The title of this chapter is perhaps a little misleading because this isn’t a collection of basic vegetable recipes. In fact, there are plenty of recipes that include meat, poultry, fish, cheese, and eggs in quantities ranging from “here’s a little taste” to quite substantial. But in every case, it’s the vegetable(s)—and in some cases, fruit—that dominates.

In other words, these are, for the most part, what might be called “mains.” Some are quick stir-fries or otherwise come together in one skillet; some are braised on the stove or in the oven; and others are roasted, grilled, or broiled. But nowhere will you find meat, fish, chicken, or eggs at the center of the plate with a spoonful each of starch and vegetable.

In every case, you’ll need little else—some bread, cooked grains or beans, or a salad—to make these a light and satisfying meal. A lot of the recipes play with multiple and sometimes unexpected textures, using simple techniques to produce soft, tender, and crunchy sensations with the same ingredient. This brings new interest to many dishes.

The chapter begins with recipes and techniques for cooking basic vegetables, then builds to add more ingredients: first eggs and cheese, then fish and poultry, and finally beef, pork, and lamb.

Boiled or Steamed Vegetables, As You Like ’Em

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 10 to 30 minutes

When I say “as you like ’em,” I mean tender or crisp, whichever you want, whenever you want. Just parboiled (that is, dunked into boiling water or steamed) for a minute or two, still-crisp vegetables are perfect for salads or used as an ingredient in another dish, like a stir-fry. Crisp-tender vegetables offer little resistance when you bite into them but aren’t outright crunchy; they are delicious dressed simply in olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar and served immediately. Truly tender vegetables can be luxurious in a variety of circumstances, and even what we might consider overcooked vegetables are useful for purées, sauces, and spreads.

I recommend special treatment for thick-stemmed greens like chard, bok choy, kale, collards, and broccoli: Separate the stems (sometimes called “ribs”) from the leaves (or florets in the case of broccoli) and begin cooking the stems two or three minutes before you start cooking the leaves (or florets)—this way everything will become tender at about the same time. And another tip: Try bending or breaking whatever it is you’re planning to cook; the more pliable the pieces are, the more quickly they will become tender.

Salt

About 2 pounds virtually any vegetable (including greens), peeled, stemmed, seeded, and/or chopped as needed

Lemon juice, as you like

Olive oil or butter, as you like

Black pepper

Chopped fresh herbs or ground seasonings, optional

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it or fit a steaming basket into a large pot with water below. (If you don’t have a basket, use 2 ovenproof plates: put the first one facedown in the pot and the second faceup. Fill the pot with enough water to submerge the plate on the bottom; use the top plate to hold the vegetables.) If you want to “shock” the vegetables to capture doneness at a precise moment, fill a large bowl (or a clean sink) with ice water.

2. When the water boils, add the vegetable to the pot or steamer. Check tender greens in less than a minute; root vegetables (which are usually but not always best completely tender) will take 10 minutes or more. Everything else is somewhere in between. Every so often while the vegetables are cooking, use tongs to grab a piece out and test it. (With experience, you’ll do this less frequently.) Remember that unless you shock them in ice water, the vegetables will continue to cook after they’re off the heat.

3. When the vegetables are cooked as you like them, drain well. Serve, drizzled with lemon juice and oil, with more salt and pepper, herbs or seasonings, or whatever. Or plunge the drained vegetables immediately into the ice water, drain again, and keep to use later. (You can refrigerate cooked vegetables in a covered container for up to a few days or freeze them for up to a month.)

Sautéed Vegetables. You can boil or steam the vegetables first, then sauté them; or cook them, starting raw, directly in the oil. I often add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to the pan, which helps the vegetables cook faster and stay moist. Put a film of olive oil in a large skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. When it’s hot, add the vegetables, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally and checking for doneness as described in Step 2. (The only difference is that you’ll be fishing test pieces out of a skillet, not out of a pot of boiling water.) Precooked vegetables are ready as soon as they’re warmed; tender greens will take 5 to 10 minutes; and cubed root vegetables up to 30 minutes. When they’re ready, taste and adjust the seasoning (add fresh herbs or spices and lemon juice if you want), stir, and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Roasted Vegetables. Heat the oven to 425°F. Put the vegetables, alone or in combination (hearty greens work well here too), in a large roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet and toss them with at least 3 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and start roasting. Check tender vegetables in 10 minutes, sturdier ones in 15. Whenever you check, turn or stir as necessary to promote even cooking. Total time will be between 15 and 45 minutes, depending on the size and type of vegetable. When the vegetables are ready, taste and adjust the seasoning (add fresh herbs or spices and lemon juice if you want), toss, and serve hot or at room temperature.

Grilled or Broiled Vegetables. Sturdy greens like radicchio and romaine work here; just quarter or halve them, leaving the root ends intact. Prepare a grill or turn on the broiler; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire. Put the vegetables in a large bowl, toss them with at least 2 tablespoons olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. When the fire is hot, put them on the grill or in a pan under the broiler. Start checking tender vegetables in a minute or 2, sturdier vegetables in 10. Turn and move them around as necessary to promote even cooking. Total time will be between 5 and 20 minutes, depending on the size and type of vegetable. When the vegetables are ready, sprinkle with more salt and pepper, a squeeze of lemon, herbs, or spices.

Roasted Bell Peppers

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 20 to 60 minutes, depending on the method

An open flame delivers the best flavor and is the most efficient way to soften peppers and char their skins so they peel off easily, but roasting and broiling are also good methods. Roasted peppers dressed with oil keep well in the fridge for several days, so you may as well do up a big batch. But keep in mind that roasting intensifies the flavor and green peppers can be a little bitter. My favorite ways to eat these are in salads, omelets, and frittatas, or on thick slices of good bread, sometimes with an anchovy and/or capers. Try, too, a little garlic, balsamic vinegar, olives, Parmesan, goat cheese, toasted almonds, or virtually any fresh herb.

8 red, yellow, orange, or green bell peppers, rinsed but left whole

Salt

Olive oil as needed

1. Heat the oven to 450°F or prepare a grill or turn on the broiler; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire. To roast or broil, put the peppers in a foil-lined roasting pan, then cook, turning the peppers as each side browns, until they have darkened and collapsed. The process will take 15 or 20 minutes under the broiler or up to 1 hour in the oven. To grill, put the peppers directly over the heat. Grill, turning as each side blackens, until they collapse, about 15 minutes.

2. Wrap the cooked peppers in foil (if you roasted the peppers, use the same foil that lined the pan) and let them sit until cool enough to handle. Remove the skin, seeds, and stems; this process is sometimes easier under running water, though you also wash away some flavor. Don’t worry if the peppers fall apart. (If not using them within an hour or so, refrigerate them for up to several days.) Serve at room temperature, sprinkled with a little salt and a little (or a lot) of olive oil.

Roasted Bell Pepper Sauce. Best with red, orange, or yellow peppers. Put the peeled roasted bell peppers in a food processor or blender with a few drops of olive oil, stock, white wine, or water—just enough to get the machine working. Sprinkle with salt and pepper or add other ingredients (see the headnote) as you like.

Simplest Cooked Mushrooms

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 20 minutes

Mushrooms are absolutely indispensable for adding flavor and chew to everything from salads and pasta to grain and bean dishes. But let’s not forget how great they are on their own.

To clean mushrooms, first remove hard and dry spots with a knife (and stems, too, if they’re shiitakes), then rinse them quickly, removing all traces of dirt.

¼ cup olive oil

1 pound assorted mushrooms, sliced

Salt and black pepper

¼ cup dry white wine or water

1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon minced garlic, optional

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the mushrooms and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Add the wine, let it bubble away for a minute, and turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the garlic if you’re using it, stir, and cook for 1 minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with the parsley and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Cooked Mushrooms, Dry-Pan Style. Crisp and chewy, with intense flavor. Reduce the amount of oil to 2 tablespoons, and put it in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper and stir. Cover, turn the heat down to medium-low, and cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes; the mushrooms will have released a fair amount of liquid. Remove the lid, turn up the heat until the liquid bubbles steadily, and cook, undisturbed, until the liquid boils off, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic if you’re using it and continue to cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are dry, shrunken, and nearly crisp, about 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat and taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature, garnished with the parsley, or use in other dishes.

Cooked Fresh and Dried Mushrooms. Works well with both the main recipe and the variation. Put a handful of dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl and add hot water to cover. Soak until the mushrooms are tender, usually 10 to 15 minutes. Lift the mushrooms out of the soaking water with your fingers or a slotted spoon; reserve the liquid. Chop the porcini and add them to the pan with the fresh mushrooms. If you’re making the main recipe, consider using some of the soaking liquid in place of the wine for extra mushroom flavor (or save it for another use); when you pour it, be careful to leave any sediment in the bottom of the bowl.

Braised Broccoli or Cauliflower with Lemony Tahini Sauce

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Tahini—ground sesame seeds, a cousin of peanut butter—produces a sauce so rich it can turn vegetables into the centerpiece of any meal. In the main recipe everything cooks in one skillet, but for cauliflower that’s more hands-off (and well browned), try the variation. Remember to undersalt if you’re using olives as a garnish.

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large head (about 1½ pounds) broccoli or cauliflower, cut into large florets

½ onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

⅓ cup tahini

Salt and black pepper

½ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

¼ cup oil-cured black olives, pitted and chopped, for garnish, optional

1. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli florets and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown and get tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the florets with a slotted spoon or tongs.

2. Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan along with the onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until they soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon zest and juice, tahini, a good sprinkling of salt and pepper, and ½ cup water. Stir until a relatively smooth sauce forms and begins to bubble and thicken, 3 to 5 minutes. Return the broccoli to the pan, stir to coat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is fully tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature, garnished with the parsley and black olives if you’re using them.

Roasted Broccoli or Cauliflower with Lemony Tahini Sauce. Heat the oven to 400°F. Put the cauliflower or broccoli in a roasting pan, drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat another tablespoon oil in a medium skillet. Cook the onion and garlic and make the tahini sauce as described in Step 2. Drizzle the tahini sauce over the roasted cauliflower and garnish as described in the main recipe.

Fast Roasted Garlic

Makes: 3 heads

Time: About 25 minutes

Sweet and creamy roasted garlic is insanely useful. Super on bread, it’s also great as a replacement for raw or cooked garlic in soups, sauces, stir-fries, sandwiches, and vegetable purées. You can double or triple the quantity of oil and use the extra for pan-frying, sauces, and stir-fries. Just make sure to refrigerate both the garlic and the oil; they keep for a few days but not longer.

To make roasted garlic the traditional, whole-head way, put the ingredients in a small baking dish, cover with foil, and bake, undisturbed, until soft, at least 40 minutes.

3 whole garlic heads, unpeeled

3 tablespoons or more olive oil

Salt

1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Break the garlic heads into individual cloves but don’t peel them. Spread them out in a pan, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt. Bake, shaking the pan occasionally, until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. To use, squeeze the garlic from the skins or carefully remove the skins with a knife.

Fast Braised Garlic. Peel the garlic. Increase the olive oil to ½ cup and put it in a skillet large enough to hold the garlic in one layer over medium-low heat. When the oil is warm, add the garlic, sprinkle with salt, and adjust the heat so the garlic barely sizzles (low heat should do it). Cook, turning occasionally so the garlic browns evenly, until it gradually turns golden, then begins to brown. The garlic is done when perfectly tender; it should take about 15 to 20 minutes. Store as above.

Oven-Dried Tomatoes or Fruit

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 2 to 12 hours, largely unattended

Nothing is wrong with store-bought dried fruit and tomatoes, but fruit you dry yourself in a low oven is guaranteed to be fresh and tastes a whole lot better. Peaches, plums, nectarines, grapes, cherries, berries, apples, papayas, pineapple, and coconut work particularly well. And it’s almost impossible to mess this up—you can keep the oven going anywhere from 2 to 12 hours, and whatever went in will come out delicious.

Before doing this, make sure your oven is well calibrated. If that 225°F becomes 300°F due to oven error, the tomatoes or fruit will bake, not dry.

To prepare, remove any tough skins, seeds, and pits. Leave smaller fruits whole or halve them lengthwise; slice larger fruits.

3 pounds ripe Roma (plum) tomatoes, cored, cut in half lengthwise, and seeded; or fruit, prepared as described in the headnote

1. Heat the oven to 225°F. Set 2 wire racks on top of 2 (preferably rimmed) baking sheets. Put the tomatoes or fruit on the racks, cut side down. Put the pans in the oven and forget about them for 2 hours.

2. Turn the sheets around and check on the tomatoes or fruit. After 2 to 3 hours, the flesh will still be moist. The longer they stay in the oven, the drier and smaller they’ll get; the flavors will concentrate too.

