What to Cook the Week of October 12 - 18: 10 Dinner Ideas from a Chef

Every Sunday I write one week of dinners: five Classic and five Plant-Based, chosen around what is actually good at the market that week. This is the plan for October 12 - 18, 2026. Take the ideas, cook the ones you want, or let SEASON hand you the whole week with the shopping list already done.

The Classic five

• 1
  Shrimp & Grits

  Cheddar Grits · Andouille · Scallion

  Creamy cheddar grits under shrimp and andouille in a garlicky, peppery pan sauce, finished with scallion and a squeeze of lemon

  Skillet, 35 Minutes · serves 4
• 2
  Strip Steak

  Horseradish Cream · Smashed Potatoes · Lemony Watercress

  New York strip seared hard in cast iron and basted with butter, with crispy smashed potatoes, peppery watercress and horseradish cream

  Cast Iron, 45 Minutes · serves 4
• 3
  Chicken Florentine

  Spinach · Lemon-Garlic Pan Sauce · Spaghetti

  Thin chicken cutlets seared golden, then sauced in the same pan with garlic, white wine, lemon, a splash of cream and wilted spinach, over spaghetti

  Skillet, 35 Minutes · serves 4
• 4
  Turkey Enchiladas Verdes

  Roasted Poblano · Tomatillo · Queso Fresco

  Corn tortillas rolled around shredded turkey and smothered in a charred tomatillo and poblano salsa verde, baked bubbling and finished with crema and queso fresco

  Broil + Bake, 55 Minutes · serves 4
• 5
  Char Siu Pork

  Bok Choy · Steamed Rice

  Strips of pork shoulder marinated overnight in hoisin, soy, honey and five-spice, slow-roasted until tender, lacquered and charred at the edges, sliced over rice with garlicky bok choy

  Slow-Roast + Glaze, 1 Hour 40 Minutes · serves 4

The Plant-Based five

Fully plant-based, every week, built to stand on its own rather than as a substitution.

• 1
  Tofu Katsu

  Tonkatsu Sauce · Shredded Cabbage · Rice

  Pressed tofu cutlets in a shatter-crisp panko crust, sliced over Japanese rice with a sweet-tangy tonkatsu sauce and a heap of finely shredded cabbage

  Shallow-Fry, 40 Minutes · serves 4
• 2
  Celery Root, Asian Pear & Farro

  Warm Farro · Pecan · Mustard-Tarragon

  Warm chewy farro tossed with crisp matchsticks of raw celery root and Asian pear, toasted pecans, parsley and a sharp mustard-tarragon dressing

  Stovetop + Assemble, 45 Minutes · serves 4
• 3
  Romesco Sheet Pan

  Cauliflower · Leek · Crispy Chickpea

  Cauliflower, leeks and chickpeas roasted on one pan until browned and crisp, served over a thick Spanish romesco of roasted red pepper, toasted almond, garlic and sherry vinegar, with crusty bread

  Sheet Pan, 45 Minutes · serves 4
• 4
  Al Pastor Tacos

  Achiote Jackfruit · Charred Pineapple · Fresh Corn Tortillas

  Shredded young jackfruit in a smoky red guajillo, achiote and pineapple marinade, seared until the edges char, piled on fresh homemade corn tortillas with charred pineapple, white onion and cilantro

  Skillet + Comal, 55 Minutes · serves 4
• 5
  Massaman Curry

  Potato · Peanut · Crispy Shallot

  A mild, warm-spiced Thai curry of potatoes and onion simmered in coconut milk with cinnamon, cardamom and tamarind, finished with roasted peanuts and crispy shallots, over jasmine rice

  Simmer, 50 Minutes · serves 4

See every SEASON weekly dinner plan → · More October dinner ideas →