The menu at Vietnamese restaurants in the United States often includes an inexpensive, homey rice plate with grilled pork chops flavored with Chinese five-spice powder, garlic, and onion. Unfortunately, I have often found the dish disappointing, with the rib chops dry and thin. Even with a knife and fork, the meat—typically broiled, rather than the advertised grilled—is hard to cut. After a number of dissatisfying rice plates, I decided to make the pork at home. To avoid dry meat, I opted for pork shoulder steaks. The slightly fatty, flavorful steaks turned out to be perfect for absorbing the bold marinade and remained moist after grilling. Sliced up before serving, the meat is easily managed with chopsticks, too, and I include a dipping sauce for extra flavor. Serve the pork with rice and a salad or a stir-fried or sautéed vegetable for a light meal. Add a soup such as Opo Squash Soup (page 60) and you have a traditional Vietnamese menu. Use any left overs for baguette sandwiches (page 34) or Mixed Rice (page 245).
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.