3. Check them every couple of hours until you get the hang of the process; after a couple batches you’ll know how long it takes to get them as you like. (To store the finished tomatoes or fruit: If still soft and moist, wrap and refrigerate the pieces for several days or freeze for months. If they’re totally dry, dark, and leathery, you can store them in a jar in the pantry for up to several months.)

Oven-Dried Kale or Collards. Worth a special mention because it’s faster than drying tomatoes or fruit and makes an ideal side dish or snack. Heat the oven to 275°F. Clean, trim, and roughly chop 2 pounds kale. Toss the leaves with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Arrange the kale in a single layer on the wire racks and bake for 30 minutes. The kale will be crisp around the edges and slightly chewy in the middle. Serve immediately or cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Savory Tomato Crisp

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Time: About 1½ hours, largely unattended

Of course, great summer tomatoes are ideal here, but since baking intensifies their flavor and masks their flaws, they don’t need to be perfect, or even fully ripe. In fact, in the dead of winter, you can drain two 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes, season them with a little dried oregano or red chile flakes, and use them instead.

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing

3 pounds ripe tomatoes (8 to 10 medium), cored and cut into wedges

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Salt and black pepper

1 cup bread crumbs, preferably whole grain and homemade

1 cup rolled oats

½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 tablespoon minced garlic

½ cup grated Parmesan or crumbled feta or blue cheese

1 tablespoon melted butter

1. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square or round baking dish or a deep pie plate with oil; heat the oven to 375°F.

2. Put the tomato wedges in a large bowl and sprinkle with the cornstarch and some salt and pepper. Toss gently and let the mixture sit. In another bowl, combine the bread crumbs, oats, pecans, garlic, cheese, 3 tablespoons oil, and butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir until thoroughly mixed.

3. Toss the tomato mixture again and transfer it to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the bread crumb topping. Bake until the crisp is as dark as you like on top and bubbly underneath, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool to warm or room temperature before serving. To serve, scoop portions out with a large spoon.

Potato-Leek Gratin with Buttery Bread Crumbs

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1 hour

Cream works wonders in gratins, but so does this two-tiered technique, which renders leeks so tender and potatoes so fluffy, you’ll forget about the absent dairy. (And you can actually taste the vegetables.) The topping is a bonus but too good to resist, especially if you’ve got good bread to use for the crumbs.

1½ pounds waxy potatoes, thinly sliced

1 pound leeks, trimmed, rinsed well, and thinly sliced

¼ cup olive oil

Salt and black pepper

4 sprigs fresh thyme, or several pinches dried

1 cup bread crumbs, preferably whole grain and homemade

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Put the potatoes and leeks in a large (9 × 13 or 3-quart) baking dish and toss them well with the oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and nestle the thyme sprigs among them (or sprinkle with dried thyme). Cover the baking dish with foil and bake until the vegetables are just tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, uncover, and raise the oven temperature to 425°F. (You can make the gratin ahead to this point. Leave covered and refrigerate for up to a day; bring to room temperature before proceeding.)

2. Toss the bread crumbs with the melted butter, sprinkle them over the vegetables, press down a bit, and return the pan to the oven. Bake until the bread crumbs and vegetables are nicely browned, 15 to 20 minutes more. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Garlicky Chard with Olives and Pine Nuts

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 40 minutes

Olives play a starring role in this dish, so quality really matters. Buy bulk olives if at all possible and see if you can find the glossy, deep black, shriveled oil-cured ones (taste one to make sure they’re good). You can use spinach, kale, cabbage, or even bok choy instead of the chard and, for extra richness, crumble a little feta cheese on top right before serving.

1½ pounds chard

¼ cup pine nuts

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 garlic cloves, sliced, or to taste

⅓ cup good-quality black or green olives, pitted and chopped

½ cup red wine or water

Salt and black pepper

1. Cut the leaves from the stems of the chard. Cut the leaves into wide ribbons and slice the stems (on the diagonal if you like); keep the leaves and stems separate.

2. Put the pine nuts in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Toast the nuts, shaking the pan and stirring often, until just starting to turn golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the nuts from the pan. Put the oil in the skillet and heat for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, golden, and fragrant, about 10 minutes.

3. Turn the heat to medium and stir in the chard stems and olives. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the stems soften a bit, just a minute or 2. Add the chard leaves, wine, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until the chard leaves are wilted and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in the pine nuts and taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Garlicky Chard with Anchovies and Almonds. Substitute slivered almonds for the pine nuts and 4 or 5 (or more) lightly mashed anchovies for the olives.

Stir-Fried Bok Choy and Daikon with Crisp Tofu

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

This has everything you want in a stir-fry: delicious bok choy, with its wonderfully creamy stems; sharp daikon radish; crusty pan-fried tofu; and a load of spice.

Tempeh, the nutty fermented soybean cake, also goes beautifully with bok choy. If you want to use it in place of the tofu, crumble it into the hot oil and stir until it’s crisp, 5 to 7 minutes.

1 head bok choy (about 1½ pounds)

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 block firm tofu (about 1 pound), cut into ¼-inch slices and patted dry

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 or 2 fresh hot chiles (like jalapeño or Thai), seeded and minced

8 ounces daikon radish, cut into ¼-inch coins

2 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste

Black pepper

1. Cut the leaves from the stems of the bok choy. Trim the stems as necessary, then cut them into 1-inch pieces. Cut the leaves into wide ribbons and keep them separate from the stems.

2. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, slide in the tofu, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan. Cook until the bottoms are crisp and golden, 3 to 5 minutes; carefully flip and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes on the other side. When the tofu slices are done, transfer them to paper towels to drain.

3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan and raise the heat to medium-high. When it’s hot, add the onion, garlic, ginger, and chile and cook, stirring, for just 1 minute. Add the bok choy stems and daikon and cook, stirring occasionally, until they just lose their crunch, about 3 minutes.

4. Add the bok choy leaves and about ½ cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates and the stems and radish are fully tender, 5 to 10 minutes; add a little more water if necessary. Return the tofu to the pan, stir in the soy sauce, and sprinkle with black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Stir-Fried Celery and Daikon with Chicken. Same drill, totally different ingredients. You could use any meat or seafood here, really. Use 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs instead of the tofu; cut it into chunks or slices of about the same size. Substitute 1 head celery for the bok choy. Cut it on the diagonal into chunks and add it when you would the bok choy stems.

Japanese-Spiced Roasted Beets

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1 hour, partially unattended

A peppery, smoky blend of spices and seeds tossed with roasted beets produces a sublimely earthy combo—the honey-glazed variation adds sweetness to the mix—that works equally well with parsnips, turnips, potatoes, and winter squash. You’ll have extra spice mixture; refrigerate it for up to a week and use it to season rice, noodles, soups, salads, and other vegetables.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the pan

2 pounds beets (about 4 large), peeled and cut into wedges

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon Sichuan or black peppercorns

2 teaspoons white sesame seeds

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 tablespoon chili powder

½ teaspoon poppy seeds

Salt

½ cup sliced scallions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Smear a large roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet with a little of the oil. Put the beets in the pan, drizzle with the 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and the sesame oil, and toss to coat.

2. Roast, undisturbed, for 20 minutes before checking. If the beets release easily from the pan, stir them up a bit or turn the pieces over with tongs. If they look dry and are sticking, drizzle with a little more oil and toss. Continue roasting, turning every 10 minutes or so, until crisp on the outside and just tender inside, another 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, put the peppercorns and white sesame seeds in a spice or coffee grinder and pulverize to a coarse powder. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the orange zest, chili powder, and poppy seeds. When the beets are done—a skewer or sharp knife inserted into one will meet almost no resistance—toss them with the spice mixture, a sprinkling of salt, and the scallions. Return to the oven for a minute or 2, just long enough to toast the spices. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Japanese-Spiced Beets with Honeyed Walnuts. While the beets are roasting, mix ⅓ cup chopped walnuts with 2 tablespoons honey in a medium bowl. Add the honeyed walnuts to the beets along with the spice mixture and scallions in Step 3.

Peach and Mango Curry

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Fruit in a savory stew is nothing new (especially since tomatoes are a fruit), and believe me, it’s impossible to resist a dish that tastes this spicy, fresh, and bright—and comes together so fast. Use whatever fruit you’ve got, especially if it’s over- or underripe. Serve this colorful curry over rice or on Brown Rice Scallion Pancakes (page 520).

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons minced ginger

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons curry powder

3 peaches, peeled if you like, pitted, and chopped

1 mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped

4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped

½ cup coconut milk

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Chopped pistachios, for garnish, optional

1. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the onion and ginger and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds or so.

2. Stir in the fruit (including the tomatoes) and coconut milk and raise the heat so the mixture bubbles a bit. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is soft and the mixture thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, garnish with the cilantro and nuts if you’re using them, and serve.

Peach and Mango Curry with Chicken. In Step 1, before you add the vegetables to the skillet, sear about 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs in the oil over medium-high heat. Turn and rotate as needed until the pieces are nicely browned and almost cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan and proceed with the recipe. After adding the fruit in Step 2, return the chicken to the pan to finish cooking. Fish it out and taste the fruit and adjust the seasoning. Slice the chicken on the diagonal and serve alongside the curry.

Spinach-Tofu Burgers

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 40 minutes

Puréeing half of the tofu and leaving the other half crumbly helps these burgers hold together and gives them a nice contrast of textures. The Asian flavors are expected, but other directions are equally good; see the sidebar about flavoring vegetables on page 416 for some tips.

1 pound spinach (frozen is fine)

2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 garlic cloves

1 block firm tofu (about 1 pound), patted dry

½ cup bread crumbs, preferably whole grain and homemade, or panko

¼ cup sesame seeds

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or more as needed

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it; fill a large bowl with ice water. Add the spinach to the pot, stir, and let cook for no more than a minute, then drain and plunge it into the ice water. (If you’re using frozen spinach, just let it thaw before proceeding.) When the spinach is cold, drain it again, use your hands to squeeze out as much water as you can, and chop it finely by hand or in a food processor. Transfer the spinach to a large bowl.

2. Put the scallions and garlic in a food processor and pulse a few times until minced. Transfer them to the bowl, then crumble half the tofu into the bowl with your hands. Put the remaining tofu into the food processor and let it run until the tofu is smooth. Add it to the bowl along with the bread crumbs, sesame seeds, soy sauce, sesame oil, and a sprinkling of salt and lots of pepper.

3. Combine the mixture until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed, then form into 4 patties. (You can prepare the patties up to a day ahead. Cover them tightly and refrigerate; bring them to room temperature before proceeding.)

4. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, slide the patties into the skillet with a spatula. Cook, undisturbed, until they are nicely browned and easy to move, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip the patties and cook on the second side for 3 to 4 minutes more. Serve on buns or over rice.

Spinach-Tofu-Fish Burgers. Replace half of the tofu with boneless white fish fillets (see page 22). Roughly chop half of the fish and crumble half of the tofu and put them in the bowl. Then proceed as in the main recipe, processing the other half of the tofu and fish with the remaining ingredients in Step 2 until they are smooth.

More-Vegetable Less-Egg Frittata

Makes: 2 to 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Frittata is one of those rare any-time-of-day dishes. You can eat it when you make it, or at room temperature, or even cold, straight from the refrigerator. The revelation here is that one egg easily binds two cups of cooked vegetables, and they’re all good: chopped spinach or chard, chopped fresh or dried tomatoes, potato or sweet potato slices, asparagus cut into 1-inch segments, roughly chopped broccoli rabe, cooked mushrooms, zucchini slices, or cubed, chopped, or grated winter squash, grated carrots or parsnips, or chopped eggplant.

If you’re starting with raw vegetables, use the main recipe; for already cooked vegetables, go to the variation. For more heft and deeper flavor, substitute a half cup or so cooked beans or grains for some of the vegetables, or add cooked crumbled sausage, bacon, ham, or even shrimp just before adding the eggs.

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ onion or 1 large shallot, halved and sliced

Salt and black pepper

6 cups any sliced, chopped, or grated raw vegetables (see the headnote)

¼ cup chopped fresh basil, cilantro, or chives, or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, tarragon or mint, optional

2 or 3 eggs

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion and cook, sprinkling with salt and pepper, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the vegetables, raise the heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften, anywhere from a couple of minutes for greens to 15 to 20 minutes for sliced potatoes or winter squash. Adjust the heat so the vegetables brown a little without scorching, adding a few drops of water to the pan if they start to stick.

2. When the vegetables are nearly done, turn the heat to low and add the herb. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pan is almost dry, up to another 5 minutes for wetter ingredients like tomatoes or mushrooms.

