1. Slice Vidalia onion in half, then thinly slice. Separate rings and set aside. You should have about 4 cups (1 L). Slice white parts of green onions and add to rings along with garlic. Sprinkle with salt and sugar. Stir to mix.
 
2. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion mixture. Sauté 5 minutes, stirring often, then reduce heat to low. Continue to cook, stirring often, until onions start to caramelize, 20 to 25 minutes.
 
3. Turn cooked onion mixture onto a chopping board. Finely chop. Put in a large bowl. Thinly slice green onion tops and set aside 2 tbsp (30 mL) for garnish. Stir remainder into cooked onion. Stir in mayonnaise. While stirring, sprinkle in 3 cups (750 mL) shredded cheese.
 
4. Turn into a shallow ovenproof dish that will hold about 3 cups (750 mL). Roughly smooth the surface. Cover and refrigerate at least until cold, or up to 2 days.
 
5. About 30 minutes before serving, heat oven to 375°F (191°C).
 
6. Sprinkle cold onion dip with remaining 1/2 cup (125 mL) cheddar. Place in oven and bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Sprinkle with reserved green onion and serve warm with baguette slices, chips, crackers or vegetables for dipping.

1. Set aside cup (175 mL) microgreens for garnish. Lay 4 bread slices on a cutting board. Spread with mustard. Sprinkle half the cheese on the 4 bread slices. Top each with 1 to 2 ham slices. Divide remaining greens between slices. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Top each stack with a bread slice and press down.

2. Whisk eggs with milk, nutmeg and salt in a shallow pie plate or square baking dish.

3. Melt 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter in a large, wide frying pan set over medium heat. When butter is almost melted, dip both sides of 1 sandwich in egg mixture, allowing sandwich to soak for a maximum of 10 seconds. When both sides have been dipped, add sandwich to the frothy butter in pan. Repeat for a second sandwich. Cook until bread is golden, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove to plates. Repeat for second pair of sandwiches, with additional 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter.

4. Slice sandwiches in half and top with reserved greens. Serve immediately with jam alongside, if you like.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut onions into 3/4 inch thick wedges and place in cast iron skillet or roasting pan. Cut garlic heads in half and place in skillet nestled with onions. Drizzle 3 tablespoons olive oil over the onions and garlic, sprinkle with about a teaspoon of salt and toss gently. Adjust garlic heads to they are cut side down in the pan.

In a small bowl combine 1.5 teaspoon salt** (I used a Kosher chicken so cut back quite a bit on the salt, Molly uses 4 teaspoons in her recipe), 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon black pepper and 2 tablespoons olive oil mixing until a paste forms. Place the chicken breast side up on top of the onions in the skillet. Rub the paste all over the chicken – really get into the nooks and crannies and underside of the chicken!

Roast the chicken for 50-65 minutes, giving the onions a toss after 30 minutes. My bird got a bit too dark, you can tent with foil if it starts to get too dark for the remainder of the cook time if this happens to you.

Sprinkle the onions and garlic with the dill. Carve chicken and return on top of the onions and garlic for serving. Slather with that dijon for maximum pastrami sandwich vibes.

Day Before

1. Mix together the white miso (½ cup), sake (½ cup), and 3 tablespoons of the sugar, then wisk together.
2. Cut your pork up into inch or two thick steaks, then add into a bowl with the miso marinade, cover and put in the fridge overnight.

