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Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew with Sausage and Cabbage

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In Tuscany, creamy, flavorful beans transform rustic soups and stews into something special, perfect for hunkering down on a cool weather afternoon/evening. But you want to avoid tough, exploded beans in this Tuscan bean stew recipe. Therefore, soak the beans overnight in salted water, which softens the skins.

Gently cooking the beans in a 250-degree oven produces perfectly cooked beans that stay intact. To complete the bean stew recipe, add tomatoes toward the end of cooking, since their acid keeps the beans from becoming too soft.

Please note: The creamier texture of beans soaked overnight are preferred for this recipe. If you’re short on time, quick-soak them: Place the rinsed beans in a large heat-resistant bowl. Bring 2 quarts of water and 3 tablespoons of salt to a boil. Pour the water over the beans and let them sit for 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans well before proceeding with step 2. For a more substantial dish, serve the stew over toasted bread. This variation has much more meat than the Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew and is made with crinkly Savoy cabbage.

Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew with Sausage and Cabbage

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • Table salt
  • 1 lb. dried cannellini beans (about 2 cups), rinsed and picked over
  • 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
  • 1 ½ lbs. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1 large onion, chopped medium (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 2 medium celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup)
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
  • 8 medium garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 4 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ medium head savoy cabbage, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes drained and rinsed
  • 1 sprig fresh oregano leaves
  • Ground black pepper
  • 8 slices country white bread, each 1 1/4 inches thick, broiled until golden brown on both sides and rubbed with garlic clove, (optional)

Directions

  1. Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt in 4 quarts cold water in large bowl or container. Add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.
  2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Heat oil and sausage in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, breaking meat into small pieces with wooden spoon until it loses its raw color, about 8 minutes. Transfer sausage to paper towel-lined plate and place in refrigerator. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 10 to 16 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, water, bay leaves, and soaked beans. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook until beans are almost tender (very center of beans will still be firm), 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  3. Remove pot from oven and stir in greens, sausage, and tomatoes. Cover pot, return pot to oven and continue to cook until beans and greens are fully tender, 30 to 40 minutes longer.
  4. Remove pot from oven and submerge oregano sprig in stew. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Discard bay leaves and oregano sprig and season stew with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, use back of spoon to press some beans against side of pot to thicken stew. Serve over toasted bread, if desired, and drizzle with olive oil.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen

Italian Wedding Risotto

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For a more substantial, main-course variation on Italian wedding soup, serve this garlicky meatball and spinach risotto with a drizzle of olive oil, grated Parmesan, and parsley. Pair with a side salad—dinner done.

Inspired by the classic soup, this heartier Italian wedding risotto is filled with just-wilted spinach and topped with crispy, garlicky meatballs. Use a cookie scoop to quickly portion out the meatballs; make a double batch and freeze half to whip up this dish in a flash. Remove the risotto from the heat while it’s still a little soupy — it will thicken slightly as it rests. 

A few changes we made started with baking (instead of broiling) the meatballs. The size of the meatballs was reduced slightly, creating 25 instead of 20. We preferred a less liquidy finish, so we reduced the water by 1 cup. And the fact that baby spinach wilts down to nothing, we used the entire package of 5 ounces. These alterations are all noted below.

While the original recipe said the total prep/cook time was 45 minutes, it realistically took over an hour; perhaps due to the fact that we baked the meatballs instead of broiled them.

Italian Wedding Risotto

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground pork
  • 1/2 cup panko
  • 1 1/2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated with a Microplane (about 2/3 cup), divided, plus more for garnish
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped, divided
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp. black pepper, plus more to taste and for garnish
  • 4 cups chicken stock or broth, preferably homemade
  • 1-2 cups water (depending on how liquidy you want it to be)
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter (2 oz.), divided 
  • 1 medium-size yellow onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 1 medium celery stalk, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked arborio rice (about 10 1/2 oz.)
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 5 oz. packed fresh baby spinach

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine pork, panko, 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, parsley, egg, 2 teaspoons chopped garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix gently with hands until just combined.
  2. Roll mixture into 20-25 meatballs (about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons each). Place meatballs 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  3. Bake until browned and cooked through, 18-22 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 160°F. Set cooked meatballs aside at room temperature until ready to serve.
  4. Combine stock and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium. Reduce heat to medium-low.
  5. Heat oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium. Add onion, celery, and remaining chopped garlic; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
  6. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.
  7. Add wine and cook, stirring often, until almost completely reduced, 1 to 2 minutes.
  8. Add 1 cup warm stock mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
  9. Add remaining stock mixture, 1 cup at a time, stirring until liquid has been absorbed after each addition, until rice is al dente, about 20 minutes.
  10. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in spinach; cook, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, about 30 seconds.
  11. Divide risotto and meatballs among bowls. Drizzle with oil; garnish with additional cheese, parsley, and black pepper.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe by Justin Chapple for Food & Wine

Orange Beef

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Many years ago when we were first dating, there was this local Chinese restaurant that had a wonderful Orange Beef on their menu. Once they closed down, we never found another satisfactory restaurant nearby with a version that quite measured up. Recently we saw this home cook’s recipe in the NYTimes Cooking by Sam Sifton that certainly looked fantastic, and tasted phenomenal.