3. Meanwhile, beat the eggs with some salt and pepper, along with the cheese if you’re using it. Pour the eggs over the vegetables and tilt the pan or use a spoon to distribute them evenly. Cook, undisturbed, until the eggs are barely set, 10 minutes or longer. (You can set them further by putting the pan in a 350°F oven for a few minutes or running it under the broiler for a minute or 2.) Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

More-Vegetable Less-Egg Frittata, Starting with Cooked Vegetables. A perfect use for leftovers, especially grilled or roasted vegetables. In Step 1, after cooking the onion, stir in about 4 cups cooked vegetables (chopped or sliced as you like). Stir and cook just a minute or 2 to warm them up, then proceed with the recipe.

Better Poached Eggs. Soupy—in a really good way—and works the same for either the main recipe or the variation. In Step 2, instead of cooking the vegetables until dry, when they’re still moist and on the raw side, add 2 cups (or more) vegetable stock or water. Bring to a gentle boil and carefully crack the eggs into the bubbling mixture. Cook, uncovered, until the eggs are set and done as you like them, anywhere from 3 to 7 minutes. Scoop the eggs, the vegetables, and some of the cooking liquid into bowls and serve.

Scrambled Tomatoes and Herbs

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 20 minutes

In general, when you’re trying to adjust the ratio of vegetables to eggs, the trick is to choose ingredients that replace the volume of eggs without obscuring the eggs’ flavor and texture. Tomatoes do just that by virtually melting into the curds with sweetness and acidity that balance the richness of eggs perfectly.

From the main recipe there are several ways to go, starting with the soy-and-scallion variation. Or start by frying a little chopped bacon or a sausage in the pan before adding the shallots, or adding some chopped shrimp or lump crab meat along with the eggs.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 shallots or 1 small red onion, chopped

8 ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges

Salt and black pepper

2 eggs, beaten

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, basil, mint, cilantro, or dill, or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon

1. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and continue to cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are soft and their liquid has evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the eggs. Cook and stir for a minute or so, then turn the heat down very low (or off entirely) and stir occasionally until the mixture forms soft curds, no more than 5 minutes. Stir in the herb and taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve.

Scrambled Tomatoes, Scallions, and Soy. Substitute 1 tablespoon sesame oil and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for the olive oil. Use ½ cup sliced scallions in place of the shallots, and stir in 2 tablespoons soy sauce instead of the herb. Garnish with more sliced scallions.

Reverse Fondue

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1 hour

When it comes to fondue, you can not only mess with the type of cheese—Gruyère or Emmental are traditional, though good aged cheddar or Gorgonzola are fine as well—but also the quantity. Here, I literally turn the concept upside down, creating a fondue-like cheese sauce to grace bread and vegetables. It’s much less fussy too.

It’s okay if all the vegetables don’t roast to exactly the same stage of doneness; that’s what gives this dish a nice variety of textures.

1 large head broccoli or cauliflower, cut into florets

2 large carrots, cut into chunks

1 large turnip or small celery root, cut into wedges

1 large onion, sliced into thick rings

Salt and black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 thick slices bread, preferably whole grain, cut into large cubes

1 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon cornstarch

8 ounces any cheese (see the headnote)

1. Heat the oven to 450°F. Put the vegetables on a large rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with the oil, and toss until well coated. Put the bread on a separate baking sheet. Roast both the bread and the vegetables, shaking the pans once or twice, until everything begins to brown, 15 to 25 minutes. Keep an eye on the bread; it may finish toasting before the vegetables are done. You want the vegetables mostly crisp-tender and the bread still a little soft inside.

2. Meanwhile, put the wine and cornstarch in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a slow bubble. Gradually stir in the cheese and cook, stirring almost constantly, until it melts and the sauce becomes creamy, about 5 minutes; adjust the heat so the mixture does not boil.

3. Put the vegetables and bread on a serving platter or in individual bowls, drizzle with the fondue, and serve immediately.

Charred Stuffed Poblanos

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Most often poblanos are roasted and peeled before further cooking—a nice technique that is a real pain. But as long as you remove the seeds and cook the peppers thoroughly, as you will here, you get skin that’s easy enough to remove at the table. (Some people like its charred flavor; others find it a little bitter.) The stuffing is crunchy, sweet, and creamy, a nice counterpoint to the slightly spicy poblanos.

8 poblano chiles

½ cup chopped pumpkin seeds, almonds, or walnuts

½ cup chopped scallions

½ cup raisins

½ cup crumbled queso fresco

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for cooking

Lime wedges, for serving

1. Prepare a grill or turn on the broiler; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire. Cut a slit down the length of each poblano, large enough to be able to stuff the peppers without tearing them apart. Remove as many of the seeds as you can, leaving the stems intact.

2. Put the chopped pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring or tossing frequently, until they are lightly browned and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the scallions, raisins, queso fresco, cilantro, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Add the 2 tablespoons oil and stir again.

3. Carefully stuff the nut mixture into the poblanos; there should be a little more than ¼ cup filling for each one. Brush each poblano with a little more oil and grill or broil, turning as needed to cook them evenly, until they are soft and charred on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes total. Serve hot or at room temperature with the lime wedges.

Charred Poblanos Stuffed with Fish. Substitute ½ cup cooked salmon, sturdy white fish, mackerel, or cooked or canned tuna for the queso fresco (see page 22). Gently flake the fish as you mix it with the rest of the stuffing ingredients in Step 2.

Parmesan-Breaded Squash

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 1 hour, partially unattended

Breading and baking robust vegetables like winter squash (or celery root, eggplant, or anything else that can take this treatment) makes a kind of vegetarian “schnitzel”—not as meaty, of course, but just as satisfying. The bread crumbs need to be finely ground, so if you don’t have a blender that pulverizes them that well, use store-bought instead. For a complete main course, top the slices with All-Purpose Tomato Sauce (page 194), which you can prepare while the squash rests, or serve them on a bed of quickly cooked garlicky broccoli rabe, chard, or other greens.

½ cup whole wheat flour

2 eggs

3 tablespoons milk or water

Salt and black pepper

1½ cups bread crumbs, preferably whole grain and homemade

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 pounds any winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch thick slices

6 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Set out the flour in a shallow bowl or on a plate on your counter. Beat the eggs with the milk in another shallow bowl and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and more salt and pepper in a third shallow bowl or on a plate. Have a stack of parchment or wax paper ready.

2. Dredge the squash slices, one at a time, in the flour, then dip in the egg mixture, then dredge in the bread crumb mixture. Stack the breaded cutlets between layers of wax paper and then chill the stack in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes and up to 3 hours.

3. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat; the oil is ready when a pinch of flour sizzles in it, about 350°F. Add a few of the squash slices and cook until they’re browned. Turn and cook the other side. The total cooking time should be about 10 minutes. As each piece is done, transfer it first to paper towels to drain briefly. Put half the oil in a roasting pan or on a baking sheet and arrange the squash slices in one layer on top. Drizzle on the remaining 3 tablespoons oil and bake, turning halfway through, until the squash is tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve, garnished with the parsley and with lemon wedges on the side.

Nut-Breaded Squash. Easy with a food processor. Substitute finely chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds for the Parmesan.

Steamed Artichokes with Portobello “Pesto”

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1½ hours, largely unattended

Artichokes seem to have been built to hold stuff among their leaves, and this stuffing turns them into a main dish or excellent appetizer for sharing. Without the stuffing, this is your go-to recipe for preparing and steaming ’chokes. The portobello pesto is also terrific on its own, tossed with pasta, spread on toast, or used as a dip.

1 pound portobello mushrooms, cut into chunks

6 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed

Salt and black pepper

Juice of 1 lemon

4 large artichokes

1 packed cup fresh basil

1 garlic clove, or to taste

2 tablespoons pine nuts or chopped walnuts

¼ cup grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, or other hard cheese, optional

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Toss the mushrooms with 2 tablespoons of the oil in a roasting pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and almost dry, 20 to 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, fill a bowl with ice water and squeeze the lemon juice into it. Cut off the artichoke stems to create a flat surface on the bottom. Remove the toughest exterior leaves and trim the remaining leaves by about ½ inch. Open up the leaves as much as possible and dig out the spiny choke and its sharp leaves with a spoon. After you trim each artichoke, put it in the bowl to keep it from discoloring.

3. Put the mushrooms in a food processor. Add the basil, garlic, nuts, Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons oil and pulse several times to purée. Drizzle in another 2 tablespoons oil gradually while the machine is running. (You may need to add more oil to get a smooth, fairly thick paste.) Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. (At this point, you can refrigerate the pesto in a covered container for up to a day.) Fill the artichoke cavities and the spaces between the leaves with the mushroom pesto.

4. Rig a steamer (see page 414) and put the artichokes in it, stem side down. Cover and cook for 20 to 40 minutes. (When an outer leaf pulls away easily and its meat is tender, they’re done.) Serve hot or at room temperature.

Grilled Artichokes with Portobello “Pesto.” This method of cooking artichokes intensifies their flavor and adds a pleasant smoky contrast. Prepare a grill to medium-high heat and put the rack about 4 inches from the fire. Follow the recipe through Step 3. After trimming the artichokes in Step 2, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Boil the artichokes for 15 minutes, then remove them to cool and dry for a few minutes (or up to several hours) before stuffing with the mushroom pesto. Brush the artichokes lightly with some more olive oil and grill or broil, rotating once or twice, until tender, deeply colored, and charred in some spots, 10 to 15 minutes total.

Mexican-Style Fruit Salad with Grilled or Broiled Fish

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Another recipe that doubles as a general guideline, since you can change the choice of fruit and fish at will. Some suggestions: peaches, plums, pineapple, mango, papaya, grapes, strawberries, or a combination of citrus. For the fish, first check out the sidebar on page 441. You can use thin or thick fish fillets (though thin fillets are too delicate to grill), steaks, or even shrimp, scallops, or squid.

1½ pounds assorted fruit, peeled and pitted as necessary, and chopped

1 or 2 small hot chiles (like jalapeño or serrano), minced

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, mint, or basil, or a combination

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling

12 ounces fish fillets or steaks (see page 22), cut into 4 equal pieces

Lemon or lime wedges, for serving

1. Prepare a grill or turn on the broiler; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire. Toss the chopped fruit with the chile, herb, and a little salt and pepper; refrigerate if you want the fruit salad cold.

2. Use 2 tablespoons oil to brush the broiler pan or grill grates and the fish. Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper and grill or broil, turning once if the pieces are thick and not at all if they are thin, until just done. Thin fish fillets will take less than 5 minutes, while thick fillets or steaks will take 8 to 10 minutes. When you can pass a thin-bladed knife through the fish with little resistance, it’s done. (If you want the fish less well done, adjust accordingly.)

3. Put the fruit on a serving platter or individual plates, top with the fish and a drizzle of oil, and serve with the lemon or lime wedges.

Pan-Cooked Vegetables with Crunchy Fish

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Grated potatoes, winter squash, and root vegetables cook in 10 minutes, so even if you don’t have a food processor and must grate by hand you still save time. Here the vegetables are heavily spiced with ginger (and/or garlic) and curry powder and then topped with crunchy fish. The list that follows gives some direction for using different types of seafood in this recipe.

4 tablespoons vegetable oil, or more as needed

1 small red onion or 4 scallions, chopped

About 2 pounds winter squash, sweet potatoes, daikon radishes, turnips, carrots, parsnips, or celery root, peeled and grated

1 tablespoon minced ginger and/or garlic

1 tablespoon curry powder, or to taste

Salt and black pepper

¼ cup cornmeal (fine or medium grind)

¼ cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour

About 12 ounces sturdy white fish fillets (see page 22), cut into 4 pieces

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Lemon, lime, or orange wedges, for serving, optional

1. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add half the onion and the vegetables. Add the ginger and/or garlic and the curry powder and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring and adding a little more oil if the mixture is sticking, until the onion has caramelized and the vegetables are lightly browned, about 10 minutes; the vegetables need not be fully tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Transfer to a large serving platter (or divide among individual plates).

2. While the vegetables are cooking, combine the cornmeal and flour on a plate along with some salt and pepper. Dredge the fish in the cornmeal mixture, pressing to make some of it stick, then shake to remove the excess.

3. Return the skillet to high heat; don’t bother to wipe it out. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. When it’s hot, add the fish to the pan and cook, turning only once, until nicely browned on both sides and cooked through—a thin-bladed knife will meet little or no resistance when the fish is done. Put the fish on top of the vegetables; garnish with the remaining onion and the herb. Serve with citrus wedges if you like.

Pan-Cooked Grated Vegetables with Sesame Fish. Instead of the cornmeal-flour mixture, use ½ cup sesame seeds to dredge the fish, pressing to make them stick to the sides. Proceed with the recipe, garnishing with cilantro and lime wedges.

Crab Cakes, My (New) Way

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 minutes

I’ve made crab cakes out of nearly 100 percent crab for most of my life, and I love them that way. But this alternative, which uses mild and creamy celery root as a not-so-secret ingredient, is really amazing. If you don’t have time to make the tartar sauce–like mustard relish here, just serve them with cucumber or pickle spears or thick tomato slices.

