Ingredients 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 large oregano sprig 1½ pounds collards, kale, Swiss chard or escarole (or any combination), leaves coarsely torn and hearty stems thinly sliced (16 packed cups) Kosher salt and black pepper 1 pound baby new potatoes, halved 2 tablespoons minced shallot 1 tablespoon lemon juice ¼ cup chopped parsley Pinch of red-pepper flakes (optional) Crusty bread, for serving Preparation Step 1 Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, combine ¼ cup of the oil with the garlic and oregano; heat over medium until garlic is fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute. Add a batch of the greens and stems and ½ cup water; season with salt and pepper, and stir until wilted. Add the remaining greens and stems in batches, seasoning with salt and pepper and stirring until wilted before adding the next batch. Step 2 Once all the greens have been added, stir in the potatoes. Add ½ cup of water and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, and bring to a boil. Cover with the lid and bake until greens and potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Discard oregano sprig. Step 3 Add shallot, lemon juice and half of the parsley to the pot, and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer greens and potatoes to a serving platter and spoon over any sauce remaining in the pot. Garnish with red-pepper flakes (if using) and the remaining parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature, with crusty bread. Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients 3 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ small onion, medium dice 1 cup roughly chopped kimchi (6 ounces) 2 tablespoons kimchi juice, or to taste ½ cup small-dice Spam, ham or leftover cooked meat 2 cups cooked, cooled rice (preferably short-grain) 2 teaspoons soy sauce, or to taste 1 teaspoon sesame oil, or to taste 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 2 eggs Salt to taste Crumbled or slivered nori (roasted seaweed) for garnish Sesame seeds for garnish Preparation In a nonstick sauté pan or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat, and add onions. Cook, stirring, until the onions start to sizzle, about 2 minutes. Add kimchi and kimchi juice, and stir until it comes to a boil, about 3 minutes. Add Spam, and cook until sauce is nearly dried out, about 5 minutes. Break up the rice in the pan with a spatula, and stir it to incorporate. Turn heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until the rice has absorbed the sauce and is very hot, about 5 minutes. Stir in soy sauce and sesame oil. Taste, and adjust with more soy sauce, sesame oil or kimchi juice. Turn heat down slightly, but let the rice continue to cook, untouched, to lightly brown while you cook the eggs. Place a small nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, and add the vegetable oil. When it is hot, add eggs, season with salt and fry to your desired doneness. Serve rice topped with fried eggs, nori and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Yield: Serves 2

Ingredients Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving 2 garlic cloves, smashed flat and peeled 1 pound lacinato kale, thick ribs removed Freshly ground black pepper ½ pound pasta, like pappardelle or rigatoni ¾ cup coarsely grated Parmigiano- Reggiano Preparation Step 1 Put a large pot of generously salted water over high heat, and bring to a boil. In a small skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic, and cook until the garlic begins to sizzle. Reduce heat to low, and cook very gently until garlic is soft and begins to turn light gold, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Step 2 When water is boiling, add kale leaves, and cook until tender, but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Pull out the hot, dripping kale leaves with tongs, and put directly into a blender. (Don’t drain the pot; you’ll use that same boiling water to cook the pasta.) Add garlic and its oil to the blender, along with a splash of hot water from the pot if you need some more liquid to get the blender going. Blend into a fine, thick green purée. Taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, then blend again. Step 3 Add the pasta to the still-boiling water, and cook according to directions on the package. Ladle out about a cup of the water to save for finishing the dish, then drain the pasta and return it to the dry pot. Add the kale purée, about ¾ of the grated cheese and a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss until all the pasta is well coated and bright green, adding another splash of pasta water if needed so that the sauce is loose and almost creamy in texture. Serve in bowls right away, and top with an extra drizzle of olive oil and the rest of the grated cheese. Yield: 2 servings as a main course or 4 as a side

