Place a heavy-bottomed saucepot over low–medium heat. Add the sugar and begin stirring constantly to prevent burning.

Continue stirring as the sugar melts; once it is fully melted and reaches a light butterscotch color, remove the pot from the heat.

Carefully add the butter (warm if possible) and whisk vigorously until fully incorporated.

Slowly pour in the room-temperature whipping cream while whisking continuously until smooth and combined.

Stir in the vanilla and salt, taste and adjust salt if needed. Allow to cool slightly before using; store in a jar in the fridge.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, red bell pepper, scotch bonnet, garlic, 2 TBSP curry powder, salt, thyme, and allspice; cook about 5 minutes until softened.

Add the ground beef and break it into pieces with a spoon. Cook, stirring frequently, until beef is fully cooked, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the breadcrumbs, then add the beef stock (or water) and cook until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let the filling cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the dough: whisk together the flour, 1 TBSP curry powder, and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter and cut/rub it into the flour until mostly pea-size pieces remain; do not overwork.

Sprinkle in about 1/2 cup of the ice cold water and gently mix with your fingers or a scraper. Add the remaining 2 TBSP (or a little more if needed) until the dough just comes together into a ball.

Divide the dough into 16 pieces (about 1 1/2 ounces / 43 g each). Roll each into a ball, smooth between palms, and chill on a plate for 10–15 minutes so they are easier to roll out.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough ball into a roughly 5-inch circle. Spoon a packed 1/4 cup of the cooled filling onto one half of the circle, leaving about a 1/2-inch border.

Fold the dough over to enclose the filling and pinch the edges to seal. Use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges for a tight seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Place sealed patties on the prepared baking sheets and chill in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. Brush tops with the egg wash and bake 30–35 minutes, rotating pans halfway, until golden brown. Serve warm.

Toss the finely chopped Napa cabbage with 1/2 tsp salt and set aside for 30 minutes to wilt and draw out moisture. Drain and squeeze out excess water thoroughly.

Combine ground pork, chopped green onions (or chives), minced garlic, 1 tsp sesame oil, grated ginger, 2 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp salt in a bowl. Mix thoroughly, then add the drained cabbage and mix again with your hands until evenly distributed.

Prepare a baking sheet dusted with cornstarch to place filled gyoza on so they don’t stick.

Place a gyoza wrapper in your palm. Moisten the edge of half the wrapper with water. Put about 1 slightly heaped tablespoon of filling in the center. Fold the wrapper over and pleat the edge to seal (about 4 pleats), pressing firmly to close. Place sealed gyoza on the prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange about 10–12 gyoza in the pan in a row, slightly touching. Cook until the undersides are light golden brown.

Carefully pour 1/3 cup water into the pan around the gyoza and immediately cover with a lid. Steam until the water has evaporated and the wrappers become slightly translucent on top, about 3–4 minutes.

Remove the lid and continue cooking briefly if needed so the golden undersides stay crisp. Transfer gyoza to a plate, crisp side up.

Mix the dipping sauce: 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce, 1 tsp rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil and 1 tsp chili crisp. Serve alongside the gyoza.

Serve immediately and enjoy.

In a saucepan, stir together the oil, flour, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring, to form a fragrant roux.

Slowly add the beef stock, then the tomato sauce, followed by the minced garlic and salt. Whisk or stir until smooth.

Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and flavors meld.

Adjust seasoning with salt to taste. Cool and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Cut chuck roast into 3-inch chunks, season with kosher salt, and sear pieces in a hot pan; set aside.

Char the roma tomatoes and the roughly chopped onion under a broiler, with a torch, or in a hot pan until blackened in spots.

In a large pot, add the charred tomatoes and onion, whole smashed garlic head, dried chiles, whole cloves, toasted cumin seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon pieces, dried oregano, dried thyme, coriander seeds, and fresh minced ginger (do not add bay leaves yet).

Stir the spices and aromatics for a few minutes over medium heat, then add the vinegar and about 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes to soften the chiles and meld flavors.

Carefully transfer the hot broth mixture to a blender and blend until as smooth as possible. Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh sieve back into a cleaned pot.

Rinse the blender with ~3 cups of water to collect remaining bits, strain that liquid into the pot as well. Add the bay leaves to the strained sauce.

Return the seared beef to the pot with the strained sauce. Add additional water as needed to cover the beef. Simmer gently, partially covered, for about 3 hours until the meat is very tender and shreddable.

Remove the beef from the pot and shred with two forks. Taste and adjust seasoning of the consomé with salt if necessary.

Heat a large griddle or skillet over medium heat and coat lightly with oil. Dip a corn tortilla into the warm birria sauce (consomé) so it is well coated, then place on the hot pan.

Top the tortilla with shredded birria meat, cheese (if using), chopped onion, and cilantro. Fold the tortilla in half and fry several minutes until crispy and browned on the bottom, then flip and brown the other side.

Serve the tacos hot with a bowl of the consomé for dipping, extra chopped onion, cilantro, and lime wedges.

Place beans in a large bowl and cover with about 6 cups (1.5 L) cold water. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and stir until dissolved. Soak at room temperature 8 to 16 hours. Drain and rinse before cooking.