8 ounces fresh lump crab meat (see page 22), picked over for cartilage and shell

1 small celery root (8 to 12 ounces), peeled and grated

1 egg

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons bread crumbs, preferably whole grain and homemade, or more as needed

2 tablespoons mayonnaise (for homemade, see page 188)

⅓ cup Dijon mustard

1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

½ cup chopped scallions

About 1 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons curry powder, optional

¼ cup vegetable oil

Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Mix together the crab meat, celery root, egg, and some salt and pepper. Add enough bread crumbs to bind the mixture just enough to form into cakes that don’t crack too easily; start with 2 tablespoons and use more if you need it.

2. If you have time, refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours; it will be easier to shape. Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, cucumber, bell pepper, and scallions in a small bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir until well mixed; refrigerate the sauce until you’re ready to eat.

3. Season the flour with salt and pepper, and stir in the curry powder if you’re using it. Heat a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the oil and heat until it shimmers. Shape the crab meat mixture into 1-inch-thick cakes, dredge each in the flour, and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary and turning once (very gently), until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. (Work in batches if you’re making small cakes; you don’t want to crowd the pan.) Serve with lemon wedges and the mustard relish.

Not-So-Classic Seafood Pan Roast

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 45 minutes

You don’t need all that much seafood to capture the briny flavor of summertime at the shore, as long as it’s good. Use a combination of your favorites and what looks best, though I must say that the juices of clams and mussels truly lend the taste of the ocean to this dish. For special occasions, roast a couple of small split lobsters over the vegetables (they’ll take a little longer to cook).

1 pound small red or white potatoes, halved

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and black pepper

1 large fennel bulb or several celery stalks, cut into chunks

4 carrots, cut into chunks

4 ears fresh corn, shucked and cut into 2-inch pieces

¼ cup chopped fresh dill, or 1 tablespoon dill seeds

Pinch of cayenne

1 tablespoon mustard seeds, lightly crushed, or 1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 cup chicken or fish stock (for homemade, see pages 138 to 140), white wine, or water

About 1 pound clams, mussels, squid, shrimp, scallops, or a combination (see page 22)

Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Put the potatoes in a large roasting pan, toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil, sprinkle with (not too much) salt and (plenty of) pepper, and spread them out a bit, placing them cut side down. Roast until they begin to brown but are not yet tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Add the fennel and carrots to the pan, drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper. Toss the vegetables with the potatoes and roast for another 10 minutes. Add the corn, dill, cayenne, mustard, and stock to the pan. Stir to combine and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Spread the seafood on top of the vegetables. Roast until the potatoes and carrots are tender and all of the seafood has opened or is cooked through and is opaque, 10 to 15 minutes.

3. To serve, put the vegetables and seafood onto a big platter or divide among individual bowls. Spoon any liquid that remains in the pan over the top and sprinkle with a little salt if you like. Serve with lemon wedges.

Peruvian-Style Causa Filled with Herbs and Smoked Fish

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 1½ hours, largely unattended

Causa is one of Peru’s best-loved dishes, in which layers of mashed potatoes are alternated with a seafood salad, often tuna based. This version includes fresh herbs and smoked fish and is popped into a muffin tin to be baked, resulting in warm, crusty mini-casseroles. All you need on the side is a big salad or some lightly dressed steamed vegetables.

You can even make little causas for hors d’oeuvres—just use mini-muffin tins. Either layer the potatoes and fish into bite-size cakes (which requires some patience) or take the lazy route and combine all the ingredients together and spoon them into the muffin cups.

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing and brushing

2 pounds baking potatoes, like russet

Salt

8 ounces smoked salmon, trout, or whitefish flaked into pieces

¼ cup chopped fresh dill

¼ cup chopped fresh chives

½ cup milk

Salt and black pepper

Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Generously grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Put the potatoes on a baking sheet and roast, turning once halfway through, until the potatoes are tender (a skewer or sharp knife will pierce one fairly easily), anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes. Let the potatoes cool a bit, then peel them. (You can make the dish ahead to this point; just wait to peel the potatoes before proceeding.)

2. Meanwhile, combine the fish and herbs in a small bowl with a fork.

3. Run the potatoes through a potato ricer or food mill over a large bowl, or smash them with a fork or potato masher in a bowl. Add the milk, 2 tablespoons oil, and lots of salt and pepper and stir until smooth.

4. Divide about two-thirds of the potato mixture among the muffin cups. Press down and use a small spoon to make a well in each. Fill each well with some of the fish mixture and use the remaining potato mixture to enclose the filling. Brush the tops with some oil, sprinkle with a little more salt, and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. (You can also cover the muffin tin and refrigerate it for up to several hours before baking.) Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature with lemon wedges.

Roasted Okra and Shrimp with Tomato Chutney

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 40 minutes

Here is gumbo, deconstructed: okra, shrimp, and tomato, with some surprises thrown in, including filé, a seasoning made from sassafras. If you don’t have (or don’t like) okra, use whole green beans or zucchini sticks instead. This is good with long-grain brown rice or roasted potato wedges; cook the potatoes on a separate pan in the oven along with the okra.

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 small red onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Salt and black pepper

Pinch of cayenne

2 teaspoons filé powder or cumin

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; include their juice)

1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey

1½ pounds okra

8 ounces shrimp, peeled (see page 22)

½ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Put 3 tablespoons of the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the onion, pepper, celery, and garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cayenne, filé, and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not burning, just a minute or 2. Stir in the tomatoes and sugar and bring to a boil. Lower the heat so the mixture bubbles gently and cook, stirring occasionally, until it thickens, 15 to 20 minutes. (You can make the chutney up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate; bring to room temperature before proceeding.)

2. Meanwhile, put the okra in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with lots of salt and pepper. Toss until well coated. Roast, stirring once or twice, until browned and crisp on the outside but not mushy, 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Stir the shrimp into the okra and continue roasting until they’re opaque inside but not dried out, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with the parsley and serve, hot or warm, with the tomato chutney.

Minted Peas and Lettuce with Mackerel or Sardines

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Romaine lettuce turns a quick pea sauce silky and sweet; grill it (see the variation), and it becomes a smoky and tender base for fish and sauce. Either way, it’s the perfect match for oily mackerel or sardines, both among the most sustainable finfish. For more assertive flavor, try radicchio, escarole, or endive instead of the romaine. Serve this with plain rice or lots of bread to soak up the juices.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Salt and black pepper

1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; include their juice)

½ cup white wine or water

3 cups fresh or frozen peas

1 large head romaine lettuce, cored and shredded

1 medium mackerel fillet or 6 to 8 cleaned sardines (see page 22), about 12 ounces total

½ cup chopped fresh mint, for garnish

1. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. A minute later, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, turn the heat to high, and add the tomatoes and wine.

2. When the liquid comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, and stir in the peas and lettuce. Top the vegetables with the fish, cover, and cook until the fish is done (a thin knife will pierce the thickest part of the fish with little resistance), 5 to 10 minutes for sardines, 10 to 15 minutes for mackerel. Serve hot, garnished with the mint.

Minted Peas and Mackerel over Grilled or Broiled Romaine. Prepare a grill or turn on the broiler; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire. Instead of shredding the lettuce and cooking it with the peas, trim the end of the romaine but leave the core intact; cut it into quarters. Brush the lettuce with 1 tablespoon olive oil. While the fish is cooking, put the romaine on the grill or on a broiler pan, cut sides toward the heat source. Grill or broil, turning once, until it softens a bit and begins to char, 3 to 5 minutes total. Transfer the wedges to plates, top with the peas and mackerel, garnish with mint, and serve.

Stir-Fried Fennel and Pink Grapefruit with Shrimp

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

I love grapefruit and fennel; I love grapefruit and shrimp; I love shrimp and fennel. So here you go—a fast, juicy, ultra-flavorful dish that is as good cold as hot.

If you know how to cut grapefruit into “supremes”—where the segments are sliced free of the thick membranes that divide them—go for it. But peeling the grapefruit (removing as much of the bitter white pith as possible), separating it into regular segments, and roughly chopping it is just fine. If grapefruit is too bitter for you, substitute oranges for some or all of it. Serve this dish over rice or other grains.

3 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil

1 bunch scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 fresh hot chile (like jalapeño or Thai), minced

2 large fennel bulbs, cored and thinly sliced

2 grapefruit, peeled, segmented, and chopped (see the headnote)

8 ounces shrimp, peeled (see page 22)

1 tablespoon soy sauce, or to taste

¼ cup chopped fresh mint, cilantro, or a combination

Salt and black pepper

1. Put the oil in a large skillet over high heat. When it’s hot, add the scallions, garlic, ginger, and chile and cook, stirring, for a minute or 2. Stir in the fennel and cook for another minute or 2. Add the grapefruit segments along with the shrimp and soy sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are uniformly pink, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Turn off the heat and stir in the herb. Taste and sprinkle with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve hot or at room temperature, or chill for up to several hours and serve cold.

Pan-Fried Celery Root and Fish with Mustard Seeds

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 1¼ hours

Fish fries are not forbidden fruit, but they benefit from a little reinvention. Here, celery root is breaded and pan-fried along with the fish (trout is classic, but use what you like), and the drizzle beats tartar sauce by a mile.

1½ pounds celery root

Two 6-ounce trout or other sturdy white fish fillets (see page 22)

2 cups cornmeal (fine or medium grind)

½ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

Salt and black pepper

¾ cup buttermilk or yogurt

Vegetable oil, for frying

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

1 cup white wine

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat the oven to 200°F. Cut the celery root into sticks about 3 inches long and ½ inch wide; cut the fish into strips of about the same size. Combine the cornmeal, cayenne, and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper in a shallow bowl or plate. Put the buttermilk in another big bowl set out next to the cornmeal mixture. Have a baking sheet and a stack of parchment or wax paper ready.

2. Put the celery root in the buttermilk and toss to coat, then dredge each piece in the cornmeal mixture, stacking them on the baking sheet between layers of wax paper as you finish. Dip the fish pieces first in the buttermilk, then in the cornmeal mixture, and layer them on the baking sheet, again separated by wax paper. Chill the stacks in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes and up to 3 hours.

3. Put about ½ inch vegetable oil in a deep pan on the stove and turn the heat to medium-high; the oil is ready when a pinch of cornmeal sizzles in it. Put in a few of the celery root slices; cook in batches to avoid crowding the pan and add more oil as necessary. Turn the celery root slices as soon as they’re browned, then cook the other side. The total cooking time should be between 5 and 10 minutes. As each piece is done, transfer it first to paper towels to drain briefly, then to the oven. Cook the fish strips in the same way (they will need a few minutes less to cook) and transfer them to the oven.

4. Put the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion softens and browns a bit, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the mustard seeds and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine, bring to a boil, and let bubble until reduced and slightly thickened, just a couple minutes more. Stir in the parsley and taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the fish and celery root together, passing the sauce at the table.

Seared Fish and Watermelon with Wasabi Drizzle

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 40 minutes

Watermelon makes a surprisingly good “steak” and a refreshing companion for fatty, rich fish. To grill this dish, put the sesame seeds in the sauce and just brush the melon and fish with the oil.

1 tablespoon wasabi powder

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Juice of 1 lemon

½ small watermelon, about 2½ pounds

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Salt and black pepper

2 sturdy fish steaks or fillets (see page 22), about 12 ounces total, cut into 4 pieces

1 teaspoon sesame oil

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, or more as needed

½ cup sliced scallions, for garnish

1. Whisk together the wasabi, soy sauce, and lemon juice in a small bowl.

2. Cut the watermelon into 8 slices, each between 1 and 2 inches thick (you can leave the rind on if you like). Use a fork to remove as many seeds from the heart as you can without beating the flesh up too much. Put the sesame seeds on a plate with some salt and pepper and stir to combine. Dredge the fish in the mixture and press to make it stick.

3. Put a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil. When hot, add the watermelon; work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan and add more vegetable oil as needed. Cook the pieces, adjusting the heat as necessary and turning once, until the slices begin to release some water, brown, and shrivel a bit, 3 to 5 minutes; turn and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the melon along with any pan juices to a serving plate.

4. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and return to the heat. When it’s hot, add the fish. Cook, turning once, until the crust is well browned and the inside is cooked as you like it (rare for tuna, cooked through or nearly through for other fish), 5 to 10 minutes total. Put the fish on top of the watermelon, drizzle with the wasabi sauce, garnish with scallions, and serve.

Caramelized Leeks with Gently Cooked Scallops

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Drizzling very hot oil over thinly sliced scallops cooks them ever so slightly and firms them perfectly. In this case, the oil is flavored with the leeks that you serve alongside, so the seafood takes on that pleasant onion-grass flavor. Just make sure the scallops are of good quality and look and smell superfresh. Beyond that, all you need here is good bread for a light one-dish meal.

