Chile-Crisp Shrimp and Green Beans Is as Good as It Sounds

Ali Slagle’s chile-crisp shrimp and green beans.Credit…David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

As soon as I returned from my trip to Asia, I immediately got sick, a nasty cold that lingered for days. Usually, I reach for chicken soup when I’m laid low. But this time, I needed chiles and plenty of them, anything shockingly spicy to help clear my woefully stuffed nose.

A jar of chile crisp was my salvation, and I smeared the red-flecked oil on everything from toast to eggs to — why, yes, even chicken soup, where a spoonful stirred into the broth gave my nasal passages just the right healing jolt.

I’m all better now, so I can let my hunger for chile crisp lead me to even more satisfying pursuits, like Ali Slagle’s chile-crisp shrimp and green beans. Inspired by the jarred condiment, Ali achieves the same texture and flavor from a combination of red pepper flakes, soy sauce, garlic and shallot, along with ground cumin and a cinnamon stick for an aromatic pop of flavor. Asparagus works in place of the green beans, an especially nice option if you live in a place where the local stalks are coming into season.

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Chile-Crisp Shrimp and Green Beans

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Speaking of speedy, pescatarian dinner options, have you made Lidey Heuck’s baked salmon yet? Her minimalist recipe calls for a mix of brown sugar, paprika and garlic (powdered or fresh) for seasoning the fillets. It bubbles into a sticky glaze to coat the salmon, the rich flesh absorbing all those sweet and heady flavors.