This flexible broth is one of the things I always try to teach when I’m giving cooking classes because it’s easy to throw together a fast, flavor enhancing broth using whatever you already have on hand—the trimmings from the herbs, aromatics, and vegetables you are cooking with and the bones or shells from any meat or seafood on the menu. Just throw a pot of water on first thing when you start to cook and add to it as the ingredients are prepped. Here’s a basic recipe made with the shrimp shells and trimmings from the preceding recipe, but remember: you can apply the concept to any of the soup recipes in this chapter. Most anything goes, but stay away from vegetable trimmings that might become bitter or have an overly strong flavor, like eggplant and broccoli.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.
Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.
Crispy tots topped with savory-sweet sauce, mayonnaise, furikake, scallion, and katsuobushi.
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.
This flexible recipe is all you need to bring this iconic Provençal seafood stew to your table.
The silky French vanilla sauce that goes with everything.
An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.