⅓ cup olive oil

1½ pounds leeks, trimmed, well rinsed, and sliced

Salt and black pepper

8 ounces large scallops, each cut crosswise into several very thin rounds

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. A minute later, add the leeks, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and nicely browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the leeks to a bowl with tongs or a slotted spoon, leaving as much oil as possible behind in the pan. Toss the leeks with the lemon zest and juice and a little more salt and pepper if necessary.

2. Meanwhile, use some of the oil in the pan to lightly grease a serving plate and put the scallops on it in a single layer.

3. Heat the oil that’s left in the pan until it is very hot and shimmers but doesn’t smoke. Drizzle the hot oil over the scallops and sprinkle them with a little salt. Serve, passing them at the table along with the leeks and lemon wedges.

Fish Nuggets Braised in Rhubarb Sauce

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Cooking fish—and other things—in caramelized sugar is a classic Vietnamese technique, one that may sound oddly sweet. It isn’t, though, because the sugar (of which there is a lot less here than in traditional versions) becomes bitter, and the black pepper, lime juice, and rhubarb pull this together into an incredible sauce. You can give pork, chicken, beef, or even tofu the same treatment (see the variation). When fresh rhubarb isn’t in season, use frozen. Serve with plain rice or noodles.

¼ cup sugar

1½ pounds rhubarb, roughly chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 fresh hot chile (like Thai or jalapeño), minced, optional

Salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Juice of 2 limes

About 12 ounces sturdy white fish fillets (see page 22), cut into chunks

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Chopped scallions, for garnish

1. Put a large, deep skillet over medium heat and add the sugar and ¼ cup water. Cook, occasionally shaking the pan gently, until the sugar dissolves, then bubbles and darkens, 5 to 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and carefully stir in ¼ cup water. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until the caramel dissolves in the water and thickens slightly, a minute or 2.

2. Add the rhubarb, onion, and chile if you’re using it to the caramel and sprinkle with salt; adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles a little but doesn’t boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and begin to melt into the sauce, about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the black pepper and lime juice, then add the chunks of fish. Cover and cook, undisturbed, until the fish is done (a thin-bladed knife inserted into the center will meet little resistance), about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve, garnished with the cilantro and scallions.

Pork Braised with Escarole in Caramel Sauce. Use the juice of 1 orange instead of the lime juice. Substitute escarole for the rhubarb and thinly sliced pork shoulder for the fish. Increase the cooking time in Step 3 to about 10 minutes, so that the pork is thoroughly cooked but not tough.

Vegetable and Oyster Pancakes, Korean Style

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 minutes

Crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside, these classic savory pancakes are among my favorite foods from Korea. Try substituting corn or chopped or shredded daikon (or other) radishes for the bean sprouts, or using other seafood in place of the oysters (check out the variation; besides shrimp I’ve seen—and used—octopus, scallops, squid, finfish, clams, and a combination of seafood). And definitely try them as appetizers: Make them silver-dollar size and serve soy sauce mixed with lime juice for a dipping sauce.

1 cup whole wheat or brown rice flour

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 egg

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for frying

2 cups bean sprouts

4 scallions, green parts only, sliced

1 large carrot, grated

12 shucked raw oysters (see page 22), rinsed and drained

Lime wedges, for serving

Soy sauce, for serving

1. Heat the oven to 200°F. Fit a baking sheet with a wire rack and put it in the oven. Whisk together the flours, egg, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 cup water to make a smooth batter. Let it rest while you prepare the vegetables. When you’re ready to cook, stir the bean sprouts, scallions, and carrot into the batter.

2. Put a thin film of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, ladle in a quarter of the batter and spread it out evenly into a large circle. Tuck 3 oysters into the pancake, as close to the center as you can. Turn the heat to medium and cook until the bottom is browned, about 5 minutes; flip and cook for another 5 minutes. Transfer the pancake to the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter.

3. To serve, cut the pancakes into wedges and pass the lime wedges and soy sauce at the table.

Kimchi Pancakes. Omit the bean sprouts, scallions, and carrot; keep the oysters (or other seafood) if you like. Drain 2 cups kimchi (for homemade, see page 343, or use high-quality store-bought). In Step 1 add the kimchi to the batter instead of the vegetables and proceed with the recipe.

Vegetable and Shrimp Pancakes, Thai Style. Substitute chopped raw shrimp for the oysters. Add 1 tablespoon nam pla (fish sauce) to the batter. Serve with lime wedges.

Kohlrabi Stir-Fry with Chicken or Pork

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Kohlrabi is an underrated vegetable, largely because it’s weird looking. The small, Sputnik-like bulbs, which are a member of the cabbage family, come in white, green, and purple. They may be eaten raw—they’re radish-like in texture but sweet in flavor—or cooked, which makes them perfect for a quick stir-fry. If you can’t find kohlrabi, jícama, Jerusalem artichokes, daikon radishes, or even big chunks of cabbage are fine stand-ins. Serve this with plain rice or tossed with noodles, or if you’re in a hurry, wrap it up in a large flour tortilla with some lettuce and call it a meal.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs or pork shoulder, thinly sliced or cut into small chunks

Salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 pound kohlrabi, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Juice of 1 lemon

½ cup sliced scallions

1. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the chicken or pork, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, until it starts to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the ginger and keep stir-frying until fragrant, just 30 seconds or so.

2. Add the kohlrabi and ¼ cup water; cook and stir until it softens a bit and the water evaporates, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the soy sauce, lemon juice, and scallions. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Loaded Guacamole with Chicken Kebabs

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 45 minutes, plus time to marinate

Guacamole, of course, can stand on its own—but it can also act as a support for plenty of other ingredients. Here the avocado is combined with corn kernels and lettuce, but you can use frozen peas, grilled or roasted asparagus, or ripe tomatoes. If you marinate the chicken ahead of time and mix the guacamole a little before serving, the meal comes together in a heartbeat.

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs or legs, cut into 12 or 16 large chunks

1 large onion, cut into large chunks

8 ounces cherry tomatoes

1 bell pepper, any color, cut into large chunks

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon chili powder

Salt and black pepper

3 avocados, skin and pits removed

Grated zest and juice of 1 lime

1 cup corn kernels (thawed frozen are fine)

2 cups shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce

1 fresh hot chile (like serrano or jalapeño), seeded and minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

Lime wedges, for serving

1. If you’re using wooden skewers (you’ll need at least 8), soak them in water for 20 to 30 minutes (see page 69) while you prepare the chicken. Thread the chicken, onion, cherry tomatoes, and bell pepper alternately onto the skewers, leaving a little space between the pieces.

2. Combine the oil, 3 teaspoons of the garlic, the chili powder, and some salt and pepper; taste and adjust the seasoning. Brush the chicken and vegetables with the oil mixture and let marinate for at least a few minutes or up to 1 hour at room temperature. When you’re ready to cook, prepare a grill or turn on the broiler; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire.

3. Meanwhile, make the guacamole: Mash the avocados in a large bowl until they’re as smooth or chunky as you like. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon garlic, the lime zest and juice, corn, lettuce, chile, and cilantro. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, stir, and taste and adjust the seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to eat, but no longer than an hour or so.

4. Broil or grill the chicken kebabs, turning once or twice, until the chicken is cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes (to check for doneness, cut into a piece with a thin-bladed knife; the center should be white or slightly pink). Spoon guacamole onto serving plates, top with the kebabs, garnish with cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.

Mixed Grill with Chimichurri

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 minutes

Chimichurri, the incredibly flavorful, super-simple Argentine herb sauce is one of the world’s best condiments for grilled anything. It’s most often made with parsley, but you can add or substitute cilantro and/or basil if you like. Though chimichurri doesn’t keep more than a day or so in the fridge, in the course of that day you’ll find yourself using it on plain rice, beans, cooked vegetables, raw carrots, chips—pretty much whatever you can grab.

A mixed grill like this requires a lot of surface area for cooking, so you’ll probably have to work in batches to avoid overcrowding. But that’s fine: Everything tastes just as good at room temperature, so cook leisurely. The recipe will help you get the hang of the timing.

1 or 2 eggplants, cut into thick slices

2 cups fresh parsley (mostly leaves, but thin stems are okay)

Salt and black pepper

3 garlic cloves

½ cup olive oil, plus more for grilling

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or lemon juice

1 teaspoon red chile flakes

2 portobello mushrooms

2 summer squash, cut lengthwise into thick slices

4 ripe tomatoes, cored but left whole

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast or pork tenderloin, cut in half crosswise and pounded to about ½ inch thick

1 bunch scallions

1. Prepare a grill or turn on the broiler; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire. If time allows, sprinkle the eggplant liberally with salt, let rest in a colander for at least 20 minutes or up to an hour, rinse, and pat dry.

2. Combine the parsley with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, the garlic, and about ¼ cup of the oil in a food processor or blender. Process, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container once or twice. With the machine running, add the remaining ¼ cup oil gradually, then add the vinegar and chile flakes. Add a little bit of water if you want a thinner mixture. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

3. Brush the eggplant, portobellos, and squash with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Working in batches, grill or broil the pieces, turning occasionally, until browned and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. When the mushrooms are done, slice them. As all the vegetables finish, transfer them to a large serving platter.

4. Brush the tomatoes and chicken with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Again working in batches, grill or broil the pieces, turning just once, until the tomatoes are charred and collapsed and the chicken or pork is white or very slightly pink on the inside, 5 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to the serving platter and cut the meat up a bit if you like. Finally, cook the scallions (no need to brush them with oil), turning once or twice, until they are lightly charred, just a minute or 2. Drizzle some of the chimichurri over the meat and vegetables and pass the rest at the table.

Sesame-Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Chicken

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 40 minutes

I love Brussels sprouts braised and glazed like this—they retain some crunch but become a little creamy in places, mostly tender, and not at all raw. Season them with ginger and sesame seeds, add a bit of seared chicken, and you’ve got a satisfying main dish. Serve it with plain potatoes, rice, or—the best—soba noodles.

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into small chunks

2 tablespoons minced ginger

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 pound Brussels sprouts

½ cup stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140), white wine, or water, or more as needed

Salt and black pepper

Soy sauce, for serving

Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Put the sesame seeds in a large, deep skillet over medium-low heat and toast, shaking the pan often, until they begin to brown but don’t burn, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the seeds from the skillet.

2. Add the oil to the skillet and raise the heat to medium-high. When it’s hot, add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until it browns a bit on the outside, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the ginger and stir until fragrant and beginning to soften, just a minute or so, then remove.

3. Add the sesame oil, Brussels sprouts, and ½ cup stock to the pan (no need to wipe it out first), sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Cover and adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently; cook until the sprouts are just tender, 5 to 10 minutes, checking once or twice and adding more liquid if needed.

4. Uncover and return the chicken and ginger to the pan. Raise the heat to boil off all the liquid so that the Brussels sprouts and chicken become glazed and eventually browned. Resist the urge to stir frequently; just let it sizzle until golden and crisp, then shake the pan and loosen the sprouts and chicken pieces to roll them over. Stir in the sesame seeds and taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature, passing the soy sauce and lemon wedges at the table.

Sesame-Glazed Carrots with Chicken. Use carrots, cut into coins or sticks, in place of the Brussels sprouts.

Roast Potatoes and Chicken with Romesco

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 1 hour, largely unattended

There are many ways to make romesco, the nutty, sharp Catalan sauce: with tomatoes or bell peppers, with chiles or without, with almonds or hazelnuts, raw or cooked. This fresh vinegar-spiked version brightens up classic roast potatoes and chicken. If you have roasted red bell peppers (for homemade, see page 417) on hand, by all means use one in place of the raw bell pepper; it will add an extra dimension of smokiness.

6 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed

1½ pounds new potatoes or other small potatoes, halved

Salt and black pepper

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

4 bone-in chicken thighs; or 2 bone-in chicken breasts, each cut in half

½ cup almonds

1 large red bell pepper, roughly chopped

1 large or 2 medium ripe tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped

1 garlic clove, or to taste

1 packed cup fresh parsley

2 tablespoons sherry or white wine vinegar

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Drizzle the bottom of a shallow roasting pan or a rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the potatoes, toss to coat with the oil, spread in a single layer, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, undisturbed, until they’re just beginning to sizzle, about 10 minutes.

2. Top the potatoes first with the rosemary, then the chicken pieces, all skin side up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with 2 more tablespoons of the oil. Roast for about 15 minutes, then baste the chicken with the pan drippings and rotate the pan. If necessary, adjust the oven temperature so the chicken and potatoes brown but do not burn. Chicken breasts will be done in 15 to 20 more minutes, thighs in 25 to 30.

3. Meanwhile, combine the almonds, bell pepper, tomato, garlic, parsley, and vinegar in a food processor or blender. With the machine running, slowly add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil; purée into a thick paste, adding more oil if necessary to keep the machine running and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Season with salt and pepper.