Ingredients For the Cake 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan 2 large eggs, at room temperature ¾ cup/150 grams granulated sugar 1 cup/128 grams all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon fine sea or table salt 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional) ½ cup/118 milliliters whole milk For the Topping ½ cup/113 grams unsalted butter ¾ cup/165 grams packed dark or light brown sugar ¼ cup/60 milliliters whole milk Pinch of fine sea or table salt 1¼cups/105 grams shredded coconut (either unsweetened or sweetened) Prepare the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square or round baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper, then butter the paper. Using an electric mixer or beaters, beat the eggs and sugar until fluffy and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. (You can also do this with a wire whisk, though it will take some time and effort.) Beat in flour, baking powder and salt. Beat in vanilla or cardamom, if using. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and 2 tablespoons butter, stirring until the butter melts and the milk steams, but don’t let the mixture boil (a gentle simmer at the edges of the pan is fine). Pour the hot mixture into the eggs, beating briefly until you have a smooth, runny batter. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 22 to 32 minutes, until the surface is pale golden and the top springs back when lightly pressed with your finger. While the cake is baking, prepare the topping: In a small saucepan (you can use the same one you used for the milk, and you don’t have to wash it), melt the butter. Add brown sugar, milk and salt, and stir until the mixture comes to a simmer. Turn off the heat and stir in coconut. When the cake is done, pour the coconut mixture evenly on top and place it under the broiler for 1 to 4 minutes, until the topping is bubbling and browned. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn (a few singed coconut shreds are nice). Transfer to a wire rack to cool before serving. If not serving on the same day, store at room temperature and serve within 2 days. Yield: 8 to 12 servings

Ingredients 1 tablespoon butter 2 large white onions, chopped; 2 cups of steak, finely chopped, round steak is best 2 to 3 beef bouillon cubes 1 twenty-eight-ounce can of crushed tomatoes 26 1/2 ounces of Arborio rice Parmesan cheese, optional Directions: Add onions to a stockpot with butter or oil. Cook until translucent. Add the steak and cook all together. It takes about ten minutes. Add two to three beef bouillon cubes to taste. The amount will depend on the size of the batch you are making. You may need more or less. When you cook the rice, you add a lot of water, so you may need to add more bouillon during the cooking process. Add the crushed tomatoes and rice. Add one cup of hot water to the rice and sauce, and stir continuously on low to medium heat. Once the water has evaporated, add another cup of water. Continue doing this until the rice is tender and cooked through. It will take about fifteen to twenty minutes. You must keep stirring, or it will burn. Once cooked, add some Parmesan cheese, and it's ready to serve.

For the walnuts: 2 Tbsp of salted butter 2 Tbsp of light brown sugar 1/2 cups of walnut halves Salt Ground cayenne. For the dressing: 1 Tbsp of red wine vinegar 1 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar 1 Tbsp of lemon juice 1 Tbsp of walnut oil 1 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil Salt and black pepper. For the salad: 1 medium head of radicchio Leaves torn into one-inch strips 1 medium head of chicory leaves, preferably Castelfranco Radicchio or Belgian endive, torn into two-inch strips 2 firm ripe pears, preferably Bartlett or d'Anjou. Preparation: Make the walnuts. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and simmer until you have a dark caramel glaze, about two minutes. Add walnuts and stir to coat well. Cook until fragrant and crisp, another minute or two. Drop walnuts onto a sheet of parchment. Let cool, then break apart any nuts that are stuck together. Sprinkle with salt and a good dash of cayenne to taste. Set aside. While nuts cool, make dressing. Whisk together red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, walnut oil, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Make the salad. Put radicchio and Castelfranco in a salad bowl. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Peel the pears, if you wish, and slice a quarter-inch thick. Add to bowl, along with dressing, and toss well to coat. Top with a handful of candied walnuts. Serve immediately. Yield is four to six servings.

