The elegant preparation I introduce here, braised pork belly served in a “sandwich” with a tangy hoisin sauce, is a mouthwatering appetizer. But this dish is also fundamental to ramen noodle cooking. Sliced, it’s a classic topping for ramen noodles. And the braising liquid has many uses. You flavor ramen broth with it; simmer bamboo shoots in it, a classic garnish; and even cook hard-boiled eggs in this liquid, which are then sliced in half and added to a bowl of noodles. (See page 24 in the ramen section for an example.) This recipe takes a little bit of time but is very simple to execute—do not be afraid. In fact, when you’re cooking the pork or simmering it in the braising liquid, just set a kitchen timer and forget about it. You don’t have to watch it closely.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Serve a thick slice for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up.
This pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos.
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.
Reliable cabbage is cooked in the punchy sauce and then combined with store-bought baked tofu and roasted cashews for a salad that can also be eaten with rice.
This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.
This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.
A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.