This recipe for takeout-style orange beef, has a more intense orange-flavored sauce than many. It is important to use very good steak, and cook it fast, so that below the lovely crust of its egg-white-and-cornstarch batter, the meat remains rare and luscious.

And make it a few times because what appears difficult, and a lot of prep, the first time through — the coating of the beef, the making of the sauce, the stir-frying of the aromatics, the stir-frying of the beef — is in fact, fast and easy work, and much, much better than takeout.

As suggested, we served with steamed broccoli and white rice. But there is no way that you get 4 decent servings* out of it—between 2 and 3 is more realistic. Based on some reviewer’s comments on the longish prep time, go ahead and make the sauce the night before while cooking something else, then throw it in the fridge. This will certainly expedite the prep time.

One suggestion: *Throw in some veggies and cook them for 3-5 min in a hot wok/sauté pan. Some examples are snap peas, red and yellow peppers and some mushrooms. It would be a more balanced and substantial meal.

Orange Beef

  • Servings: 2-3
  • Difficulty: moderately easy
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Ingredients

For the Sauce

  • 1 Tbsp. neutral oil
  • 1 1½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
  • 2 Tbsp. orange zest, plus the juice of one orange
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar (do not use seasoned rice vinegar)
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. fish sauce

For the Beef

  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1 pinch kosher salt
  • 1 boneless rib-eye steak, approximately 1 to 1½ lbs, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • ¼ cup neutral oil
  • 6 scallions, white and green parts cut into inchlong pieces and separated
  • 2 to 4 dried red chiles, or to taste

Directions

  1. Make the sauce: Heat oil in a small sauce pan set over medium-high heat. When it begins to shimmer, add ginger, jalapeño and orange zest and stir to combine. Sauté mixture until ingredients soften, approximately 2 to 3 minutes, then add garlic and continue cooking until it softens, approximately 1 to 2 minutes longer.
  2. Add orange juice, brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce and fish sauce to pan and stir to combine. Allow mixture to come to a boil, then lower the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and reduces by half, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare the meat: Combine egg white, cornstarch and salt in a bowl. Add steak, tossing to coat the meat with the batter.
  4. In a large skillet or wok set over high heat, heat oil until it shimmers and is about to smoke. Add beef to the pan or wok in a single layer and cook without stirring until the bottoms of the pieces are crisp and golden, approximately 60 to 90 seconds. Add white pieces of scallion and chiles to the pan, then turn the beef pieces over and cook the other sides, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes more for medium-rare. Transfer to a platter.
  5. Pour orange sauce into the hot pan or wok, let it boil and stir it as it thickens. Add meat and white scallions and stir to coat with the sauce. Return meat and sauce to the platter and scatter green scallions over the top. Serve with steamed broccoli and white rice.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Sam Sifton for the NYTimes Cooking

Sheet-Pan Sausages and Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard

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This hearty pan of sticky, honey mustard-glazed sausages, Brussels sprouts and potatoes only adds to the argument that sheet-pan dinners make the best weeknight meals. As the sausages roast, they yield a delicious fat that coats and seasons the caramelized vegetables. Use any fresh sausage you like, as long as it pairs well with the honey mustard. Feel free to substitute or add other vegetables like red onion, squash, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, carrots or cabbage. The mustard seeds and nuts provide texture and crunch, but leave them out if you prefer.

Our potatoes may look charred in the photo, but they were actually baby purple spuds that hold their deep coloring all the way through. As mentioned, you can substitute, or add vegetables that appeal to your own preferences.

As many other reviewers noted, they would double the honey mustard mix to fully coat all of the ingredients. We agree. An increase by half to 1 1/2 pounds of sausage could be beneficial especially for those meat-centric foodies. We also served additional Dijon mustard on the side.

Sheet-Pan Sausages and Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb. fresh sausage, such as sweet or hot Italian, or bratwurst
  • 1 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
  • 1 lb. small potatoes, like baby Yukon gold, purple or red potatoes, halved
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 4 tsp. honey
  • 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard seeds (optional)
  • ¼ cup almonds or walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 450 degrees, and place a sheet pan in the oven. Score the sausages in a few places on both sides, making sure not to cut all the way through. Transfer to a large bowl with the brussels sprouts, potatoes and 2 tablespoons olive oil, and stir until coated. (If the mixture seems dry, add a little more oil.) Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Spread the mixture in an even layer on the heated baking sheet, and arrange the vegetables cut-sides down. Roast 15 minutes, until the brussels sprouts and potatoes start to soften. (The sausages will not be cooked through yet.)
  3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the honey, mustard and mustard seeds, if using.
  4. Drizzle the honey mustard over the sausages and vegetables, and toss or shake to coat. Flip the sausages. Sprinkle with almonds, if using. Roast until the sausages are cooked through and the vegetables are golden and tender, another 10 minutes or so. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Ali Slagle for NYTimes Cooking

Chicken Scarpariello

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With fast-cooking boneless chicken thighs and sweet-spicy jarred Peppadews, this version of the Italian-American classic is ready in just 45 minutes. And as one reviewer exclaimed, we might just have to call this “Marry Me Again” chicken. It is superb!