For the meatballs: 1 large egg 1/2 a cup of whole milk ricotta 1/4 cup of finely grated Pecorino Romano, plus extra for serving, 1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 garlic clove, finely chopped kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 a pound of ground beef 1/2 a pound of ground pork 1/4 cup of olive oil, plus more for drizzling. For the sauce: 1 tablespoon of olive oil 1 garlic clove, finely grated, 1 24-ounce jar of passata or 1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes. Prepare the meatballs. In a large bowl, whisk to combine the egg, ricotta, Pecorino Romano, parsley, garlic, two teaspoons of salt, and one and a half teaspoons of pepper. With your hands or a spatula, mix in the ground beef and pork until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Form the meatballs. Using a standard soup spoon, scoop a, a scant quarter cup of the meatball mixture into the palm of your hand and use the spoon to scrape the mixture against your palm and shape it into a ball. Repeat with the remaining mixture to form 12 meatballs. Make the sauce. In a medium saucepan, heat the tablespoon, one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about one minute. Add the passata and simmer on low until bubbling, four to five minutes. Season with salt and pepper. To cook the meatballs, heat the quarter cup of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmery, add half the meatballs and sear until golden brown on all sides, four to five minutes. Transfer the browned meatballs to the prepared sauce and repeat with the remaining meatballs. Simmer the seared meatballs in the tomato sauce until they are cooked through and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve the meatballs with tomato sauce, more Pecorino, and a drizzle of olive oil. The yield is four servings, or approximately 12 meatballs

Ingredients 2tablespoons of butter a half an onion, chopped, 2 stalks of celery, chopped, salt and ground black pepper to taste 2 cups of diced Yukon Gold potatoes 1 can of condensed cream of chicken soup 1 can of cheddar cheese soup, 4 cups of chicken broth 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning 1 teaspoon of garlic powder 1 teaspoon of onion powder 4 cups of chopped rotisserie chicken, or more to taste 5 strips of bacon, cooked and chopped 1/2 cup of sour cream, 1/2 cup of shredded creamy mozzarella cheese. For garnish 1/4 quarter cup of shredded cheddar cheese cooked and crumbled bacon scallions, sliced buttery round crackers, such as Ritz, crushed. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and celery and cook until tender, four to five minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add potatoes, cream of chicken, cheddar cheese soup, and broth to the pot, and season with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder. Simmer for five minutes. Add chicken and bacon to the soup. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes more. Stir in sour cream and creamy mozzarella. Remove from heat. Serve garnished with shredded cheddar, bacon, scallions, and crushed Ritz crackers. serves 10

Ingredients 6 slices of bacon or 3 TBSP of unsalted butter 1 bunch of scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced separately 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 pounds of russet potatoes, peeled and cut into half-inch cubes, large skins reserved, 6 cups of whole milk kosher salt and black pepper 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed 1/8 tsp of ground cayenne, 1/8 tsp of garlic powder 3/4 a cup of sour cream, plus more for serving, 3/4 of a cup of freshly grated cheddar, about three ounces, plus more for serving. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, over medium heat, cook the bacon, if using, until crisp, 12 to 13 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate or cutting board. Return the pot with just three tablespoons of the bacon fat to the stove. If there's not enough fat, supplement with butter to a total of three tablespoons. If making the soup vegetarian, melt butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Over medium-low heat, saute the white parts of the scallions and the garlic until golden brown, two to three minutes, stirring frequently and adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid burning the garlic. Add the potatoes, milk, and two teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Resist the urge to heat it faster, as this can lead to curdling. Once at a boil, lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. As soup simmers, prepare the potato skins. Warm the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Working in batches if needed, add the potato peels in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until crisp and golden brown, about three minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate or cutting board, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, cayenne, and garlic powder, crumble, and set aside. Once the potatoes are tender, take the pot off the heat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender if you'd like a smooth soup. Mash with a potato masher if you'd like a chunkier soup. Stir in the sour cream and cheese until combined, then season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with crumbled bacon, more sour cream and cheddar, and the green parts of the scallions. Top with potato peels. Eat any extra as chips dipped in ketchup and mustard. yields four servings