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add the sliced andouille and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the sliced onions, diced bell pepper, and celery to the pot. Season with salt and cook, stirring, until the vegetables soften and begin to brown around the edges, about 8 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 45 seconds.

Add cayenne, rubbed sage, and about 10–12 grinds of fresh black pepper. Cook, stirring, about 30 seconds to release aromas.

Add the drained beans to the pot along with enough water to cover by about 2 inches (roughly 6–8 cups). Add the bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a bare simmer. Cover and cook until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Remove the lid and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens and the beans turn creamy, about 20 minutes. If it looks dry before reaching desired creaminess, add a cup of water and continue simmering, repeating as needed.

During the last hour of cooking, remove a cup of cooked beans and mash them, then return the mashed beans to the pot to help create a thicker “bean gravy.”

Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot over cooked white rice and garnish with chopped parsley and green onions.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sliced andouille sausage and sauté until browned. Remove sausage and set aside.

Add 1 cup oil to the Dutch oven and whisk in 1 cup flour. Cook, stirring constantly, to make a dark roux—the color of chocolate—about up to 1 hour. Do not rush; reduce heat as needed to prevent burning.

Add diced onions, bell pepper and celery to the roux and season lightly with salt. Cook over medium-high, stirring and scraping, until softened, about 10 minutes. Lower heat if ingredients threaten to scorch.

Stir in minced garlic, cayenne and a generous grind of black pepper; cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes.

Slowly stir in chicken stock, then add bay leaves and thyme. Season lightly with salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

Add okra (if using), browned sausage, shrimp and shredded chicken. Gently simmer uncovered for another hour, skimming fat from the surface as it accumulates.

Remove from heat. Stir in filé powder if using to thicken (use sparingly), season to taste with salt, and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves.

Serve hot over warm rice and sprinkle sliced green onions on each bowl. Pass hot sauce and extra filé powder at the table for guests to add as desired.

Measure all spices into a mixing bowl or jar.

Whisk or shake thoroughly until evenly combined.

Transfer to an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.

Use as needed to season gumbo, meats, vegetables, soups and stews. Start with 1–2 teaspoons per serving and adjust to taste.

Heat shredded chicken and sriracha in a medium pan until heated, about 3–5 minutes.

Stir in cream cheese and ranch (or blue cheese) dressing and stir until blended and smooth, about 3–5 minutes.

Mix in half of the shredded cheddar cheese, then transfer the mixture to a slow cooker or a baking dish.

Top with the remaining cheddar cheese.

Cook in a slow cooker on low for about 35 minutes until bubbly, or bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 10–15 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Garnish with chopped green onions and serve with crackers, celery, or thick tortillas.

Combine ground coriander, Aleppo chili flakes, cayenne and ground cinnamon to make the spice blend. Set aside one-third of the mix and combine that reserved portion with the sumac.

In a bowl, mix the remaining spice blend, cold water and the ground meat until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove the meat from the fridge and divide into 8 portions. Shape each portion into a long, slightly flattened log and press firmly onto skewers so the meat adheres.

Return the skewered kofta to the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.

Sprinkle the kofta with the reserved sumac spice blend.

Grill the kofta over medium direct heat until cooked through, turning as needed.

Serve hot with rice, pita, hummus, Lebanese garlic sauce, tzatziki, or other accompaniments.

Mix all the steak ingredients (ground beef, 1/3 can onion soup, egg, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, Worcestershire) until combined and set aside.

In a hot pan, sauté the sliced onion and mushrooms in 2 TBSP butter until translucent (lightly browned is fine). Reserve the cooking juices and transfer the onions and mushrooms to a bowl; set aside.

Form the meat mixture into patties and sear them in the hot pan on both sides until browned but not fully cooked through. Remove and set aside.

Add 2 TBSP butter to the pan, melt and brown slightly, then stir in the flour to create a roux. Cook briefly until the raw flour taste cooks off.

Return the seared steaks and any accumulated juices to the pan, then slowly add the beef broth while stirring to form a smooth gravy.

Stir in the remaining onion soup into the gravy and mix to combine.

Return the reserved onions and mushrooms and their juices to the pan. Cover and cook on low-medium for about 20 minutes, or until the steaks are cooked through.

Serve the Salisbury steaks over mashed potatoes and garnish with chopped chives.

Rinse and dry the cucumbers. Cut crosswise into pieces about 4 inches long, then cut those lengthwise into halves or quarters as preferred.

Lay cucumber pieces cut-side down on a flat surface. Press down on the flat of your knife with your hand to break and smash the pieces into bite-sized pieces.

Place the smashed cucumbers in a strainer, sprinkle with a big pinch of salt and a big pinch of sugar. Place a weight (ice or a small plate) on top to help drain. Let drain 15–30 minutes (up to 4 hours if desired) and discard excess liquid.

Make the dressing: in a small bowl stir together the kosher salt, granulated sugar and rice vinegar until dissolved. Stir in sesame oil, soy sauce and extra virgin olive oil. Add minced garlic and mix.

Transfer drained cucumbers to a large bowl. Add dressing gradually to taste, tossing gently but thoroughly to coat.

Sprinkle toasted white sesame seeds over the salad and garnish with red chili flakes and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately or chill briefly before serving.