Middle Eastern flavors infuse the next ‘Week of Meals’ recipes

While the Fourth of July is (and should be) a great time to break out of the routine and cook elaborate barbecues or all-grilled-everything meals, it’s time to get back to figuring out what’s for dinner on a Tuesday once the charcoal cools.

Thankfully, our next “Week of Meals” series is here to help. Danielle Campbell, an L.A.-based recipe stylist and photographer, developed this latest round of recipes, full of hearty roasts and simple veggies boosted with herb sauces packed with heat and plenty of flavor.

The day you come home from grocery shopping, Danielle has you season and prep a whole chicken to roast later in the week with potatoes and a simple salsa verde. She also has you prepare a tangy, spicy chermoula sauce that you’ll split in two: One half will get spooned over meaty, oven-caramelized cauliflower steaks served over yogurt; the other half gets spooned over a simple roast salmon served with a tart kale salad on the side.

The rest of the week includes meatballs spiced with warm harissa paste, oven-roasted and served over warm pita with yogurt and topped with a refreshing cucumber and red onion salad.

And for the easiest pasta sauce on Earth, Danielle offers her spin on the Roman classic Amatriciana by using tomato paste — caramelized until brick red — mixed with heavy cream until it forms a luscious, rich sauce. The pasta, like all her recipes, is extremely simple and requires little prep work, an invigorating respite from all the overwrought barbecue productions that came before.

Roasted Chicken and Potatoes With Salsa Verde

Potatoes are browned in olive oil and rendered chicken fat in this simple roast chicken dish served with a bright, spicy salsa verde. Preparing the chicken up to 2 days before makes getting the dish in the oven for hands-off cooking a breeze. If you forget to salt the chicken ahead of time, don’t worry; it’ll still taste great seasoned right before going into the oven.
Get the recipe.
Cook time: 1 hour.

(Danielle Campbell / For The Times)

Cauliflower Steaks and Couscous With Chermoula

Hearty cauliflower steaks are a wonderful vegan or vegetarian main dish. Here they’re roasted until caramelized and tender in the oven — a fantastic time-saver as opposed to pan-frying — and served with couscous, but they are also great with any grain you prefer.
Get the recipe.
Cook time: 50 minutes.

(Danielle Campbell / For The Times)

Roasted Salmon With Chermoula and Kale Salad

Lemon zest adds brightness to simple roasted salmon in this easy dish. The chermoula sauce does all the heavy flavor lifting here and can be used on any fish if you don’t like salmon. And same goes for the kale; if you prefer another green, use it in place of the baby kale leaves.
Get the recipe.
Cook time: 30 minutes.

(Danielle Campbell / For The Times)

Spicy Harissa Meatballs With Cucumber Salad

Harissa, the spicy chile paste from Morocco, flavors these tender meatballs, along with fresh mint and warm cumin. A bright cucumber salad adds freshness and crunch to the meatballs; serve them on yogurt and warm pita bread. Feel free to use flour tortillas, toast or any flatbread you like as a substitute for the pita.
Get the recipe.
Cook time: 35 minutes.

(Danielle Campbell / For The Times)

Creamy ‘Alla Amatriciana-ish’ Pasta

This pasta is coated in a thick, rich tomato and cream sauce. Use any pasta you like, particularly one with nooks and crannies or hollow insides to catch all the sauce. If you can’t find pancetta, use bacon instead, but it will lend its characteristic smoky flavor to the dish. If you have the patience, blanch the chopped bacon in boiling water for 1 minute, then drain and let cool before using to eliminate some of the smokiness.
Get the recipe.
Cook time: 30 minutes.

(Danielle Campbell / For The Times)