Chicken scarpariello means “shoemaker’s chicken,” but the story behind its name isn’t well documented. Most sources agree that it’s an entirely Italian-American construct; some claim it originated in Sicily and Calabria. Given this dish’s vague historical background, it’s no wonder that chicken scarpariello recipes vary quite a bit.

White wine, potatoes, and either sweet and/or hot Italian sausage pop up in some renditions of this recipe but not others. Many include pickled peppers, though some use fresh or a combination of the two. Lemon juice is a popular addition, but white wine vinegar sometimes makes an appearance instead. Comparatively speaking, this chicken scapariello recipe keeps things basic with a relatively short ingredient list. If you’ve never had the dish before, this quick take is a terrific one to start with.

Of course, using a homemade chicken stock adds oodles of flavor on its own. For additional ingredients consider artichoke hearts, or dry vermouth or white wine in place of some of the chicken broth. Serve with crusty bread, or as we did, served over a bed of Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (Garlic Paste). Fantastic!

Chicken Scarpariello

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 8 small skinless, boneless chicken thighs (2 lbs.)
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • All-purpose flour, for dusting
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 8 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise and lightly smashed
  • 4 large rosemary sprigs, broken into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 cup chicken stock/broth, preferably homemade
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 
  • 1/2 cup Peppadew peppers or other pickled peppers, sliced

Directions

  1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dust with flour. In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook over high heat, turning once, until browned and crusty on both sides, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for 3 minutes, until the garlic is lightly browned. Transfer the chicken to a platter, leaving the rosemary and garlic in the skillet.
  3. Add the stock to the skillet and cook over high heat, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the lemon juice and butter and swirl until emulsified. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet.
  5. Add the peppers and cook, turning the chicken until coated in the sauce, about 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken and sauce to the platter and serve.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Grace Parisi for Food & Wine

Jamaican-Style Chili-Lime Fish Stew

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This dish truly showcases the wonderful fruitiness of habanero and the heat* is a lovely combination with the rest of the ingredients. This simple skillet stew is rich with Caribbean flavors. It’s inspired by a dish called Jamaican run-down, which simmers mackerel in coconut milk, along with tomatoes, thyme and aromatics.

The cooking liquid reduces to a luxurious sauce with spiciness and fruity notes from the habanero chili, tropical flavor from the coconut and brightness from the lime juice. Instead of mackerel, which can be difficult to source and also has an assertiveness that’s polarizing, (and we just flat out don’t like it) mild, firm sea bass or cod fillets are used. Serve with steamed jasmine rice, fried plantains or rice and beans.

TIP: Don’t touch your face if you’ve handled the habanero with bare hands, as there will be residual capsaicin on your fingers. If you have food-safe gloves, consider slipping them on before prepping the chili. And don’t use light coconut milk, as its flavor and consistency are too lean and watery.

*Word to the wise: Do not substitute a Carolina Reaper chili for the Habanero (a Serrano would be an OK choice). The supermarket didn’t have habaneros at the time so we just grabbed a reaper chili and didn’t bother looking at how they compared with the habanero heat-wise on the Scoville Heat Unit Scale. As we ate dinner, while The Hubs was sweating, had teary eyes and a flushed face, I quickly Googled only to find out while habaneros rate between 100,000 and 350,000, the Carolina Reaper clocks in at 2.5 million!! (Luckily when I was prepping the ingredients, I wore food-safe rubber gloves.)

A few changes that we made included adding a 1 1/2-inch piece of ginger cut into fine slices, increasing the coconut milk to one cup and reduced the water to a 1/2 cup.

Jamaican-Style Chili-Lime Fish Stew

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. grapeseed or other neutral oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger sliced into thin circles
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 habanero chili, stemmed and sliced into thin rings
  • 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
  • 12 oz. ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped
  • 3/4 cup coconut milk
  • 2 large thyme sprigs
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 lbs. skinless sea bass or snapper fillets, about 1 inch thick, cut into 1½-inch chunks (we used cod, much more economical)
  • 2 Tbsp. lime juice, plus lime wedges to serve
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions

  1. In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and ginger slices and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, habanero and allspice; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to break down and release their liquid, 3 to 4 minutes.
  2. Add the coconut milk and 1⁄2 cup water; scrape up any browned bits. Add the thyme, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, then bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have fully broken down and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
  3. Nestle the fish into the sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring gently and occasionally, until the fish is opaque throughout, 4 to 5 minutes. Off heat, remove and discard the thyme, then stir in the lime juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with lime wedges.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Calvin Cox for Milk Street

Lamb Shanks en Papillote with Leeks, Carrots, Rosemary and Orange

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If only I could add to this post, the aroma that wafted through the house as this dish was cooking — pure nirvana! And in the end, the shanks were “fall off the bone” tender. Certainly company-worthy!

Here, lamb shanks are wrapped in individual foil packets with vegetables, herbs, vermouth, and a sliver of butter and then roasted until luscious and fork-tender. Serve them as is—the vegetables cooked with the meat give you a built-in side dish—or pile them atop creamy polenta, mashed potatoes or roasted fingerlings*.

Be sure to pour every last flavor-packed drop of cooking liquid onto the meat before serving. Do not omit the orange rind. Even a small piece will make a difference and it is subtle. If using large shanks (about 2 pounds each), increase cooking time by 20-30 minutes. And ours were close to 2 pounds each so we added 20 minutes.

