza,” they can make it at home. The Saturday Pizza Dough needs time to rise, but that’s mostly inactive time, so you can start it in the morning, go off for a long bike ride, then come home and make pizza.

Recipe: Margherita and Arugula, Two Ways.

Eva Kosmas Flores, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Sweet and Sour Fried Chicken Wings

Portland food blogger Eva Kosmas Flores shared this recipe from her debut cookbook “Adventures in Chicken,” which makes a crowd-pleasing party appetizer or an alternative to game-day hot wings. The sauce is sweetened with honey and ketchup, with vinegar and lime juice offering a tangy counterpoint.

Recipe: Sweet and Sour Fried Chicken Wings.

Yuki Sugiura, Quadrille

Pumpkin Seed Pt

Julie Montagu’s “Super Foods Super Fast” features healthy food that comes together in a flash. This chunky spread is terrific on crackers, but also works great as a dip for a vegetable platter. The recipe doubles easily for a crowd – think game day!

Recipe: Pumpkin Seed Pâté.

Nathan Hostler, Special to The Oregonian/OregonLive

A "Bob's Burgers" burger

The only thing more delicious than the animated comedy “Bob’s Burgers” are actual burgers inspired by the daily specials featured on the show. This French-themed burger features sautéed shallots, creamy chevre spread and peppery arugula on a French roll.

Recipe: Hit Me With Your Best Shallot Burger.

Chris Court, Ten Speed Press

A chef's souffle

In her terrific new cookbook, Portland chef Naomi Pomeroy teaches readers how a classic dish like soufflé is actually a lot easier to make than people think. It’s a dish she first learned to make when she was just 7 years old, and she still makes it, treating it as everyday fare that’s perfect for any night of the week.

Recipe: Classic Soufflé, with Spinach-Gruyère variation.