You've probably heard of sheet pan dinners. The term may be trendy, but the concept is not. It simply means arranging all of your dinner components on a rimmed baking sheet, coating them with oil and seasoning, then roasting in the oven. And, voila, you have a complete dinner on a tray.

While the emphasis is certainly on ease of preparation, with the right ingredients this cooking method ensures maximum flavor. Oven roasting coaxes out the flavors of vegetables and meats and is a surefire (no pun intended) way to cook to crispy, golden perfection. The key to building great flavor is the ingredients you use to coat and bind the dish. They can be as basic as olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, or more elaborate with aromatic marinades, spices, herbs and citrus.

This recipe combines two ingredients that are well suited for roasting: bone-in chicken thighs and romanesco, a chartreuse green brassica that looks like a cone-headed cauliflower. Importantly, they both require a similar amount of cooking time, so they can happily team up on a baking sheet without one ingredient overcooking while the other keeps on roasting. (You can also use white cauliflower in this recipe.) A potent, herbaceous chermoula sauce, robust with garlic, lemon and spices, coats the whole lot and drives in flavor.

The finishing touch to this recipe -- not required, but recommended -- is a smoky red pepper sauce for swiping and drizzling. It’s inspired by Spanish romesco sauce (not to be confused with the romanesco vegetable!) and traditionally consists of roasted tomatoes and ground almonds or hazelnuts. This smoother rendition uses roasted red peppers to create a sweet and smoky condiment.

Sheet Pan Chermoula Chicken With Romanesco Cauliflower

Active time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, plus marinating time

Serves 4

Chermoula Sauce:

1 1/2 cups Italian parsley leaves and tender sprigs

1 1/2 cups cilantro leaves and tender sprigs

1 cup fresh mint leaves

Juice and finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon

4 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/2 cup olive oil

8 bone-in chicken thighs with skin

Red Pepper Sauce:

2 jarred roasted red peppers, drained and rinsed, coarsely chopped

1 red jalapeno pepper, seeds and membranes removed (optional), coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 medium head romanesco (or white cauliflower)

Cilantro sprigs for garnish

Lemon wedges for serving

Combine all of the chermoula ingredients, except the oil, in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to finely chop. Add the oil and pulse to blend. The chermoula should have a runny salsa consistency. If it’s too thick, add more oil to loosen.

Place the chicken in a large bowl. Pour in the chermoula and stir to thoroughly coat, rubbing the marinade between the skin and meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting.

Combine all of the red pepper sauce ingredients in the cleaned bowl of a food processor and process to blend. Taste for seasoning. (The sauce may be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cut the romanesco into thick steaks from crown to stem in 3/4-inch slices. Cut out the cores and cut the cores into bite-size chunks. (The cores are sweet and edible, so don’t discard them.)

Remove the chicken from the marinade and arrange, skin-side up, on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Brush the cauliflower steaks and pieces on all sides with the residual marinade from the bowl and arrange around the chicken. Season everything with salt and black pepper.

Transfer the tray to the oven and roast until the romanesco is tender and the chicken is golden brown and cooked through (it should register 165 degrees when a meat thermometer is inserted into the thickest part closest to the bone), about 30 minutes.

Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve with lemon wedges.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

When the world is spinning and things feel out of control, the simplest of rituals are often the most comforting. This includes the manner in which we eat. Uncomplicated and resourceful meals are soothing and rewarding. It’s not necessary to deliberately skimp, but to use simple, minimal ingredients with little waste; ingredients that are easily purchased or unearthed in our kitchens.

This ethos is present in the following recipe, which takes inspiration from the most basic yet tastiest Italian pasta dishes. Aglio e Olio is a humble Napoli dish consisting of pasta, olive oil, cheese and dried red chili flakes, glistening with reserved pasta water.