Side dish option: *Baby fingerling potatoes sliced in half, tossed in a mixture of olive oil, fresh parsley and oregano, sea salt and pepper, and a dash of pimenton. Next, arrange them on a baking sheet lined with foil and cook at 375 degrees until fork tender, about 20-25 minutes, turning over once to brown both sides.

NOTE: Divide carrots and leeks between the four foil packets, and 1/4 cup vermouth per shank

Lamb Shanks en Papillote with Leeks, Carrots, Rosemary and Orange

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 6 medium leeks (white and light-green parts only), halved lengthwise, washed, and cut into 1-1/2-inch lengths
  • 6 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-1/2-inch lengths
  • 4 (2-1/2-inch) sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 4 (2-1/2- to 3-inch) strips orange zest (use a vegetable peeler)
  • Crushed red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 lamb shanks (about 1 lb. each), trimmed
  • 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
  • 1-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into 4 slices

Directions

  1. Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F.
  2. Arrange four 16×16-inch squares of heavy-duty aluminum foil on a work surface. Put one-quarter of the leeks, one-quarter of the carrots, 1 rosemary sprig, and 1 strip of orange zest on each square. Season each with a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
  3. Pat the lamb shanks dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering hot. Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, brown the shanks on all sides, about 10 minutes total per batch. Transfer 1 shank to each foil square, arranging it on top of the vegetables. Draw up the edges of the foil to capture any juice, but don’t seal the packets yet.
  4. Return the skillet to medium heat, add the vermouth, and bring to a simmer, scraping the skillet with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat. Portion the vermouth evenly among the 4 packets, pouring it over the lamb. Dot each shank with a slice of the butter.
  5. Fold the foil to form rectangular packets, sealing the seams tightly. Arrange the packets on a baking sheet; it’s fine if they touch but they shouldn’t overlap. Bake for 2-1/2 hours; then check for doneness by carefully opening one of the packets (watch out for the steam) and testing the meat with a fork—it should be tender and pulling away from the bone. If necessary, continue to bake for another 10 minutes and check again.
  6. Transfer the contents of the packets to large plates or pasta bowls, surrounding the shanks with the vegetables and juice. Remove the rosemary and orange zest before serving, if you like.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Molly Stevens

Chicken Gratin

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This decadent, company-worthy casserole, features tender chicken thighs and melted turnips and leeks bathed in a creamy gratin sauce reminiscent of fondue and topped with garlicky breadcrumbs. Sherry and Cognac join forces to cut through the richness of the gratin while adding a touch of nuttiness.

Allow the flavorful browned bits to build in the skillet as the chicken sears — these golden nuggets are key to building the foundation of the cheese-laden sauce. (If necessary, brown the chicken pieces in two batches so that they brown instead of steam.)

For a more funky and pungent flavor, try Gruyère cheese. For a more mild, buttery, and nutty flavor, opt for aged Gouda. The topping of breadcrumbs helps to provide a pleasantly crunchy contrast to the soft, creamy chicken gratin. Tossing the breadcrumbs with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper before baking infuses them with extra flavor.

A few things we did differently was incorporate 3 leeks instead of two, use a bit more cheese, and mixed in the cheese with the breadcrumb mixture (that was actually a mistake, but we liked the result!).

We served ours with a Herbed Barley Pilaf. But upon consideration, it was a rather heavy side dish for the gratin, so a green vegetable or side salad might be a better match.

Chicken Gratin

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: moderately easy
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Ingredients

  • 8 small boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 1/4 lbs.)
  • 1 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 1/4 tsp. black pepper, divided
  • 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 medium (about 12-oz.) leeks, thoroughly washed, light green and white parts of leeks cut in half lengthwise, and sliced diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 5 garlic cloves, 4 finely chopped and 1 grated
  • 1 1/4 pounds turnips (about 3 medium turnips), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup chicken stock 
  • 3 Tbsp. (1 1/2 oz.) Cognac
  • 2 Tbsp. (1 oz.) dry sherry
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme, plus thyme sprigs for garnish
  • 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 5 oz. Gruyère or aged Gouda cheese, grated (about 1 1/4 cups)
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (from 1 small French bread loaf)

Directions

  1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium until foamy. Working in batches, if needed, cook chicken, undisturbed, until well browned, about 10 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to prevent browned bits in skillet from burning. Flip chicken; cook until no longer pink on the outside, about 1 minute. (You may to do this in two batches.) Transfer chicken to a plate, and set aside. Remove skillet from heat; do not wipe clean. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Increase heat to medium-high under skillet. Add turnips, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until turnip edges are browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer turnips to a large (2 1/2- to 3-quart) baking dish; set aside. Reduce heat to medium.
  3. Add leeks to the skillet and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook over medium, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer the leeks to the baking dish with turnips. Do not wipe the skillet clean.
  4. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to skillet and melt over medium. Add finely chopped garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Stir in chicken stock, Cognac, and sherry. Bring to a simmer over medium, and stir using a wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in cream, mustard, chopped thyme, and nutmeg; simmer over medium, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with additional salt to taste.
  5. Arrange chicken thighs over turnip-and-leek mixture in the baking dish. Pour sauce evenly over the mixture; sprinkle with cheese.
  6. Place the grated garlic clove in a medium bowl. Stir in oil. Add breadcrumbs, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; toss to combine. Sprinkle evenly over chicken mixture.
  7. Bake in preheated oven, uncovered, until breadcrumbs turn dark amber brown, sauce bubbles in the center, and a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of chicken registers at least 165°F, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool 5 minutes. Garnish with thyme sprigs, and serve.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe by Amy Thielen for Food & Wine

Scalloped Potatoes with Horseradish and Gruyere

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Scalloped potatoes are a tried-and-true side dish. There’s no reason to reinvent a classic, but adding a kick, a rather strong kick, can be a fun twist. The piquant horseradish in this recipe does exactly that. It cuts through the double richness of the cream and cheese and makes you crave another serving.