4. The chicken and potatoes are done when the potatoes are tender and release easily from the pan and the chicken is opaque and the juices run clear. Serve each piece of chicken with a spoonful of the potatoes, a little of the pan juices, and a dollop of romesco.

Provençal Vegetables and Chicken in Packages

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1 hour, largely unattended

Take the components of ratatouille—eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes—combine them with sliced potatoes and chicken, and cook everything in packages for an appealing one-dish meal. Since the contents of the packages steam in their own juices, the results are like a quick braise. The vegetables become super silky and the meat juicy and tender. These are especially convenient since you can assemble them ahead of time and do virtually nothing while they bake. If you want the vegetables to retain a firmer texture, just slice them a bit thicker.

1 small eggplant, cut lengthwise into equal ¼-inch slices

Salt

8 ounces all-purpose potatoes, like Yukon Gold, sliced ¼ inch thick

2 small zucchini, sliced ¼ inch thick

2 large ripe tomatoes, cored and sliced ¼ inch thick

½ cup black or green olives, pitted

Black pepper

4 sprigs fresh thyme

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

4 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup dry white wine or water

1. Heat the oven to 375°F. If time allows, sprinkle the eggplant liberally with salt, let rest in a colander for at least 20 minutes or up to an hour, rinse, and pat dry.

2. Cut parchment paper or foil into 4 rectangles of about 16 by 12 inches, fold in half crosswise to crease, then open again like a book. On one half of each rectangle, layer a portion of the potatoes, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and olives, keeping the vegetables close to the center. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and top with a sprig of thyme. Add a piece of chicken and sprinkle again. Drizzle each serving with 1 tablespoon oil and 2 tablespoons wine. Seal the packages by enclosing the filling and rolling the open edges together tightly. Transfer the packages to a rimmed baking sheet.

3. Bake the packages undisturbed until the chicken is no longer pink inside and the vegetables are silky and tender, about 40 minutes. (You won’t know for sure until you open one, but it is unlikely that the dish won’t be done in that time.) Be careful of the steam when you open the packages. Serve immediately or at room temperature, in the packages, or transferred to plates, with the juices poured over all.

Vegetables au Vin with Coq

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 40 minutes

You’re probably familiar with coq au vin, chicken braised in a rich red wine-mushroom sauce. Replace some of the chicken with eggplant and green beans, and the dish is, in fact, more interesting, yet still luxurious, since the eggplant literally melts into the sauce, thickening and flavoring it, while the green beans become tender. If you don’t feel like using bacon, just use 2 tablespoons more olive oil to brown the chicken, mushrooms, and eggplant. Serve the stew with crusty bread, boiled or roasted potatoes, and more red wine.

1 eggplant, cut into large cubes

Salt

2 ounces slab bacon, cut into ¼-inch cubes

4 bone-in chicken thighs or 2 bone-in chicken breasts, split in half crosswise

Black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

20 pearl onions, peeled, or 1 large onion, halved and sliced

1 pound mushrooms, preferably an assortment, roughly chopped

6 garlic cloves (or more)

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140)

2 cups Burgundy (pinot noir) or other fruity red wine

2 bay leaves

Several sprigs fresh thyme

Several sprigs fresh parsley

8 ounces green beans, left whole

1 tablespoon butter

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. If time allows, sprinkle the eggplant liberally with salt, let rest in a colander for 20 minutes, rinse, and pat dry. Put the bacon in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven that will hold all the chicken, eggplant, and mushrooms. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon gives up its fat and becomes brown and crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the bacon. Add the chicken, skin side down, to the hot fat, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, turning and rotating as necessary, until well browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Remove the chicken from the pan. Add the oil, onions, mushrooms, and eggplant. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables give up their liquid and begin to dry out and brown, 10 to 15 minutes; after about 5 minutes of cooking, add the garlic.

3. Spoon off any excess fat from the pan. Add the stock, wine, bay leaves, herb sprigs, and green beans. Return the chicken to the pot along with the bacon. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so that the mixture bubbles gently but steadily. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes; an instant-read thermometer should register about 155°F for the breast and 165°F for the thigh. Remove the chicken from the pan and turn the heat up a bit.

4. Let the liquid boil until it is reduced by about half and becomes thick and saucy. Lower the heat again, stir in the butter, and return the chicken to the pan. Turn just long enough to warm it through and coat with the sauce. (You can make the dish ahead to this point and refrigerate for up to a day; reheat gently.) Remove the bay leaves. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Anise-Scented Poached Chicken with Squash

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1 hour, largely unattended

I’ve long been a fan of a classic Chinese dish called “white cut chicken,” where whole chicken is simply poached in seasoned water. But recently I began adding sweet, creamy winter squash. Kabocha is perfect here, but it’s not always easy to find, in which case switch to butternut or any other orange-fleshed winter squash. Serve this at room temperature over soba noodles or short-grain brown rice, or chill it to serve cold over salad greens. If you don’t have star anise, use a teaspoon of anise seeds, or change things up by using several whole bay leaves.

5 or 6 slices unpeeled ginger

1 bunch scallions, chopped

2 star anise

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon honey or sugar

1 pound any winter squash, peeled, seeded, and sliced ½ inch thick

1 half small chicken, or about 1½ pounds bone-in chicken pieces

Soy sauce, for serving

1. Combine the ginger, most of the scallions (reserve some for garnish), anise, salt, and honey in a large pot with 6 cups water. Bring to a boil. Add the squash and chicken and bring the water back to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover, and bubble gently for 20 minutes.

2. Remove the pot from the heat and let the chicken and squash sit in the water, covered, for another 15 minutes or so; the chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reads 155°F to 165°F.

3. Remove the chicken from the pot, cool to room temperature, and pull the meat from the bones. Serve the squash and the chicken together with soy sauce and scallions passed at the table (or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days).

Braised Red Cabbage and Cherries with Broiled Chicken

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 45 minutes

Apples and cabbage are a common combination, but cherries provide an interesting sweet-to-tart balance. If you buy them frozen and already pitted, this dish is a snap. If you’d rather use apples, you’ll need just two. Either way, the dish is perfect with simply cooked potatoes or white beans, or just hearty bread—especially the Black Rolls with Caraway on page 547.

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, pounded to uniform thickness

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and black pepper

1 red onion, halved and sliced

2 pounds red cabbage, cored and shredded

1 tablespoon caraway seeds, optional

½ cup chicken stock (for homemade, see page 139), not-too-dry white wine, apple cider, or water, or more as needed

1 cup pitted and halved cherries, preferably sour (frozen are fine)

Chopped fresh dill, for garnish

1. Put the chicken on a broiler pan or a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons of the oil and the lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and let sit while you proceed (or marinate in the refrigerator for up to a few hours).

2. Put the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large, deep skillet or saucepan over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add the cabbage and caraway seeds if you’re using them, and stir to coat everything with the oil. Add the stock and cherries and cook, stirring occasionally, until everything becomes quite soft, 20 to 25 minutes; add more liquid if the mixture becomes dry.

3. Turn on the broiler; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire. When the cabbage is almost ready, broil the chicken, turning once, until nicely browned and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. (To check for doneness, cut into a piece with a thin-bladed knife; the center should be white or slightly pink.) Serve each piece of chicken on a mound of cabbage and cherries, garnished with dill.

Braised Parsnips and Chicken with Pumpkin Seed Sauce

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 minutes

Ground nuts and seeds are excellent options for thickening sauces, in many ways better than flour. They’re more flavorful, nutritious, and (in this case at least) colorful. Almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, and pine nuts are all good here, but pumpkin seeds are my favorite. Chopped nuts can work well, too; try to get them as fine as possible.

You can substitute carrots (see the variation), rutabagas, turnips, or new potatoes for some or all of the parsnips if you like.

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 bone-in chicken thighs

Salt and black pepper

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried

1½ pounds parsnips, cut into large chunks

½ cup ground or finely chopped pumpkin seeds, plus more for garnish

1 cup dry white wine or water

1 cup chicken or vegetable stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140) or water, or more as needed

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the chicken thighs, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, turning once or twice, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan.

2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the onion. Cook, stirring, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, parsnips, and pumpkin seeds and cook, stirring frequently so that the pumpkin seeds don’t burn, until the parsnip chunks are coated with oil and beginning to turn golden, about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the wine and stock and return the chicken to the pan. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low. Cover and bubble gently until the parsnips are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add more stock if they start to stick. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature, garnished with more pumpkin seeds and the parsley.

Braised Carrots and Chicken with Sesame Seed Sauce. Add some chopped fresh red chile at the last minute if you like a little heat. Instead of the olive oil, use 2 tablespoons peanut oil in Step 1 and 1 tablespoon sesame oil in Step 2. Substitute carrots for the parsnips, scallions for the onion, and ¼ cup sesame seeds for the pumpkin seeds. Instead of salting for the final seasoning, add a drizzle of soy sauce.

Grilled Turkey Hash with Red Wine Glaze

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1 hour

Potatoes and turkey are a good classic combo any time of the year, and this rich hash is a lot easier to prepare than Thanksgiving dinner. With the quick and full-flavored red wine glaze, it’s more interesting too. And if it’s not grilling season, you can always broil the turkey or use leftovers instead.

1 cup red wine

2 garlic cloves, crushed

3 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried

4 large all-purpose potatoes (like Yukon Gold), peeled and cut lengthwise into ½-inch slices

1 turkey thigh (about 1 pound)

1 red onion, halved

Olive oil as needed

Salt and black pepper

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Put the wine, garlic, and thyme in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then adjust the heat so that it bubbles gently. Cook until the wine is reduced to a syrup, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare a grill to medium-high heat and put the rack about 4 inches from the fire; keep one part of the grill fairly cool for indirect cooking.

3. Drizzle the potatoes, turkey, and onion with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put everything on the cool side of the grill with the turkey skin side up. Cover the grill and cook, turning the pieces once or twice, until the potatoes are tender and the turkey is no longer pink, 25 to 30 minutes. Uncover the grill and move the potatoes and onion so they stay warm but don’t burn. Put the turkey over the hotter part of the fire and grill, turning occasionally, until it is browned on both sides and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes more. (You can prepare everything up to this point a day ahead of time; just gently reheat the vegetables, turkey, and red wine glaze before assembling.)

4. Pull the turkey meat off the bone and roughly chop the potatoes and onion. Toss everything with the red wine syrup and chopped parsley. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Roasted Turkey Hash with Red Wine Glaze. Use sweet potatoes instead of Yukon Gold, and instead of preparing a grill, heat the oven to 375°F. Cut the potatoes and onion into cubes. Follow the recipe through Step 1. In Step 3 put the vegetables and turkey in a large roasting pan, drizzle with the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast, turning occasionally, until the turkey and vegetables are browned and cooked through, 45 to 50 minutes. Pick up the recipe again at Step 4.

Thanksgiving Roast Root Vegetables and Turkey with Pan Juices

Makes: 8 servings

Time: About 2½ hours, largely unattended

No one in their right mind would suggest that Americans forgo one of our most beloved rituals. But root vegetables are closer to what the Pilgrims ate than sweet potato casserole and cranberry sauce, so why not move them into the foreground of the celebration? In addition to the vegetables listed below, you might consider waxy potatoes, winter squash, radishes, rutabagas, or Jerusalem artichokes, all in season midfall.

The idea is to leisurely roast the turkey and vegetables while you prepare other dishes and set the table. The results are deeply golden, tender vegetables and moist meat that’s easy to slice. Even though you’re not cooking a whole bird, you’ll still need a pretty big roasting pan to hold all the vegetables.

A word about preparing the turkey: Sometimes you can find a half turkey breast—meaning one side of a double-breast—at the grocery store or at the butcher’s, but more often than not turkey breasts are sold whole. The easiest way to get around this is to ask your butcher to split the breast for you. If you choose to do it yourself, use a very sharp chef’s knife to cut it lengthwise, through the breastbone; don’t be afraid to apply a little force to break the bone apart.

3 to 4 pounds turnips, parsnips, carrots, or celery root, or a combination, cut into large cubes

2 large onions, sliced into thick rings

4 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and black pepper

1 half bone-in turkey breast, 2 to 3 pounds

8 or more garlic cloves, lightly crushed

1 cup dry white or fruity red wine

2 cups chicken or turkey stock (for homemade, see page 139) or water

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, or 1 teaspoon dried

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons butter

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Put the root vegetables and onions in a large roasting pan, toss with 3 tablespoons of the oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using your fingers, loosen the skin of the turkey breast and tuck the garlic cloves between the skin and the meat. (If they won’t all fit, that’s okay; just toss the remaining cloves with the root vegetables.) Put the turkey on top of the root vegetables, rub with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Roast, stirring the vegetables occasionally, until they are soft and browned and the turkey is done, 1½ to 2 hours (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast should read 165°F). Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and the vegetables to a serving bowl.

