Recipes & Menus

Adding sweetened condensed milk to the crust gives this cake a candy-like texture that reminds me of a Twix bar (a childhood weakness I rarely get to indulge since marrying a chef!). That same sweetness accentuates the buttery quality of ripe avocados. Chill it thoroughly, then let the cake sit at room temperature for a bit before you slice it. It’s so refreshing on a hot day.

Whether mild, rich, creamy, grassy, or nutty, the secret to making the ultimate cheese board is, well, the cheese. Paired with gooey, sweet, salty, citric, and refreshing accompaniments, the variety of flavors offers a taste for everyone. Try this arrangement to make your next occasion magnifique.

This is a light pasta dish, filled with ribbons of fresh chard and tossed with a little garlic-infused butter and balsamic vinegar.

In this frittata, corn adds the perfect texture while a jam-like tomato compote adds a wonderful sweetness.

In this recipe, sweet, juicy tomatoes get paired with two cheeses, fragrant herbs, and a flaky crust. We can’t think of a better way to enjoy the last tomatoes of the season.

Escabèche translates to “marinade,” which is exactly what you’re making here: a bright, tangy marinade full of pickled vegetables that also makes an ideal sauce for juicy, thick-cut pork chops.

This fermented-soybean stew is the quintessential representation of Korean jang. The soft tofu, the dashi, and the sweetness of the vegetables work together to mellow the intensity of the doenjang so that your palate can discern the different facets of flavor.

These sweet, crunchy Korean fried chicken wings will stay crispy for hours. Covered and refrigerated, they will even stay audibly crispy until the next day.

Gochujang gives pork belly a nice kick and a deep, complex flavor in this sweet-and-spicy sandwich inspired by Korean jeyuk bokkeum.

This recipe is inspired by the grilled chicken served at Jeerapan, a 77-year-old restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand. Their version is baked in a tandoor-like oven, but I've adapted it for a grill or oven. The two-stage cooking method is essential: The initial roasting at moderate heat partially cooks the meat while dehydrating the skin, getting it ready to crisp up later on and allowing all the scattered bits of fresh aromatics and dried spices in the marinade to adhere. The final stage of cooking is hot and fast, using saffron-infused coconut oil as a basting liquid. The end result is a juicy, fragrant, and intensely flavorful bird, tinted canary gold—its skin smoky, charred, and crisp. The pineapple-chile dipping sauce lends its sweet tang and a mild kick of heat to round out the meal.

This coconut rice recipe appears in Leela Punyaratabandhu's cookbook, Bangkok, as part of a meal that includes green papaya salad, sweet shredded beef, and chicken red curry.

A simple fall dessert.

Use refined coconut oil for a vegan pie crust that's flaky without a noticeable coconut flavor.

The truth is, there’s a time and a place for whole-wheat pasta. Its nutty, earthy flavor isn’t the best match with a light tomato sauce, but it works quite well with bolder ingredients like capers and anchovies, which can stand up to the pasta’s wholesomeness. Hearty vegetables pair well, too. Here, broccoli is cooked down and transformed into an extra-chunky, extra savory sauce. For even more texture, grated cheese is swapped for toasted bread crumbs. In Italy, they’re known as pan grattato, or “grated bread,” as peasants once used them as a cheese replacement on their pasta because they couldn’t afford the real deal. Nowadays both are easily within reach, but the crunch they add here makes it easy to leave the Parmesan behind.

This versatile dashi has earthiness, depth, and is full of glutamates from shiitake mushrooms, dashima seaweed, and dried anchovies.