Swapping a single variety of potato for three — purple, sweet and russet — adds more texture and flavor. Purple potatoes (see Tip) pop on the plate and offer that earthy flavor but with a less starchy texture, and the sweet potatoes are meltingly tender. Give this festive, upgraded version of scalloped potatoes a try at your next gathering.

Intended for just the two of us, we cut the recipe me half. It was still enough for six decent-sized portions.

TIP: Go with whatever variety and size of purple potatoes are available. If using ones with thin skins, you can go ahead and skip peeling.

Scalloped Potatoes with Horseradish and Gruyere

  • Servings: 8-10
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb. russet potatoes (about 2 medium)
  • 1 lb. purple potatoes (see Tip)
  • 1 lb. sweet potatoes (about 2 medium)
  • 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 5 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups half-and-half
  • ½ cup prepared horseradish
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • 2 cups shredded Cheddar or Gruyère

Directions

  1. Arrange a rack in the top third of the oven and heat to 400 degrees. Peel all the potatoes (see Tip) and cut into ⅛-inch-thick slices with a sharp knife or mandoline.
  2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until just golden, about 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until a paste forms, then continue stirring to cook the flour until bubbling, 30 seconds to 1 minute more. Slowly pour in 1½ cups of the half-the-half and whisk until combined. Whisk in remaining half-and-half, the horseradish and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a simmer while whisking constantly, then turn off heat and let steep for about 5 minutes.
  3. Ladle 1 cup of the horseradish cream sauce into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, spreading to fully coat the bottom of the dish. Add half the sliced potatoes in an even layer; have fun mixing the colors. Sprinkle half the cheese on top and pour over another cup of the sauce, making sure the sauce is fully covering the cheese and potatoes. Add the remaining sliced potatoes, and top with remaining sauce and cheese.
  4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until potatoes are almost fully tender and sauce is bubbling, about 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the edges are slightly crisp and the cheese is golden brown in spots, about 10 minutes more. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Vivian Chan-Tam for NYTimes Cooking

Ragù Cilentano: Slow-Cooked Short Ribs with Pasta

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Ragù cilentano is a unique dish not well known outside of Italy’s Campania region. The tomato-centric sauce gets its intense flavor and thick, lush consistency from multi-hour cooking with various types of meat—traditionally only small amounts of scraps that melt into and merge with the tomatoes as the ingredients slowly concentrate.

Here, the meats are limited to two: pancetta for its salty, porky flavor and short ribs that lend deep, beefy richness. Tomatoes are also used in two forms: sweet-tart canned whole tomatoes and tomato paste for depth and umami. For convenience as well as steady, even cooking, the sauce is simmered in the oven so no careful monitoring is needed.

The ragù pairs especially well with sturdy, thick, chewy pasta shapes such as cavatelli or orecchiette (we used cavatappi). The finished sauce can be cooled and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days; rewarm it in a covered saucepan over medium before tossing it with just-cooked pasta.

The store was not carrying boneless short ribs on the day we went, so we chose chuck steak (stew meat) and it worked perfectly fine—and we saved a boat load of money with the cheaper cut!

Don’t add more salt and pepper at the start of cooking than the recipe calls for. As the ingredients reduce, the flavors become concentrated. It’s best to adjust seasoning at the very end, after the ragù has been tossed with the pasta. When the sauce is done, don’t skim off all of the fat that rises to the surface; a little fat delivers flavor and pasta-coating silkiness.

Ragù Cilentano: Slow-Cooked Short Ribs with Pasta

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: moderate
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Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 oz. pancetta, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 lb. boneless beef short ribs, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 1 lb. cavatelli, cavatappi or orecchiette pasta
  • 1 oz. Parmesan cheese, finely grated (½ cup), plus more to serve
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the lower-middle position. In a Dutch oven over medium, combine the oil, pancetta and onion. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it starts to darken and stick to the bottom of the pot, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Stir in the beef, tomatoes with juices, ½ cup water, ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, cover, transfer to the oven and cook for 2 hours.
  2. Remove the pot from the oven, uncover and stir, scraping the sides of the pot. Return to the oven uncovered and cook until a skewer inserted into a piece of beef meets no resistance, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven. If desired, skim off and discard some of the fat from the surface, but leave some for flavor. Cover to keep warm while you cook the pasta.
  3. In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to boil. Add the pasta and 1 tablespoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
  4. Add the pasta to the ragù and cook over medium, stirring, until the pasta is well coated in sauce and everything is heated through; if it looks dry, stir in reserved cooking water as needed. Off heat, stir in the basil and cheese, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with additional cheese.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe by Rose Hattabaugh for Milk Street

Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Brownies

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Delight your taste buds with these heavenly Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Brownies, a perfect fusion of rich, fudgy chocolate and creamy peanut butter. These mouthwatering brownies are sure to satisfy cravings for both chocolate and peanut butter lovers alike. Featuring a luscious peanut butter batter swirled into a delectable dark chocolate brownie base, every bite promises an irresistible burst of flavor. Ideal for dessert, gatherings, or a little personal indulgence, these Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies are a treat you won’t want to miss.

