Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 3 lb. bone-in beef short ribs, cut into 2" segments
• salt
• 6 scallions, white and dark green parts separated
• 8 cloves garlic
• 1 4" piece ginger, scrubbed, sliced
• 6 star anise pods
• 2 3" cinnamon sticks
• 8 whole cloves
• 2 tsp. black peppercorns
• 2 tsp. coriander seeds.
• 1 c. dry white wine
• 1/2 c. (or more) soy sauce
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 5 lb. onions (about 10 medium), thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 30 oz. fresh or 18 oz. dried ramen noodles

Preparation

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Season short ribs with salt and, working in batches, cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides, 12–14 minutes. Transfer to a platter as you go. Carefully pour off fat left behind in pot until there is just enough to cover bottom of pot; discard.

Return pot to medium heat. Cook whole white scallion parts, garlic, and ginger, stirring occasionally, until they are starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Add star anise, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, and coriander seeds and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and oil is sizzling, about 1 minute. Add wine, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot with a wooden spoon. Simmer until almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Return beef to pot and add soy sauce and 12 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover partially with a lid. Simmer until meat is not quite falling off the bone, about 1½ hours.

Meanwhile, heat butter in another large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high until foaming subsides. Add onions, season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until they begin to take on some color, about 15 minutes. (If they don’t fit in your pot, add as much as you can, cover, and steam 5 minutes. Stir in remaining onions and continue cooking.) Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are deep golden and softened but not mushy, 30–45 minutes.

Using tongs, remove beef from broth and let cool until you can handle. Tear meat into bite-size pieces, discarding any bone and excess fat as you go. Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard solids.

Add meat and broth to pot with onions. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until liquid is reduced a bit and flavors have melded, about 30 minutes. Add vinegar; taste and add more vinegar and/or soy sauce if needed.

Thinly slice remaining scallion greens. Cook noodles according to package directions. Divide among bowls. Ladle soup over noodles, making sure each bowl gets some meat and plenty of onions. Top with scallion greens and serve.

BA, March 2020

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 or 5 small yellow onions, cut in half through ends
• 8 ounces frozen/defrosted puff pastry dough
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• Kosher salt
• 8 ounces mushrooms, preferably a mix, such as chanterelles, king trumpet and oyster, stemmed, rinsed well and chopped if large
• 1/2 cup walnut halves
• 6 ounces blue cheese, preferably Cabrales

Preparation

Heat the oil in a 9-inch, heavy, ovenproof skillet (not nonstick) over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, arrange the onion halves around the pan, cut sides down, with their stem ends pointing toward the center. Place one at the center of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cook for about 20 minutes, until softened and colored slightly on the bottom.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Unfold the puff pastry dough and roll out between two sheets of wax paper or parchment paper to a thin, 10-inch round; it’s okay if a foldover seam is showing or if the dough is not completely smooth.

Sprinkle the brown sugar around the pan with the onions, then season lightly with salt. Once the brown sugar looks like it is melting into the oil, distribute the mushroom pieces and walnuts around, using them to fill in nooks and crannies. Remove from the heat.

Follow suit with the pinches of the blue cheese, dotting the pan with them.

Discard the top parchment from the puff pastry dough. Invert the dough over the contents of the pan, pressing and tucking the dough around the edges in the pan. Transfer to the oven; roast (middle rack) for 25 to 35 minutes, turning the pan from front to back halfway through to promote even pastry browning.

The pastry should look flaky and nicely browned, with a mixure underneath that you can hear sizzling. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes, then invert a serving plate over the pastry.

Carefully invert the pan to reveal the tarte tatin; if some pieces do not quite make the transfer, just pop them back into place, straightening up the onions etc, as needed. The mixture should be nicely caramelized; if not, slide the tarte tatin onto a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for another 5 minutes or so.

Cut into wedges; serve warm.