3. Put the roasting pan on a burner over medium-high heat. Add the wine, stock, and sage and bring to a boil. Mix the cornstarch with a ladleful of the pan liquid in a small bowl until smooth, then stir the mixture back into the pan. Cook, stirring to loosen any bits of turkey or vegetable from the bottom of the pan, until the juices are slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the butter, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Pry the turkey breast away from the bone and thinly slice crosswise (against the grain). Serve a few slices of turkey with lots of vegetables, all drizzled with pan juices and garnished with parsley.

Roast Turnips and Duck with Pear Jus

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1 hour

Even though duck is no more difficult to prepare than chicken, it always feels much more elegant. Braise it with turnips, and it’s a classic; with the addition of a pear-brandy sauce, it becomes sweeter, more complex, and downright luxurious. Simply cooked leafy vegetables or Ten-Minute Green Salad (page 143) are all you need on the side.

1 or 2 boneless duck breasts (about 1 pound), with the skin

Salt and black pepper

1 pound turnips or rutabagas, cut into large chunks

8 fresh sage leaves

1 bay leaf

2 garlic cloves, smashed

2 pears, peeled and chopped

½ cup vegetable or chicken stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140) or water

¼ cup brandy

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Score the skin of the duck breasts, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place them skin side down in a large, ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown thoroughly on both sides, rotating and turning as necessary, 10 to 15 minutes total. Remove the duck from the pan and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.

2. Add the turnips, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast until they are nicely browned on the bottom and just getting tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the sage, bay leaf, and garlic and return the duck to the pan. Roast until the turnips are tender and the duck is cooked to your liking, about 15 minutes for medium-rare. Put the duck on a plate or cutting board to rest, and transfer the turnips to a serving platter.

3. Put the pan on a burner over medium-high heat. Add the pears, stock, and brandy and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the pears are soft and the pan juice is slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Thinly slice the duck. Serve a few slices on top of a pile of the turnips and spoon the pear sauce over the top. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Stir-Fried Sweet Potatoes and Beef with Vietnamese Flavors

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Firm vegetables work fine in stir-fries as long as you grate them first. The quick treatment changes the ratio of surface area to interior so that they cook in a flash, which is exactly what you want.

Instead of beef, you can use chicken, tofu, or tempeh here, or even firm white fish (see page 22). Or leave out the concentrated protein altogether and serve this as an unconventional but delicious Thanksgiving side dish. In any case, serve on top of brown rice or another grain.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 ounces beef chuck, flank, or sirloin steak, cut into bite-size pieces

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and grated, about 4 cups

1 cup sliced scallions

1 or 2 fresh hot chiles (like jalapeño or Thai), seeded and chopped, optional

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Salt and black pepper

¼ cup nam pla (fish sauce)

Juice of 1 lime

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, basil (preferably Thai), or mint

1. Put a large skillet over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and the beef. Stir immediately, then stir every 20 seconds or so until the meat is no longer pink, just a minute or 2. Transfer the beef to a plate.

2. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. When it’s hot, add the sweet potatoes, scallions, chiles if you’re using them, and garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring only occasionally, until the potatoes change color and begin to brown; then stir more frequently until they are tender but not at all mushy, 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Return the beef to the pan along with the fish sauce and lime juice. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the liquid is reduced slightly and you’ve scraped up all the bits of meat and vegetable. Toss in the herb and serve.

The New “New Joe’s Special”

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 45 minutes, or faster with frozen spinach

Nearly every restaurant in San Francisco with Joe in its name serves a hearty ground beef and spinach hash and calls it either “Joe’s Special” or “New Joe’s Special.” With my “new” seesaw ratio (see page 7), the name changes, but with the vegetables gaining prominence it’s even better. Serve on top of whole wheat garlic toast, or toss with cooked grains or pasta, a little olive oil, and a dusting of Parmesan.

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

8 ounces ground beef sirloin or chuck

Salt and black pepper

2 pounds spinach (frozen is fine)

1 pound fresh button or cremini mushrooms, sliced

Pinch of nutmeg

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or marjoram, or 1 teaspoon dried

1 egg

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, garlic, and beef; sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often to break up the meat, until the beef is well browned, 5 to 10 minutes. If you’re using fresh spinach, rinse it well, remove any thick stems, and roughly chop.

2. Remove the beef mixture from the pan with a slotted spoon and turn the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil with the mushrooms and another sprinkling of salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until almost all the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg and oregano and transfer the mushrooms to the bowl with the beef mixture.

3. Add the spinach to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally and chopping it up with a spatula, until the greens are wilted and almost dry again, 3 to 5 minutes. Return the meat mixture to the pan. Stir in the egg and cheese and cook until set, just a minute or 2 more. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve with more cheese at the table if you like.

Seared Bean Sprouts with Beef and Sesame Orange Sauce

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Bean sprouts are light, crisp, and incredibly fast to prepare: The freshest ones require only rinsing. Plus they cook in the wink of an eye, which makes them perfect for stir-fries, especially this classic with orange- and sesame-flavored beef. Toss this with soba noodles (or make the Crisp Noodle Cake on page 236) or serve over short-grain rice or quinoa.

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 ounces beef sirloin or chuck, very thinly sliced

Salt and black pepper

1 pound bean sprouts

1 bunch scallions, white and green parts separated, all chopped

3 tablespoons soy sauce

Grated zest and juice of 2 oranges

1 tablespoon honey, or more to taste

1. Put the sesame seeds in a large dry skillet over medium-low heat and toast, shaking the pan often, until they begin to brown but don’t burn, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove them from the skillet.

2. Put 1 tablespoon of the oil in the skillet and turn the heat to high. When the oil is hot, add the beef, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring just once or twice, until it sears and loses its red color, just a minute or 2. Remove the beef from the skillet.

3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the bean sprouts and the white parts of the scallions. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned in places and starting to wilt, 2 or 3 minutes. Add the beef, soy sauce, orange zest and juice, and honey. Cook and stir until the bean sprouts are just tender and everything is warmed through, a final 2 to 3 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more honey if you like. Garnish with the sesame seeds and scallion greens and serve.

Not Your Usual Steak Fajitas

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 40 minutes

These fajitas aren’t just meaty and smoky—they sizzle with crunchy jícama, a touch of sweet pineapple, and an eye-opening tequila-lime glaze. Though soft corn tortillas are traditional, you can think of this as a Mexican stir-fry and spoon it over brown rice. But serving it with Loaded Guacamole (page 458) is (nearly) a must.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 to 12 ounces beef skirt, rib-eye, tenderloin, or sirloin steak, thinly sliced

Salt and black pepper

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 red or green bell peppers, cut into strips

1 or 2 fresh hot chiles (like jalapeño or Thai), seeded and minced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

8 ounces jícama, peeled and cut into sticks

2 large carrots, cut into sticks

1 cup cubed fresh pineapple

¼ cup lime juice

½ cup tequila or water, or a combination

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Warm corn or whole wheat tortillas, for serving, optional

1. Put a large skillet over high heat until it smokes, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and, a few seconds later, the steak. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir immediately. Cook, stirring every 20 seconds or so, until it loses its color, just a minute or 2. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the onion, bell peppers, chile, and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the steak.

3. Raise the heat to high again and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the jícama, and carrots. Stir immediately, then cook, stirring every 30 seconds or so, until the vegetables soften and begin to char slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer everything to the plate with the steak.

4. Add the pineapple, lime juice, and tequila to the skillet. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring to scrape any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, until the glaze thickens a little. Return all the vegetables and meat to the pan and toss to coat with the lime and tequila mixture. Garnish with cilantro and serve with warm tortillas.

Not Your Usual Chicken Fajitas. Use boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into ½- to ¾-inch chunks, instead of the steak.

Whole Cauliflower with Sausage

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 30 minutes

You get the best texture out of cauliflower when you steam it whole, and the presentation of this dish—the sausage and bread crumbs are the “sauce”—is quite striking. (If you’re looking for easier serving at the table, break the cauliflower into florets before topping with the sausage mixture.) Bulk sausage will make your life easier, but if all you can find are links, remove the meat from the casings before beginning.

1 cauliflower (about 1½ pounds), cored

Salt

8 ounces sweet or hot pork sausage, casings removed if necessary

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 or 2 fresh hot chiles (like jalapeño or Thai), seeded and chopped

Black pepper

1 cup bread crumbs, preferably whole grain and homemade

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Put the cauliflower in a steamer (see page 414) above 1 to 2 inches of salted water. Bring the water to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat so it bubbles steadily. Cook until the cauliflower is just tender enough to be pierced to the core with a thin-bladed knife (no longer). Because it’s large, the cauliflower will retain quite a bit of heat after cooking, so it should still be ever-so-slightly crunchy when you remove it from the steamer. Total cooking time will be 12 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the head. Drain the cooked cauliflower well.

2. Meanwhile, put the sausage and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring to break the meat into small pieces, until no longer pink, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour off all but 2 to 3 tablespoons of the fat. Add the onion, chile, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper and cook until the onion is softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the mixture from the pan with a slotted spoon.

3. Add the bread crumbs and parsley to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the bread crumbs are crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Return the meat to the pan, stir, and taste and adjust the seasoning.

4. Break up the cauliflower head a bit with 2 forks, scatter the sausage mixture over all, and serve.

Whole Cauliflower with Sausage and Tomatoes. What you lose in bread crumb crunchiness, you make up for with bright flavor. In Step 2, after you cook the sausage mixture, add 2 cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; drain them first). Cook and stir for another 5 minutes or so, until they become slightly thickened and saucy. Proceed with the recipe.

Asparagus Gratin with Bacon Bread Crumbs

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Roast asparagus with nothing more than olive oil, salt, and pepper, and it’s pretty outstanding. Adding a crisp mixture of bacon, garlic, and bread crumbs makes the dish sensational. The variations with tomato and cheese toppings are equally good and just as easy.

About 1½ pounds asparagus, peeled if thick

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and black pepper

2 thick bacon slices, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

¾ cup bread crumbs, preferably whole grain and homemade

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Put the asparagus in a baking dish and toss with 2 tablespoons of the oil so that both the asparagus and the bottom of the dish are coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, turning once or twice, just until the thick part of the stalks can be pierced with a knife, 10 to 15 minutes. (You can roast the asparagus up to an hour or so ahead of time.)

2. Meanwhile, put the bacon and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon begins to crisp, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and bread crumbs and cook for another minute or 2. Remove the asparagus from the oven. Turn on the broiler; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire.

3. Top the asparagus with the bacon and bread crumb mixture and broil until the topping is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Asparagus Gratin with Tomatoes. Substitute 2 chopped tomatoes and a few chopped basil leaves for the bread crumbs. In Step 2, add them to the pan after the bacon has crisped, cook for a minute or 2, and proceed with the recipe.

Asparagus Gratin with Feta Bread Crumbs. Good with blue cheese, too. Omit the bacon. In Step 2, toast the bread crumbs and garlic with the oil until golden. Remove from the heat, toss in ½ cup crumbled feta cheese, and proceed with the recipe.

Braised Cabbage and Sauerkraut with Sausages

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1 hour

This leisurely but easy braise is a dish for those people who don’t like sauerkraut, or think they don’t, because the sweetness of fresh cabbage beautifully offsets its fermented cousin, mellowing it without robbing it of its character. Since this reheats well, you can even cook the dish up to a day or so ahead; serve it with Black Rolls with Caraway (page 547), or baked potatoes, and good beer.

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces kielbasa or other smoked sausage, cut diagonally into 8 chunks

2 onions, halved and sliced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 pound Savoy or other green cabbage, cored and shredded

1 pound sauerkraut, preferably fresh or bagged, drained

1½ cups beer, vegetable stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 138), or water

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

Salt and black pepper

Coarse mustard, for serving

1. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the sausage and cook, turning the pieces as necessary, until browned but not cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pan.

2. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the cabbage, sauerkraut, beer, and caraway seeds and nestle in the sausages. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and stir. Cover and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender but not mushy, about 30 minutes. Serve hot or warm with mustard.

Braised Vegetables with Prosciutto, Bacon, or Ham

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 minutes

Stovetop braising is a method that gives you tender, succulent vegetables with very little work. And when you add a little really good smoked or cured meat, these become a main event. (To lighten things up a bit, try skipping the meat entirely and tossing the vegetables with a generous grating of Parmesan about a minute before removing them from the heat.)

You can use any vegetable here, but to get a lot of different textures going on, try a mix of sturdy root vegetables and hearty greens. Choose from Brussels sprouts, eggplant, carrots or parsnips, turnips or rutabagas, beets, kale or collards, green beans, fennel, kohlrabi, or celery. Serve over grains, pasta, or toast, with a side of Easiest Bean Salad on the Planet (page 153) if you’re really hungry.

