Chef David Nayfeld Offers “Lifesaving Recipes” for Busy Families in New Cookbook, “Dad, What’s for Dinner?”
A new cookbook aims to solve a perennial parental problem: the dreaded “Dad, what’s for dinner?” question. Chef David Nayfeld, author of “Dad, What’s for Dinner?”, recently shared two family-friendly recipes – Tuscan sausage, bean and kale soup and garlic bread – on “GMA3,” offering practical solutions for weeknight meals without sacrificing flavor.
Nayfeld’s cookbook, set for release in 2025, features over 80 time-saving recipes designed to bring families together at the table. The book emphasizes ease of preparation and adaptability, recognizing the challenges faced by modern parents and caregivers.
A “Supercharged” Tuscan Sausage, Bean and Kale Soup
Nayfeld describes his Tuscan sausage, bean and kale soup as a hearty and flavorful dish, perfect for a cozy meal. “A traditional zuppa Toscana is already hearty,meant to fortify the peasants who first made it,” he writes. “This is a supercharged version with a ton of sausage in it. I make this around twelve times a year. I love it. My kid loves it. It hits every note you want it to hit.”
The soup’s richness comes from rendered pork fat, complemented by the creamy texture of beans and the nutritional benefits of kale. Nayfeld encourages cooks to be flexible with ingredients. “Don’t have kale? Use escarole or spinach or Swiss chard or whatever you can,” he suggests. “Want less lemon? OK! It took me three or four times making this soup to get the balance I like. Bring it to a friend.Take it to a grandparent.It’s an instant friendship soup.”
He also notes the nutritional value of kale,highlighting its abundance of vitamins A,B6,C,and K,as well as folate,fiber,and carotenoids.
Yield: Makes 3 quarts (2.8L)
Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 8 to 10
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (120ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound (450g) Italian sausages, casings removed
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 4 celery stalks, diced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 bunch lacinato (Tuscan) kale (10 ounces/285g), thick stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
- 2 (12.7-ounce/360g) jars Italian corona beans, undrained
- 1 (28-ounce/794g) can whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 quarts (1.9L) chicken stock, store-bought or homemade
- 1 tightly packed cup (75g) chopped Italian parsley
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves picked
- 1/2 teaspoon chile flakes
- grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
- 2 heaping tablespoons (25g) kosher salt
Directions:
- Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over high heat untill it shimmers. Add the Italian sausage and cook until almost browned.
- Stir in the garlic, carrots, celery, and onion and cook until fragrant
“Dad, What’s for dinner?” promises to be a valuable resource for families seeking to simplify mealtime and create lasting memories around the table. The cookbook is available for pre-order now and is slated for release in 2025.