Ingredients 1/2 cup of olive oil, plus more as needed. 2 heads of broccoli, about two pounds, separated into small florets, stems peeled and diced. 2 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt, more to taste. 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. 1 large Spanish onion, diced. 5 cloves of garlic, chopped. A half a teaspoon of black pepper, more for finishing. 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. 1/2 a pound of potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced. 1/4 teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest. 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice, or more to taste. Grated Parmesan to finish Flaky sea salt to finish. In a large soup pot, heat two tablespoons of oil over high heat. Add about a third of the broccoli, just enough so that it covers the bottom o- of the pan in a single layer without overcrowding. Cook broccoli without moving it for about three to four minutes, or until dark brown on one side only. Leave the other side bright green. Transfer to a big bowl and repeat with remaining broccoli and more oil. When all the broccoli has been browned, season with one teaspoon of salt and set aside. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add butter and remaining two tablespoons of oil to pan. Add onions and garlic, black and red peppers, and a half a teaspoon of salt. Cook onion-garlic mixture until soft and translucent, about four minutes. Add potato to the pot with one quart of water and remaining one teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer, cover pot, and cook until potato is just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add broccoli, cover again, and cook until tender, another five to 10 minutes. Add lemon zest and roughly puree soup with an immersion or regular blender, leaving some small chunks for texture. Stir in lemon juice. Finish with grated Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, black pepper, and flaky sea salt. Yields four to six servings.

Ingredients 14 to 15 ounces of frozen French fries 5 tablespoons of mayonnaise 1 tablespoon of capers, chopped 2 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar, plus more to taste 4 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh dill or parsley, but dill would be preferable Coarse kosher salt and black pepper 4 four-ounce flaky white fish filets, such as haddock or cod one to one and a half inches thick. Thawed if frozen 1/2 cup of Panko breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. On a large sheet pan, spread out the French fries in a single layer and scooch to the edges of the pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until slightly crispy at the edges. Meanwhile, in a bowl, stir to combine the mayonnaise, capers, vinegar, two tablespoons of dill, one teaspoon of salt, and a half a teaspoon of black pepper. Transfer about half of the sauce to a small serving dish. Set aside for later. Add the fish to the rest of the marinade and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. In a separate bowl, stir to combine the Panko, olive oil, remaining two tablespoons of dill, a quarter teaspoon of salt, and a quarter teaspoon of black pepper. When the fries are slightly crispy at the edges, add the marinated fish pieces to the sheet pan. Sprinkle the fish evenly with Panko, then douse the fish and fries with vinegar to taste, one to two tablespoons, and sprinkle with salt. Bake the fish alongside the fries until the fish is flaky and no longer opaque in the center, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately with the reserved sauce.

Ingredients 1 medium cabbage about two and a half pounds. Salt and pepper. 1/4 a cup of extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving. 2 15-ounce cans of butter beans. Four anchovy fillets or fillets. Two garlic cloves. 1/2 a teaspoon of crushed red pepper, optional. A quarter cup of roughly chopped parsley for garnish. 1 lemon, optional. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the outer layer of leaves from the cabbage, then cut off the stem end. Cut the cabbage into quarters through the core, then cut out the solid core from each piece. Slice each piece crosswise into half-inch thick slabs, then separate them with your hands into individual ribbons. Spread the ribbons onto a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast the cabbage for 15 minutes. Drizzle the cabbage with two tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat, then roast for another 15 minutes. Meanwhile, rinse and drain the butter beans. Finally, mince the anchovies and grate the garlic. Add the beans, anchovies, garlic, crushed red pepper, if using, add the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil to the roasted cabbage and toss to coat evenly. Bake for a final 15 minutes, or longer if you prefer the cabbage to caramelize further. Remove the cabbage from the oven. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley, drizzle with more olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and add a squeeze of lemon if that suits you. Gently toss to combine and serve warm.