Please note that I made a double batch and therefore the ingredients photo has more of everything in the picture. When adding the peanut butter mixture to the pan, make them in tablespoon dollops, not as large as shown in the photos. And swirl the batters together well so that there are no large areas of peanut butter (which does not contain flour or egg).

The end result is a very rich, chewy brownie, that practically no one can resist.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Brownies

  • Servings: 12-16 brownies
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

Peanut Butter Batter

  • 3 Tbsp. Butter (melted)
  • ¾ cup Creamy Peanut Butter
  • ⅓ cup Granulated Sugar

Brownie Batter

  • 4 oz. 72% Dark Chocolate Bar (roughly chopped)
  • ½ cup Butter
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Large Eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 tsp. Bourbon Vanilla Extract
  • ⅔ cup All-Purpose Flour
  • ¼ tsp. Salt (omit if using salted butter)
  • 2 oz. 72% Dark Chocolate Bar (chopped)
  • About a 1/4 cup of Reeses peanut butter and/or dark chocolate chip morsels (optional)

Directions

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8” or 9” square pan on all sides and bottom, then line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift out the finished brownies (makes cutting easier!). Grease the top side of the parchment paper that is inside the pan. Set aside.

Peanut Butter Batter

  1. In a medium bowl, stir all ingredients together until smooth.

Brownie Batter

  1. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine butter and chopped 4 oz. 72% Dark Chocolate Bar. Melt in 30 second increments, whisking after each, until completely smooth.
  2. Whisk in the granulated sugar until completely combined, then whisk in the eggs and 1 tsp. Bourbon Vanilla Extract.
  3. Add flour and fold together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until almost combined.
  4. Add chopped 2 oz. 72% Dark Chocolate Bar, and finish mixing just until no more flour streaks remain.
  5. To assemble brownies, spread a thin layer of brownie batter in bottom of prepared baking pan. Dollop peanut butter batter all over in big spoonfuls, leaving gaps between spoonfuls.
  6. Drop remaining brownie batter in pan between the peanut butter batter. Use a butter knife to swirl the batters together in loose figure-8s. Sprinkle peanut butter and dark chocolate chip morsels (if using) on top.
  7. Bake for 35-40 minutes. To test if brownies are done, insert toothpick into the center of the pan, avoiding the peanut butter batter and chocolate chunks as much as possible. When the toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, the brownies are done. If batter is wet, continue to check every two minutes.
  8. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into squares.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe from World Wide Chocolate

Double Mushroom and Sherry Meatloaf

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Way back in the Winter of 2011, Fine Cooking Magazine ran an article on their favorite meatloaf recipes. I made a copy of the 6-page story and it came in handy when we recently had a hankering for a different flavor profile meatloaf.

The beauty of the composed piece was that it not only gave you 8 different meatloaf recipes, but also how and what to throw together if you wanted to make your own combination. We chose the Double Mushroom and Sherry Meatloaf option this time, and pretty much followed it to a tee.

The end result was so moist and loose, not tight and densely packed. While it did take a good 15 minutes longer to come to temperature in the oven, it was well worth the wait. If you’d prefer the topping a little less sweet, switch out the ketchup for tomato sauce.

Double Mushroom and Sherry Meatloaf

  • Servings: 6-8
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 cup fresh cremini mushrooms, chopped
  • 1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated and chopped
  • 3/4 cup dry sherry
  • 4 oz. sliced white bread
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 lb. ground veal
  • 1 lb. ground pork
  • 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
  • 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp.pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. mix of chopped thyme and sage
  • 3 Tbsp. ketchup

Directions

  1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F.
  2. Heat oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-low heat.Cook the aromatics (onion, garlic, mushrooms), stirring frequently until softened and just beginning too brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
  3. Add the sherry and simmer briskly until almost dry, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool until warm.
  4. In a shallow dish that holds it in a single layer, soak the bread in the milk, flipping once, until soggy but not falling apart, 5 to 10 minutes. Lightly squeeze a handful of bread a a time to remove some of the milk. Finely chop and add to the bowl with the cooked aromatics.
  5. Add the ground meats, 2 beaten eggs, chopped fresh herbs, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper. Use your hands to gently combine the meat mixture without overworking it.
  6. Line the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch loaf pan with parchment. Transfer the meatloaf mixture to the pan and level out the meat to fill the rectangular block. Top with the ketchup.
  7. Bake until an instant-read thermometer in the middle of the loaf registers 160°F, 45 to 60 minutes.
  8. When done, pull from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. With a large spatula, transfer to a cutting board or serving platter and cut into 3/4- to 1-inch slices. Serve with more ketchup on the side, if desired.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Cheese Enchiladas

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According to the NYTimes Cooking article where we found this recipe, enchiladas are an essential component of Houston’s ebullient, dynamic foodways. Mexican in origin, while distinctly Tex-Mex at the same time, the dish adapts to its surroundings. Each enchilada recipe is deeply local: The style ubiquitous in Monterrey, Mexico, will be different from those found in San Antonio or El Paso or Mexico City.

But from enchilada to enchilada, the common denominator is deliciousness. In “The Enchilada Queen Cookbook,” Sylvia Casares notes, “for Tex-Mex-style cheese enchiladas, yellow cheese, such as Cheddar, is the traditional choice” yielding “the quintessential Tex-Mex enchilada.” 

Options: Buy a rotisserie chicken, shred it and add a quarter cup meat to each tortilla along with the cheese. To make it vegetarian, swap out the beef broth for vegetable broth, Better Than Bullion is a good brand. As an extra topping, add pickled jalapeños.

Puritans implore you NOT to use flour tortillas. Well, that was our only option at the supermarket (surprisingly), so instead of the listed corn tortillas, we went with the flour ones. They don’t crack like the corn versions, and turned out fine. Just saying, use what you feel comfortable doing. Ours was only a package of 8 instead of 10, but they fit the casserole dish just fine, and we had extra cheese to top them with.

NOTE: You want ground dried chiles, not chili powder, which includes other spices and salt. The choice of mild, medium or hot chile powder is up to you, but avoid using chipotle chile powder, which can end up bitter.

Cheese Enchiladas

  • Servings: 4-5
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp. neutral oil, such as canola, plus more for greasing
  • 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 Tbsp. ground red chile powder (see Tip)
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • ½ tsp. ground black pepper, plus more for sprinkling
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • Salt
  • 10 corn tortillas
  • 1 lb. shredded cheddar (5 cups)
  • ½ cup finely diced white onion
  • Fresh parsley or cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Directions

  1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch shallow baking dish or pan or a very large cast-iron skillet.
  2. Add the oil and flour to a medium skillet. Set over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture (known as roux) turns a golden color, smells nutty and thickens, 5 to 7 minutes.
  3. Add garlic, chile powder, cumin, oregano and black pepper to the roux. Whisk until smooth (some clumping from the garlic is fine), being careful to not let the spices burn, about 30 seconds.
  4. While whisking constantly, add beef broth ¼ cup at a time, whisking after each addition, until smooth. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, whisking occasionally, for 10 minutes. Then remove from heat, and allow the gravy to rest for another 10 minutes. Taste the gravy and season with salt as needed for a savory sauce.
  5. Meanwhile, in another pan, lightly heat a tortilla over medium just until softened, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel or sheet of foil and wrap. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, stacking them in the towel or foil. Be careful of overcooking: You’re softening each tortilla to prevent them from cracking as they’re filled and folded.
  6. Fill a softened tortilla with about ⅓ cup of cheese. Roll shut and, with the seam side facing downward, place in the greased baking dish or skillet. Repeat until you’ve filled all of the tortillas, setting the rolls next to each other.
  7. Slowly pour the gravy over all of the tortillas to coat. Afterward, sprinkle the dish with the rest of the cheese and the diced onion.
  8. Bake until the gravy is bubbling and the cheese melted, 20 to 25 minutes.
  9. Garnish with parsley, if desired, alongside a sprinkle of salt and black pepper. Serve immediately.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe from Bryan Washington for NYTimes Cooking

Thai-Style Tan Tan Mian

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Love at first bite, or actually, at first glance of the recipe in our Milk Street Magazine. At Bā Hào, a bar in Bangkok’s Chinatown, Milk Street was smitten with the tan tan mian, a soup that featured chewy wheat noodles in a rich, spicy-sweet peanutty broth, finished with bits of ground pork, shiitake mushrooms and sesame seeds. Sichuan pepper add tongue-tingling flavor, while bok choy supplies color and crispness. It’s a muddle of a dish—a Thai riff on a Japanese dish that actually originated in China—but who cares, it was delicious!!

We like the nubbiness of chunky peanut butter in the broth, but smooth is fine, too, if that’s what’s in the pantry. And any type of peanut butter—regular (such as Skippy or Jif) or natural (no added sweeteners or oil)—will work. For convenience, the soup can be made ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container for a few days. When ready to serve, reheat the soup while you cook the bok choy and noodles, portion and serve.

TIP: Don’t trim off too much from the base from each head of baby bok choy. Cut away just enough to remove the dry ends, but not so much that the leaves separate. This way, the layers will hold together when the bok choy is quartered lengthwise.

*NOTE: We doubled the amount of baby bok choy, while the original recipe only calls for 8 ounces, we added one pound of baby bok choy (3 heads), and next time we are going to double that to 2 pounds!

Thai-Style Tan Tan Mian

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: moderately easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 oz. dried shiitake mushrooms (about 10 medium)
  • 1 ½ cups boiling water, to soak the mushrooms
  • 1 Tbsp. Sichuan peppercorns
  • 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
  • 2/3 cup chunky peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce, plus more if needed
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. grapeseed or other neutral oil
  • 1 lb. ground pork
  • 6 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ – ¾ tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 – 3 heads (about 8 oz.) baby bok choy*, trimmed with bases intact, quartered lengthwise
  • 10 oz. dried udon or lo mein noodles
  • Chili oil or chili crisp, to serve

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the shiitake mushrooms and enough boiling water to cover. Place a plate on top to submerge the mushrooms; let soak until softened, 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a 4-quart or larger saucepan over medium, toast the Sichuan peppercorns, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool. In the same pan over medium, toast the sesame seeds until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes; transfer to another small bowl and set aside. Reserve the saucepan. Using a spice grinder or mortar with a pestle, finely grind the Sichuan peppercorns; set aside.
  2. Lift the softened mushrooms from the soaking water. Pour the soaking water through a fine-mesh strainer set over a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or small bowl. Rinse the bowl used to soak the mushrooms, then in it, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar, ½ teaspoon black pepper and 1 cup strained mushroom liquid. Trim off and discard the stems from the mushrooms, then cut the caps into ¼- to ½-inch cubes; set aside.
  3. In the reserved saucepan over medium-high, heat the oil until barely smoking. Add the pork and ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper; cook, stirring and breaking the pork into small bits, until either the meat is browned and crisped or browned bits have formed on the pan, about 9 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic, pepper flakes and 1 to 1½ teaspoons ground Sichuan pepper; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the broth, peanut butter mixture, mushrooms, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits, then reduce to medium-low and simmer, uncovered and stirring, until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the bok choy and cook until bright green and tender-crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to a plate, allowing excess water to drain back into the pot. To the boiling water, add the noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. Drain in a colander, shaking to remove as much water as possible. Divide the noodles among 4 serving bowls.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe adapted by Courtney Hill for Milk Street Magazine

Cantonese Sweet-and-Sour Pork

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Hands down. THE. BEST. Sweet-and-Sour Pork ever! As The Hubs said “Finally a grown-up version that’s not all gloppy sweet.” In Hong Kong, a true Cantonese sweet-and-sour pork was the predecessor of the overly sweet versions served today in many Chinese-American restaurants (I’m sure you’ve had one or two?). Milk Street created this recipe by combining the attributes of the best ones.

Though the pork typically is deep-fried, it is kept lighter by pan-frying it in just ¼ cup of oil to crisp a thin cornstarch coating. Traditional versions are flavored with hawthorn berries, a crabapple-like fruit. To approximate the flavor of hawthorn berries, use apple jelly—it provides fruitiness, sweetness and a little body to the glaze-like sauce.

Finally, a little MSG amplifies the savoriness, but it’s optional. A 12- to 14-inch wok is the best pan to use, but a 12-inch skillet works, too. If using a skillet, cook the pork in a single batch instead of two.

Don’t use canned pineapple. Milk Street tasted versions in Hong Kong made with canned fruit and they claim the flavor and texture fell flat. Also, be sure the sauce is adequately reduced and thickened before returning the pork to the pan. If it is too thin, its flavor will be diluted and it won’t cling properly to the pork and vegetables.

We were definitely a little skeptical of the level of sweetness with ketchup, sugar and pineapple, but while there was a hint of sweetness, it was by no means cloying. A few changes that we made? Instead of a small red onion, we used a large one; and the amount of fresh pineapple chunks* was more like 3 cups worth.

We both love stir-fries because they are usually quick and contain a lot of vegetables. This recipe has now earned a well-deserved spot in the top ten best of all stir-fries!

Cantonese Sweet-and-Sour Pork

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 1 – 1¼ lbs. boneless country-style pork spareribs, cut into ¾- to 1-inch pieces
  • 4 Tbsp. white sugar, divided
  • 3 Tbsp. soy sauce, divided
  • 3/4 tsp. MSG, divided (optional)
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup apple jelly
  • 2 Tbsp. ketchup
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup grapeseed or other neutral oil
  • 1½ cups fresh pineapple chunks* (¾- to 1-inch pieces)
  • 1 small red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 medium red, orange, yellow or green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the pork, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, ½ teaspoon of the MSG (if using), ¼ teaspoon salt and ¾ teaspoon pepper. Mix until the pork is thoroughly coated; set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes (for longer storage, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours).
  2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining ¼ teaspoon MSG (if using), vinegar, apple jelly, ketchup, ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper; set aside until ready to use.
  3. When you are ready to cook, sprinkle the cornstarch over the pork and mix until evenly coated. In a 12- to 14-inch wok over high, heat the oil until barely smoking. Add half of the pork, separating the pieces and distributing them in an even layer. Cook, undisturbed, for 1 minute. Stir, then cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and deeply browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a large plate and set aside. Using the oil remaining in the wok, cook the remaining pork in the same way and transfer to the plate. Pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the oil.
  4. Return the wok to high and heat the oil until barely smoking. Add the pineapple, onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring once or twice, until spottily charred but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to another plate and set aside.
  5. Pour the sauce mixture into the wok and bring to a boil over medium-high. Cook, whisking to combine and to scrape up any browned bits, until the sauce is thick and syrupy and forms large bubbles across the entire surface, 5 to 7 minutes.
  6. Return the pork to the pan and cook, stirring and tossing, until well glazed, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the vegetable mixture and cook, tossing, until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, taste and season with salt and pepper.

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Recipe adapted by Courtney Hill for Milk Street