WaPo/BBC

Ingredients

• 450 grams (1 pound) veal cut into cubes
• 1 medium onion
• 100 ml (1/2 cup) olive oil
• Nutmeg (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)
• Coriander (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 100 ml (1/2 cup) white wine
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 200 grams (1 cup) rice
• 3 bay leaves
• Salt (to taste)

Preparation

Season the meat with salt, nutmeg, pepper, paprika, two chopped garlic cloves, white wine, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaf. Let marinate for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, place 50 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil and one chopped garlic clove in a saucepan and saute over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rice and season with a little salt. Stir and fry the rice for 1 minute. Pour the water (twice the rice volume) and boil over medium high heat. When starts boiling, reduce to low heat and cook for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.

In a frying pan, place the remaining olive oil, a chopped onion and saute over low heat until the onion start to turn golden brown. Add the meat together with the marinade and fry over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the rice to the frying pan, mix everything nicely and turn off the heat. Sprinkle with chopped coriander and serve.

Food From Portugal

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced shallots (about 1 large)
• 1 Granny Smith apple, finely diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
• 2 thyme sprigs
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 pound skinless cod fillets—bones removed, fish cut into 2-inch chunks
• Crusty bread, for serving

Preparation

Soak the porcini in the boiling water until softened, 10 minutes. Strain the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid, and rinse to remove any grit. Finely chop.

In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the shallots, apple, garlic, curry powder, thyme sprigs and porcini and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the shallots are softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the mussels and toss. Add the wine. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over high heat until the mussels have opened, 3 minutes. Add the cream and 1/2 cup of the porcini soaking liquid, stopping before you reach the grit. Bring to a simmer. Nestle the cod in the broth, cover and cook until the fish lightly flakes, 4 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs. Transfer the cod and mussels to large bowls and spoon the broth on top. Serve with crusty bread.

Food & Wine

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 c. finely diced onion
• 8 oz. fresh chorizo sausage (Mexican)
• 1 tsp. tomato paste (double-concentrated, or 1 tbsp. normal)
• 8 oz. swiss chard, washed but not dried, each leaf cut into 4 or 5 pieces
• 2 15– or 16-oz. cans white beans, drained and rinsed (around 3 c.)
• 1/2 c. medium-bodied red wine

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring once or twice, for 2 to 3 minutes, until it has softened, then add sausage. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the sausage is lightly browned but not cooked through; use a spatula or wooden spoon to break up any large chunks.

Add the tomato paste, stirring to mix well; cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the Swiss chard; if the cut pieces are not very wet, add a few tablespoons of water, as needed, to help create steam. Reduce the heat to medium; cover and cook for 2 minutes, until the chard starts to wilt. Add the beans and the red wine; use tongs to fold the ingredients together. Cover and adjust the heat as necessary so the liquid in the pan is bubbling slightly. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the chard is tender.

Remove from the heat; taste and add salt, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

WaPo

Ingredients

• 1 lg. fennel bulb, trimmed, cored
• 3 limes
• 2 green onions
• 3 avocados
• 250g baby cucumbers, cut into ribbons with a peeler
• 200g (1 bunch) radishes, trimmed, washed, thinly sliced
• 400g smoked salmon
• olive oil
• crème fraîche, for serving
• salmon roe, for serving
• fresh dill, for serving
• crackers or bread, for serving

Preparation

Use a mandoline to thinly slice the fennel lengthwise. Place in a large bowl with the juice of 1 lime. Add a large pinch of salt, toss to combine, and set aside to pickle.

Cut green onions into 8cm lengths, and thinly slice lengthwise. Place in a bowl of cold water for 2–3 minutes or until lightly curled. Drain well.

Mash the avocados in a bowl, and add the juice of the last two limes. Combine and season with salt and pepper.

Drain the fennel. Arrange the avocado in a heaped circle around the edge of a large plate. Arrange fennel, cucumber, radishes, green onions, and salmon over the top. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with pepper. Dollop on crème fraîche and salmon roe. Scatter with dill. Serve immediately with bread or crackers.

Taste.com.au

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash, halved
• 3 small leeks, cut into rings
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 slices bacon, diced (optional)
• 1 1/4 c. risotto rice
• 1 c. heavy cream, plus extra if needed
• 1/2 c. Parmesan, grated, plus extra for serving
• 4 c. vegetable stock, warm
• 1/4 c. white wine
• 3 springs thyme
• 6-10 sage leaves
• olive oil (can be flavored, e.g. thyme)

Preparation

Add squash halves to a dish, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 45 minutes at 375F, or until the squash is soft.