If you haven’t added pasta water to your kitchen toolbox, then it’s time you did. The cooking water is loaded with starch and salt, and is a wonderful way to loosen a sauce or moisten noodles. This nifty, no-cost byproduct of the cooking process is best added in the last few minutes of preparing the dish.

Another ingredient in this dish with humble Italian roots is breadcrumbs. Pasta con la mollica is a southern Italian dish in which breadcrumbs are considered part of the cucina povera -- the “poor man’s cooking.” It may sound redundant to add bread to pasta, but well-toasted breadcrumbs are a fabulous flavor carrier and a resourceful way to use not-so-fresh bread. And like most dishes born of modest origins, it translates to a timeless and comforting dinner classic.

To this recipe, I add fresh arugula, simply wilted by the heat of the cooked pasta, and bacon, arguably another resourceful and economical food. After all, who can say no to bacon?

Spaghetti With Bacon and Arugula

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

8 ounces thick-cut bacon, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup breadcrumbs or panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1/4 cup plus 1 cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound spaghetti

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes, or more to taste

3 cups fresh arugula

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and fry until the fat renders and the bacon is crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat from the skillet. Add the breadcrumbs and toast over medium heat until golden, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl. Cool to room temperature and then stir in the 1/4 cup of the cheese, salt and black pepper and set aside.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the pasta 1 minute less than the package instructions for al dente. Scoop out and reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain the pasta.

Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chili flakes and saute until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the drained pasta, 1/2 cup of the reserved water and the remaining 1 cup cheese, stirring and tossing constantly to melt the cheese and evenly coat the pasta. (If the pasta is too sticky, add additional water to moisten.)

Remove the skillet from the heat and add the bacon, arugula and half of the breadcrumb mixture. Stir to combine and slightly wilt the arugula. Serve immediately with the remaining breadcrumbs for sprinkling.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

When I buy beets, carrots and turnips at the market, they are often presented as bright bunches, crowned with exuberant stalks sprouting a cascade of green leaves. While it may be tempting to chop off the stems and discard the mountain of greens left behind with the trimmings ... do not do that. These greens are delicious on their own, sauteed in olive oil, blitzed into pestos, folded into omelets and baked in frittatas. Rich in nutrients and ranging from sweet to peppery to earthy in flavor, they are an underappreciated bonus attached to your roots and crucifers.

Lately, I’ve been on a beet green kick. Yellow or golden beets are sweet, nutty and less earthy than their red brethren, and their mildness is reflected in the flavor of their leaves. I remove and store the leaves in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, where they can last for up to one week, ready for use in a simple side dish or, in this recipe, a frittata.

It’s safe to say that this is a very green frittata, with just enough egg to bind the leaves but not dominate. If you prefer a more eggy dish, feel free to add two more eggs and one additional tablespoon of half-and-half. You can use just one or any combination of greens, including the tops of beets, carrots and turnips, as well as chopped kale and chard leaves. (If using kale or chard, remove the stems and ribs before adding them to the mix.) I blanch sturdy greens, such as kale, chard and beet greens, first to wilt them just enough for a quick saute in olive oil and garlic before adding the eggs. When using more fragile greens, such as wispy carrot tops, you can omit the blanching step.

Green Frittata

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

1 pound greens

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon half-and-half or whole milk

1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided

1/4 cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a press

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Wash the greens and tear into large pieces. If using kale or chard, remove the ribs.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the greens and blanch until bright in color, about 1 minute. Drain the greens and press to remove any excess liquid.

Whisk the eggs and milk in a bowl and stir in half of the cheese. Mix the remaining cheese and breadcrumbs together in a separate small bowl and set aside.

Heat the oil in a 10-inch oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and chili flakes and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the greens, season with the salt and black pepper, and saute until the greens are wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Pour the eggs over the greens, gently nudging the greens around to evenly distribute the eggs. Sprinkle the cheese and breadcrumbs evenly over the frittata.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the eggs are set and the top of the frittata is golden brown in spots, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand for at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS