ROASTED CARROTS AND SHALLOTS WITH CHERMOULA
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS We discovered that there are two keys to good browning when roasting carrots: butter and oven position. Melting the butter first helps coat the carrots evenly before they go onto the baking sheet. The butter itself helps brown the vegetables while also keeping them from sticking. Roasting the buttered carrots lower […]
BOILED CARROTS WITH CUMIN LIME AND CILANTRO
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Boiling is the quickest, simplest way to produce tender, well-seasoned carrots. We cut 1 pound of carrots into 1½-to 2-inch lengths and then halved or quartered them lengthwise, depending on thickness, so that they all cooked at the same rate. Well-salted water not only added seasoning but also helped the carrots […]
STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Cabbage rolls stuffed with a seasoned beef filling and bathed in a light tomato sauce are serious comfort food. Sautéed onions and garlic provided a savory foundation for both sauce and filling and ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg added a warm spice flavor to the sauce. Tasters preferred brown sugar to […]
STIR FRIED CHICKEN WITH BOK CHOY AND CRISPY NOODLE CAKE
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Chicken, bok choy, and red bell pepper make a colorful stir-fry. A quick soak in a simple marinade brightened up our chicken, and a savory stir-fry sauce with soy sauce and oyster sauce tied everything together. A pan-fried noodle cake—crispy and crunchy on the outside and tender and chewy inside—offered a […]
SAVOY CABBAGE SOUP WITH HAM RYE BREAD AND FONTINA
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS This decadent combination of rich beef broth, cabbage, rye bread, pancetta, and nutty fontina cheese comes from Italian ski country, high in the Alps. Although it’s called a soup, this dish is heartier than that—reminiscent of the cheesy top layer of French onion soup. Savoy cabbage is the regional favorite, and […]
KIMCHI BEEF AND TOFU SOUP
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS This warming and traditional Korean soup gets tons of tangy flavor from kimchi, a spicy fermented vegetable condiment that uses cabbage as its base. There’s also a double dose of hearty protein from both beef and tofu. Make sure to save the kimchi brine when draining and measuring the kimchi; we […]
CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Chinese chicken salad is a chain-restaurant classic, but we wanted to give it a seriously fresh makeover—so we started by nixing anything from a can. The salad bar pile-ons (chow mein noodles, sprouts, snow peas, fried wonton strips, and water chestnuts) also got the ax, and instead, we chose to highlight […]
NAPA CABBAGE SLAW WITH CARROTS AND SESAME
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS For a slaw with a more tender, delicate texture and sweeter flavor than usual, we traded traditional green cabbage for napa cabbage. But napa cabbage’s more delicate structure means that it leaches even more water than regular cabbage. Our solution to avoid a soggy slaw? We made a potent dressing with […]
MEMPHIS CHOPPED COLESLAW
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Memphis chopped coleslaw is traditionally studded with celery seeds and crunchy green peppers and tossed with an unapologetically sugary mustard dressing that’s balanced by a bracing hit of vinegar. To ensure that our slaw boasted brash—but balanced—flavor, we quickly cooked the spicy dressing to meld the flavors tougher, and then tossed […]
WHOLE WHEAT ROTINI WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS The combination of earthy Brussels sprouts and nutty whole-wheat pasta makes a uniquely satisfying pasta dish. To ensure even cooking, we sliced the Brussels sprouts and then sautéed them along with some sliced shallots before simmering them in a combination of chicken broth and heavy cream. Parmesan imparted a tangy note […]