2 pounds any vegetable (see the headnote)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion or several shallots, halved and sliced

4 ounces prosciutto, cured or smoked ham, pancetta, or bacon, chopped

1 or 2 small dried hot chiles, optional

Salt and black pepper

2 or 3 sprigs fresh thyme, oregano, or marjoram, or 1 sprig fresh rosemary

2 cups vegetable stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 138), white or red wine, beer, or water, or more as needed

½ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Trim and peel the vegetables as needed and cut them into large (at least 2-inch) chunks or wide ribbons, or leave them whole if they’re any smaller than that.

2. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, meat, and chiles if you’re using them and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to color, about 5 minutes. Add the herb sprigs, turn the heat down a bit, and keep cooking, stirring once in a while, until the color deepens, another 5 minutes or so. Remove everything with a slotted spoon.

3. Return the pot to medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. When it’s hot, add the vegetables and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown a bit. Return the onion mixture to the pot, add the liquid, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat so that the mixture bubbles gently. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender (or softer if you like), anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes. Poke them with a fork or knife every once in a while to check, and add more liquid if the vegetables become too dry. (At this point, you can make the dish up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate; gently reheat before proceeding.) Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Roasted Pork Shoulder with Potatoes, Apples, and Onions

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1½ hours, largely unattended

Pork, potatoes, and apples are a wonderful warming fall or winter combination, especially roasted. Let the potatoes and apples get as brown as you like, but be careful not to overcook the pork, or it’ll dry out.

Serve with Garlicky Chard with Olives and Pine Nuts (page 425) or another strongly flavored greens preparation.

One 12-ounce boneless pork shoulder roast

5 or 6 garlic cloves, cut in half lengthwise

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, or 1 teaspoon dried

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound waxy or all-purpose potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 pound apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks

2 onions, cut into 1-inch chunks

½ cup white wine

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Put the pork in a large roasting pan. Use a thin-bladed knife and your fingers to make slits all over the meat and insert the garlic and most of the sage. Spread the rest of the sage all over the outside of the roast, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and rub with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Roast, undisturbed, until a lot of the fat is rendered and the outside is beginning to form a crust, about 45 minutes.

2. Remove the pan from the oven and increase the heat to 425°F. Turn the roast over and scatter the potatoes, apples, and onions all around. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir to coat the vegetables with the pan drippings. Return the roasting pan to the oven and cook, undisturbed, until the potatoes begin to brown a little on the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Stir the vegetables and continue roasting, undisturbed, until the pork and the vegetables are fork-tender and well browned, another 15 to 20 minutes. (An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the roast should read between 140°F and 155°F, depending on how well done you like the pork.) Transfer the meat to a cutting board and the vegetables and apples to a serving platter.

4. Add the wine, mustard, and ½ cup water to the roasting pan and put it on a burner over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring and scraping, until the liquid thickens into a sauce, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Cut the pork into thin slices, return it to the pan, and toss with the pan sauce. Put the pork slices on top of the vegetables and drizzle with any remaining pan sauce. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Pork Stew with Green Beans and Oregano

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 2 hours, largely unattended

The delicious juices of pork shoulder combine with strong flavorings and white wine—use a semisweet, fruity one for most complex flavor—to give green beans a character unlike any other: tender, rich, really delicious. This is one of those stews that is just as good (if not better) the next day, so feel free to make it in advance. Mashed potatoes are an obvious and wonderful side dish, but to keep this a little lighter, serve it with whole wheat couscous or bulgur, or just a salad.

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces boneless pork shoulder, cut into large chunks

Salt and black pepper

3 shallots or 1 large onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried

2 cups white wine (see the headnote)

2 pounds green beans, roughly chopped

1. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the pork to the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, turning as needed, until the pork is deeply browned all over, 10 to 15 minutes total. Pour off some of the fat (or not) and turn the heat down to medium.

2. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in half of the oregano and return the pork to the skillet. Add the wine and enough water to half cover the meat in liquid (you might not need any water). Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Adjust the heat so that the mixture bubbles steadily but not vigorously. Cover and cook, stirring once in while, until the pork is nearly falling apart and the liquid has become saucy, about 1 hour.

3. Add the green beans to the skillet, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until they are crisp-tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining oregano, taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve.

Chili-Rubbed Pork with Warm Pickled Vegetables

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 45 minutes

Pork, roasted with spices and served with fresh, quickly made pickled vegetables—a nice combo. I usually go with classic pickling vegetables here, but broccoli, fennel, celery, and cabbage would all work too.

The pickling technique gives you crunchy, tangy veggies, delicious enough to justify making a batch on their own. To do so, use only Step 1 of the recipe. Let the vegetables cool a bit, then store them in the fridge, submerged in their brine. They’ll keep for at least a week.

½ cup red wine vinegar

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried

Salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small cauliflower, cut into florets

2 zucchini or summer squash, sliced crosswise

2 carrots, cut into coins or sticks

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 large onion, halved and sliced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 bone-in pork loin chop, 2 inches thick (about 1 pound)

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons cumin

Black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Put the vinegar, bay leaf, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and 2 cups water in a large pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook for 1 minute. Add the zucchini, carrots, bell pepper, onion, and garlic; cover the pot and turn off the heat. (You can make the pickled vegetables up to several days ahead of serving.)

2. Smear the pork with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, then rub it with the chili powder, paprika, cumin, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Put it in an ovenproof skillet and roast the chop until it is firm but still pink in the middle, 20 to 30 minutes (the internal temperature should be about 140°F when you remove it from the oven).

3. When the pork is ready, remove the pan from the oven and put it on the stove over medium-high heat. Brown the pork on both sides until it is cooked to your liking, 3 to 5 minutes total. Remove the pork from the pan. Add 1 cup of the brine from the pickles to the pan and stir to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Cut the bone from the pork and put it in the pan too. Lower the heat so the mixture bubbles steadily and cook, stirring occasionally, while you carve the pork. You want the liquid to reduce to a sauce.

4. Cut the pork against the grain into thin slices. Taste the pan sauce and adjust the seasoning. Drain the vegetables (reserving the brine if you like) and serve a spoonful with the pork, drizzled with the pan sauce.

Plantain Planks with Pork Picadillo

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1 hour

A quick, flavorful pork-and-raisin braise makes an almost-classic Latin American topping for roasted plantains, which is served like an open-face sandwich. For plantains with a softer interior, try to find some that are slightly riper and a little yellow in color, but not yet soft. If you’re using beer as a braising liquid (highly recommended), try experimenting with different types, from lager to stout.

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan

12 ounces boneless pork shoulder, thinly sliced

Salt and black pepper

2 medium onions, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle chiles with some of their adobo sauce, or to taste

2 carrots, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

½ cup raisins

2 cups beer or stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140)

2 large green plantains, peeled

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Lime wedges, for serving

1. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper and add it to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork slices are nicely browned all over, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the pork from the skillet.

2. Add the onions, garlic, chipotles, carrots, and celery to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Return the pork to the skillet along with the raisins, beer, and enough water to almost cover the pork and vegetables. Stir to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then adjust the heat so it bubbles steadily but not vigorously. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the pork is tender and the liquid has reduced to a sauce, 30 to 40 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. (The dish can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated for up to 2 days; gently reheat before proceeding.)

3. Heat the oven to 400°F. Grease a baking sheet generously with oil. Cut each plantain lengthwise into 4 thin planks. Lay the plantain slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, smear them with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, turning once, until they are nicely browned and just tender, about 20 minutes. Turn off the oven and keep the plantains inside to stay warm.

4. When the pork is ready, lay the plantain planks on a serving platter or individual plates and spoon the pork mixture over the top. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Kale with Pork Picadillo. Just pour the pork mixture over the greens. Instead of the plantains, substitute 1 large bunch kale, cut into ribbons, and steam it instead of roasting. When the pork is about halfway done in Step 2, rig a steamer over an inch or 2 of water in a large pot (see page 414). Cover, bring to a boil, and cook until the kale is bright green and tender but still a bit crisp, 5 to 7 minutes; drain well. Sprinkle the kale with salt and pepper and serve.

Eggplant Mash with Seared Lamb Chops

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 45 minutes

Steaming eggplant gives you incredibly tender flesh that you don’t have to add any fat to while cooking. Mashed with scallions, garlic, and chile, it makes a nice pillow for seared lamb. You can make the mashed eggplant up to a day ahead. You can also use it on its own as a sandwich spread, dip, or side dish.

1½ pounds large or small eggplants, halved lengthwise

Salt

4 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed

1 bunch scallions, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 or 2 fresh hot chiles (like Thai or serrano), seeded and minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried

Black pepper

4 lamb rib or loin chops (about 12 ounces)

½ cup red wine or chicken stock (for homemade, see page 139)

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Put the eggplants in a steamer (see page 414) above about 1 inch of salted water. Bring the water to a boil and cook the eggplants until very tender, anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes depending on their size. Let the eggplants cool until you can handle them.

2. Meanwhile, put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the scallions, garlic, and chiles and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften a bit, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Cut the eggplant into pieces and put them in a large bowl with the scallion mixture. Add the oregano, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roughly mash the mixture, adding more oil if you like. Taste and adjust the seasoning. (The mashed eggplant can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated for up to day; gently reheat before proceeding.)

4. Wipe out the skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and put it over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the lamb chops and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until they are well browned and release easily from the pan, 2 to 3 minutes; turn and cook the other side until they are done how you like them, just another 2 to 3 minutes for rare or medium-rare. Remove the lamb from the skillet. Add the red wine and stir to scrape up all of the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. When the wine gets syrupy, turn off the heat. Serve a lamb chop on a spoonful of the mashed eggplant with the pan juices drizzled over all. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Eggplant Mash with Grilled Lamb Chops and Zucchini. A whole meal. After making the eggplant mash, prepare a grill to medium-high heat and put the rack about 4 inches from the fire. Cut 2 zucchini lengthwise into slices. Brush the lamb and the zucchini with a little of the oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and grill, turning once, until the meat is done as you like it and the zucchini is tender and well browned, 2 to 5 minutes per side.

Braised Lamb Shanks with Tomatoes and Tomatillos

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 3 hours or more, largely unattended

If you make this for friends and don’t tell them what’s in it, they’ll never guess—but they’ll love it. Use canned tomatoes and tomatillos when you can’t find fresh. Serve the chili (which is essentially what this is) with a pot of brown rice or millet or scoop it up with Easy Whole Grain Flatbread (page 512) or soft corn tortillas.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 lamb shanks (about 1 pound)

Salt and black pepper

1 onion, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon chili powder

½ cup coconut milk

2 cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; include their juice)

2 cups chopped tomatillos (canned are fine; include their juice)

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Put the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the lamb, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, turning and rotating as necessary, until brown on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the lamb and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add the chili powder and cook for another minute. Add the coconut milk, tomatoes, tomatillos, and ½ cup water and season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then return the lamb shanks to the pan, turn them once or twice, cover the pot, and put it in the oven.

3. Cook until the shanks are very tender (a toothpick inserted should meet little resistance) and the meat is nearly falling from the bone, about 2½ hours. (You can make the stew ahead to this point and refrigerate it for a day or 2; gently reheat before proceeding.) Remove the shanks from the pot and let cool for a few minutes; then chop the meat or just pull it off the bone and return it to the pot. Stir in the cilantro, taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve garnished with more cilantro.

Miso-Glazed Carrots and Lamb

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 40 minutes

Carrots and lamb each have a surprising, wonderful affinity with miso—there are so many flavors in this mixture it’s amazing. Tofu, pork, beef, and chicken are all good alternatives to the lamb, but they’re not quite the same. What is as good is goat, but that can be hard to find. Even finding small quantities of boneless lamb can be tricky, so either buy a whole leg and freeze portions for other meals, or just use ground lamb.

Large carrots should be peeled, but if you can find true slender baby carrots (not the machine-formed ones), just trim and cook them whole. Serve this quick little braise over brown rice or tossed with soba noodles.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 ounces boneless lamb, preferably from the leg, cut into thin slices

Salt and black pepper

1 pound carrots, cut into coins or sticks

½ cup sake, white wine, or water

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons any miso

1 tablespoon minced fresh hot chile (like jalapeño or Thai)

Sliced scallions, for garnish

1. Put the oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the lamb, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, turning as needed, until browned well on both sides, 5 to 10 minutes total. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.

2. Add the carrots and sake to the pan. Bring to a boil, then cover and adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently. Cook, more or less undisturbed, until the carrots are tender and beginning to stick to the bottom of the pan, and the liquid is gone, 10 to 20 minutes.

3. Whisk together the soy sauce, miso, minced chile, and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. When the carrots are tender, uncover them, turn off the heat, and stir in the miso mixture. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot, or within an hour or 2, garnished with scallions.