Day of

1. Cut the cucumber into very thin slices, put into a small bowl with 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, mix up and put in the fridge until you need them again
2. Take the pork out of the bag over a bowl, letting the marinade drip in. Scrape all of the marinade off of the pork with the side of a fork and let it drip into the bowl. Add ½ cup of water to the marinade and put the pork on a plate.
3. Get a pan HOT (as hot as you can get a pan). Dab the pork with a paper towel and put vegatable oil (2 tablespoons) and a pinch of salt on the pork, and try to cover all surfaces.
4. Put the pork on the pan and turn down the heat a little and let the first side cook for 2 minutes. Flip the steaks to an uncooked side and cook for another 2 minutes, repeating until a temperature probe says the pork is 145° internal.
5. Let the pork rest on a plate, then drain the cucumbers of liquid and add unseasoned rice vinegar (2 tablespoons), gochujaru (1 teaspoon), and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Toss to coat.
6. Cut the pork off the bone, then serve with the cucumbers and the sauce drizzled on top.
7. Heat up the marindate in a sauce pan on low heat, stirring constantly, until it browns and thickens a little bit.
8. Enjoy!

Preparation

FOR THE SHRIMP:

1. Combine salt, sugar and 6 cups water in a medium pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Using a pair of scissors, snip through the shrimp shells, down the backs of each shrimp, stopping right where the tail begins. You're not going to remove these shells until after they're cooked, but this will make it a hell of a lot easier to peel them. If you see any dark veins running down the line that you snipped, use a paper towel to pull them out.

3. Have a timer at the ready — shrimp can overcook very easily, so you need to be prepared. Once the water comes to a boil, turn off the heat, add the shrimp and cover. Set a timer for 4 minutes; the shrimp should be pink and turned from translucent to opaque.

4. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water. Drain the shrimp and plunge them into the ice bath. Let sit until very chilled, 10-15 minutes.

FOR THE DILLY HORSERADISH CREAM:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the crème fraîche and prepared horseradish.

2. Finely chop the shallot and dill leaves. Add the dill to the crème fraîche along with the chopped shallot.

3. Finely grate the zest of 1/2 lemon into the crème fraiche mixture and squeeze in the juice. Cut the remaining 1½ lemons into wedges for serving. Season with salt and lots of black pepper.

TO SERVE:

When the shrimp are completely chilled, peel and discard the shells, leaving just the tails attached. Transfer to a shallow serving bowl full of ice cubes (or over crushed ice if you're fancy). Cold shrimp is key! Serve with the lemon and Dilly Horseradish Cream.

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
2. Make the egg mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 egg yolks and 1 whole egg. Whisk in 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (½ cup).
3. Start the sauce: Dice 1 (4-ounce) piece of Spanish chorizo into ¼-inch pieces.
4. Thoroughly drain and rinse 1 (14.5-ounce) can of chickpeas in a fine-mesh strainer.
5. In a large Dutch oven, combine the chorizo and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Cook over medium heat until it just starts to sizzle, about 3 minutes.
6. Add the chickpeas and stir well to coat in the oil. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally and crushing some of the chickpeas with the back of a wooden spoon, until they are crisp in some areas and the chorizo has leeched out some of its red oil, 5 to 6 minutes longer. Coarsely grind lots of black pepper into the pot to bloom the pepper and bring out its aroma. Remove the pot from the heat.
7. Cook the pasta: While the chickpeas cook, add the rigatoni to the boiling water and give it a stir. Cook according to the package directions for al dente. Scoop out and reserve 1 ½ cups of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
8. Whisk ½ cup of the reserved pasta water into the egg and Parmesan mixture until well combined.
9. Bring it all together: Transfer the pasta to the Dutch oven along with about half of the remaining pasta water. Turn the heat to medium-low and stream in the egg mixture, stirring vigorously and constantly with a spoon, until the pasta is coated in a thick, creamy, pale yellow sauce. You will see it magically transform from a raw egg mixture to a slightly thickened creamy sauce. Add a splash or two more pasta water if it looks a little too thick and could be saucier.
10. Finely grate the zest of ½ lemon into the pasta. Taste and add more salt and black pepper if you think it needs it.
11. Serve: Top with more grated Parmesan and black pepper and serve.