Meanwhile, add the bacon to a pot and render on medium-low heat until crispy. Reserve the bacon bits. Alternatively, replace with oil to make the recipe vegetarian. Fry the sage leaves in oil until crispy, about 1 minute. Set aside.

Add the leeks and cook for 5 minutes, then garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add rice and thyme, and cook for 2–3 minutes. Deglaze with the wine. Add the vegetable stock, one ladle at a time, making sure that it is mostly absorbed before adding more. Cook until no stock remains, stirring often.

Scoop out the flesh of the squash and add to a food processor with the cream. Blend until smooth and season with more salt and pepper.

When the risotto is almost ready, add the squash and the parmesan. Season again, and add more cream if needed to thin the risotto. Serve topped with sage, bacon, more parmesan, and olive oil.

Nudo

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lb. bone-in pork loin, excess fat removed (preferably marinated overnight)
• 2 lb. or 5 c. dry white beans (in the US, Great Northern beans)
• 1/2 lb. fresh pork rind or salt pork rind
• 6-8 sprigs parsley
• 4 unpeeled cloves garlic
• 2 cloves
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 lb. fresh, unsalted, unsmoked lean bacon (or very good, lean salt pork simmered for 10 minutes in 2 qt. water, drained)
• 1 c. sliced onions
• 2–2 1/2 lb. boned shoulder or breast of mutton
• 4–6 tbsp. fresh pork fat, pork-roast drippings, goose fat, or oil
• 1 lb. cracked mutton or lamb or pork bones
• 2 c. minced onions
• 4 cloves mashed garlic
• 6 tbsp. fresh tomato purée, or tomato paste, or 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and juiced
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cups dry white wine or 2 cups dry white vermouth
• 1 qt. brown stock or 3 cups canned beef stock with 1 cup water
• salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 lb. saucisse de Toulouse or other garlic-forward sausag
• 2 c. dry white bread crumbs mixed with 1/2 c. chopped parsley
• 3–4 tbsp. pork roasting fat or goose fat

Preparation

Bake the pork loin to an internal temperature of 175–180 degrees, and set it aside to cool. Reserve its cooking juices.

Place the beans into an 8 quart pot containing 5 quarts of water at a rolling boil. Boil for two minutes. Remove from heat and let the beans soak for 1 hour. The rest of the cooking should proceed as soon as possible after the soaking is completed.

While the beans are soaking, place the pork rind in a saucepan and cover with 1 qt. cold water. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute. Drain, rinse, and repeat the process. Then, with kitchen shears, cut the rind into 1/4" strips, and cut the strips into small triangles. Cover the rind again with 1 qt. water, bring to a simmer, and simmer slowly for 30 minutes. Set the saucepan aside.

Tie the parsley, garlic, cloves, thyme, and bay leaves in cheesecloth. Place the unsmoked bacon (or blanched salt pork), onions, the pork rind and its cooking liquid, and the herb bouquet into the kettle with the soaked beans. If you did not use salt pork so far, add 1 tbsp. salt. Bring to a simmer. Skim off any fat which might rise. Simmer, uncovered, for about 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are just tender. Add more boiling water during cooking, if necessary, to keep the beans covered. Season to taste near the end of the cooking process. Leave the beans in their cooking liquid until you are ready to use them, then drain, reserving the cooking liquid. Remove the bacon or salt pork and set aside. Discard the herbs.

Cut the lamb or mutton into chunks roughly 2" square. Dry each piece in paper towel. Pour a thin layer of fat into a heavy, 8-quart, fireproof casserole and heat until almost smoking. Brown the meat, a few pieces at a time, on all sides. Set the meat aside. Brown the bones and add them to the meat. If fat has burned, discard it and add 3 tbsp. more. Lower the heat and brown the onions lightly, about 5 minutes.

Return the bones and the lamb to the casserole and stir in the garlic, tomato, thyme, bay leaves, wine/vermouth, and stock. Bring to a simmer and season to taste with salt. Cover and simmer slowly, or in a 325-degree oven, for 1 1/2 hours. Then remove the meat to a dish; discard the bones and bay leaves. Remove all but 2 tbsp. fat and carefully correct the seasoning of the cooking liquid.

