Chefs are often asked to name a dish they would recommend. A dish they think a home cook can make easily and that has good flavor.
Whether it’s their favorite soup, salad or dessert from Top Chef, these recipes are sure to please. Chefs recommend these dishes because they show off their culinary skills and use quality ingredients. 밀키트
Lamb Shank Steak
Whether braised in a red wine reduction or infused with Moroccan spices for a tantalizing tagine, this deliciously hearty lamb cut is a showstopper. Served with root vegetables, beans, or grains like polenta to soak up all the flavorful juices, lamb shank is a favorite cut in Mediterranean cuisines.
A tough cut from the lower leg, the shank has lots of connective tissue that becomes tender and melt-in-your mouth after slow, low cooking. It also pairs well with warm spices like cinnamon, cloves and rosemary and bold herbs such as mint.
Seasoning lamb shank is simple — it requires very little, but will benefit from a pinch of salt and pepper plus a light sprinkling of ground cumin. A bourbon-based marinade is another great option for this dish, which cooks up quickly and delivers plenty of flavor. To thicken the sauce, mix 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of the simmering liquid and stir until completely dissolved.
Taiwanese Beef Soup
A staple in the Taiwanese diet, this comforting soup underscores the country’s recent history. It was created by Nationalist veterans who migrated to the island in 1949, and it’s now served in restaurants and night market stalls all over the nation. The soup is savory and complex, thanks to a doubanjiang-based chili bean sauce and the flowery twang of Sichuan peppercorns.
The beef is stewed for 3 hours until it’s meltingly tender. The broth is enriched with Chinese Shaoxing wine, and a sachet of five spice powder is added to the pot along with star anise and ground white peppercorns.
A handful of hand-pulled noodles is placed into each bowl of soup, and the top is topped with blanched bok choy and chunks of the stewed beef. Garnish with sprinklings of scallions, ginger slices and cilantro before serving. You may want to add a few scoops of Chinese pickled mustard greens (also called Xue Cai, available at most Asian markets). It’s an optional ingredient that lends a little acidity and tang to the rich soup.
Caesar Salad
A great side dish for a meal, this classic salad can be made ahead of time. The dressing can be prepared up to 48 hours in advance. It pairs well with everything from steak to lasagna.
The original Caesar salad was invented by Cesare Cardini, an Italian immigrant to the United States. He moved his restaurant from San Diego to Tijuana in 1924 to avoid Prohibition and was a hit with bibulous Americans and Mexicans. His restaurant became so popular that his staff was unable to keep up with the demands and ran out of many ingredients, including romaine lettuce and parmesan cheese.
Use a large salad bowl to toss the cold romaine leaves with the homemade Caesar salad dressing and croutons. Toss with your hands to evenly distribute the salad. Homemade croutons are better than store-bought, so break apart a rustic country sourdough or other sturdy bread into bite-size pieces and toast or bake them until crisp. Toss with shaved parmesan cheese to add a finishing touch.
Vegetables
The distinction between fruits and vegetables is an important one to understand. It might not matter too much for a chef who’s cooking up a stew with eggplant, zucchini, pepper and tomato, but it certainly does when you’re trying to meet your dietary guidelines.
Most vegetables are low in calories and high in water, minerals and dietary fibre. The vegetable food group is generally divided into cruciferous vegetables, leafy green vegetables, marrow vegetables, root vegetables, stem vegetables and the allium vegetables. Some vegetables are also considered legumes (beans) and fall into the protein foods group.
The perception of what’s a vegetable may be further influenced by where you live and which language you speak. A 2011 study found that, compared to English speakers, Spanish speakers were more likely to consider rice and beans as vegetables. This might be because different regions have their own traditional dishes that use these ingredients. Regardless of what you call them, all vegetables contain nutrients that help protect and maintain good health.