Feeding Me Softly

Colu Henry’s creamy white beans with herb oil.Credit…Linda Xiao for The New York Times

“I wish you liked soup,” I texted a friend last week. A stinging cold front had moved in, and I could think of nothing else to make us for dinner that night. His aversion to broth-based meals makes planning a cozy evening in a bit of a puzzle for me, a card-carrying soup lover — and flies in the face of his otherwise impeccable taste.

“Absolute waste of a wish,” he replied.

Very well, then. With soup off the table, I had to look inward. What did I want, really? I wanted something warm, easy to prepare and soothing. I wanted a big bowl of soft.

So a big bowl of soft we had: A puddle of Priya Krishna’s everyday dal bleeding into her coconut saag, a combination of dishes that answers the question, “What if you could eat a hug?”

Crunchy, crispy, crackly dishes may dominate the recipe attention economy, but they are decidedly not hugs. They are palm-numbing high-fives. Eric Kim’s recipe for pan-seared radicchio with soft cheese, however, is a loving embrace. “Soft” is right there in the name! It’s a delightful wintertime skillet snack for two, or you can make it a meal alongside Colu Henry’s creamy (read: soft!) white beans with herb oil and some squishy focaccia.

Creamy White Beans With Herb Oil

View this recipe.