Pour the cooked and drained beans into the lamb cooking liquid. Stir in any juices you may have from roasting the pork. Add bean cooking liquid, if needed, until the beans are covered. Bring to a simmer and simmer 5 minutes, then let the beans stand in the liquid for 10 minutes. Drain the beans when you are ready for final assembly, again reserving the liquid.

Brown the saucisse de Toulouse, cut into lengths between 1/2" and 3" long (depending on size/preference) and drain on paper towels.

Cut the roast pork into 1 1/2–2" serving chunks. Slice the bacon or salt pork into serving pieces 1/4" thick. Arrange a layer of beans in the bottom of your cassoulet dish, then continue with layers of lamb, roast pork, bacon slices, sausage, and beans, ending with a layer of beans and sausage. Pour on the meat cooking juices, and enough bean cooking juice so that liquid comes just to the top layer of beans. Spread on the bread crumbs and dribble the fat over the top. You can set this aside until you’re ready for final cooking (about 1h).

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Bring the casserole to a simmer on top of the stove. Set it in the upper level of the oven. When the top has crusted lightly, after about 20 minutes, turn the oven down to 350 degrees. Break the crust into the beans with the back of a spoon, and baste with the liquid in the casserole. Repeat this process several times, as the crust re-forms, but leave a final crust for serving. If the liquid in the cassoulet becomes too thick, add a spoonful or two of bean cooking liquid. It should bake for about one hour.

Variations

You could use goose confit instead of the roast pork. Scrape the fat off, and cut it into serving portions, then brown it lightly in some of the fat from the package. Then arrange it directly in the final step.

If you have fresh goose, duck, turkey, or partridge, you can roast or braise it, carve it into serving pieces, and use it with or instead of the roast pork.

Ham hock or veal shank can be added to the simmer with the beans, then cut into serving pieces and added at final assembly.

Julia Child

Ingredients

• Brown & wild rice combo (to make ~6 cups)
• fresh sausage (e.g., bratwurst)
• butter
• 1 lg. onion
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 8 oz box sliced mushrooms
• a fresh spice that matches the sausage (e.g., thyme)
• 2–3 tbsp. plus 1/4 c. parmesan

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the rice mix according to the package directions. Either cut the sausage into rounds and sautée, or sautée first and then slice, depending on the kind of sausage. Reserve. In the same skillet, add butter, onions, garlic, mushrooms, and spice. Sautée. Mix with the sausage, rice, and 2–3 tbsp. parmesan, and pour into a buttered 13x9" casserole. Dot with more butter. Bake for 45 minutes, covered. Sprinkle top with the remaining parmesan, and bake for another 15 minutes, uncovered.

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp. butter
• 3 medium onions, finely chopped (2 c.)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (1 tbsp.)
• 2 lbs. beets, coarsely grated (4 c. packed)
• 2 med. turnips, coarsely grated
• 1 celery root, coarsely grated
• 1 parsley root or parsnip, coarsely grated
• 4 med. tomatoes, coarsely chopped (4 c.)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. salt pepper
• 1/2 c. red wine vinegar
• 10 c. (2 1/2 quarts) beef stock
• 2 lb. head of green cabbage, cut into 2" squares and then shredded
• 1 lb. potatoes, in 2" squares
• 1 lb. polish sausage, in 1/2" slices, browned
• 1 med. raw beet, grated, with 3 tbsp. water
• 2 c. sour cream
• 1/2 c. fresh dill

Preparation

In a 4 quart heavy dutch oven, melt butter and cook onions and garlic until slightly colored (8–10 minutes). Add the next nine ingredients (from beets to vinegar), and 2 c. of the beef stock. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then lower the heat and cook partially covered for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring the remaining 8 c. of beef stock to a boil in a large soup pot. Add the cabbage and potatoes. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost tender.

When the beet mixture has finished cooking, pour it into the veggies. Add sausage. Strain the water from the soaking beets and add it to the soup to brighten its color.

Serve with dill and sour cream.

Alternative: You can add some dill and bay leaves to the beet mixture, and then add browned stew meat when you add the sausage.

From an exchange student who lived with my grandparents, 1960s