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Spread the nuts out on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip the nuts over and allow them to cool.
3. While the nuts are toasting, make the dressing. In a big bowl, zest the peel from about a quarter of the lemon. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze all of the juice into the bowl.
4. Whisk in the cottage cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper. 
5. Cut the cucumber into small rounds or slices. (The choice is yours.)
6. Open up the big bag of salad and add it to the bowl with the dressing. Toss thoroughly to cover every leaf.
7. Add the cucumber, dill and nuts before tossing the salad again. Taste a leaf and add more salt and pepper as needed.

Prep your mise:

✦Pat 2 New York strip steaks dry with paper towels. Season all over with 2½ teaspoons kosher salt and a generous amount of ground black pepper. Set aside for at least 15 minutes.*

✦Finely chop 1 large shallot.

✦Thinly slice 2 garlic cloves. Firmly smash 2 additional garlic cloves to really break them open so that they are able to release a lot of flavor when theyhit the skillet.

✦Place 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns in a sealable plastic bag, seal the bag, place it on your countertop, and crush with the bottom of a small saucepan to coarsely crack them. If you have a mortar and pestle, use that! They should be coarser than ground black pepper.

Cook the steaks:

✦Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 4 minutes.

✦Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to the skillet. Add the steaks and cook, undisturbed, until a deep golden brown crust forms underneath, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook on the second side until equally golden brown, 3 minutes longer. (If the steaks have a fat cap, upend them on their sides, stabilizing them with tongs, and sear the edges, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per edge.)

Baste:

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add 1 tablespoon butter, 3 thyme sprigs, and the 2 smashed garlic cloves to the pan. Use a spoon to continuously baste the steak, about 2 minutes. If you’ve never basted a steak and want to learn how, right this way! Insert your instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the steak. Once it registers 120°F, transfer it to a cutting board to rest.

Make the pan sauce:

✦Add 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet along with the sliced garlic, shallot, and crushed peppercorns. Cook, stirring often, until the shallot and garlic are softened but not browned, 4 to 5 minutes.**

✦Turn off the heat (cognac is flammable!) and add 1⁄3 cup cognac. Return the skillet to medium heat and cook until the cognac has mostly evaporated andyour spoon leaves streaks in the skillet when you stir, 1 to 2 minutes.

✦Add ½ cup heavy cream, bring to a simmer, and cook until it coats the back of a spoon, about 1 minute. Season with kosher salt.

Serve:

✦Slice the steak against the grain. Not sure what the grain is or how to find it? Right this way. Transfer to a serving platter.

✦Pour any resting juices back into the skillet and stir them into the sauce. Spoon the sauce generously over the steak, season with flaky sea salt, and serve immediately.***

*This will give the salt a chance to penetrate the meat, so it won’t fall off the steaks when you sear them.

**Cooking the peppercorns helps bloom their flavor and infuses the butter with peppery heat in a way that simply stirring them in at the end does not.*

**The sauce will thicken and congeal as it cools down, and it won’t feel as luxurious on your palate.

Make the filling: Heat your largest skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add oil, and once the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, jalapeño, and bell pepper and cook until the the ingredients begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cumin, smaller amount of chili powder, and tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes and let simmer for 1 minute, then add the beans and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Taste the mixture and add salt; I find I need between 2 to 3 teaspoons kosher salt to get the level right but adjust it to your taste. Add last 1 teaspoon chili powder if needed for your desired heat level. Add the corn and spinach and stir until the spinach has wilted and everything is warm. Taste for seasoning again and adjust as needed.

Remove from heat and squeeze the juice of half the lime over the mixture, then the second half if you like more. Let cool slightly while you get ready to assemble your burritos.

Assemble your burritos: If your tortillas are unbendy from the package, you can warm them briefly in a dry skillet or for 15 seconds in the microwave to soften them. If they seem dry, I might spritz them lightly with water before warming.

Arrange first tortilla on counter and spoon about 3/4 cup of the filling in the lower third, closest to you. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup jack cheese and 2 tablespoons cotija. (If you like to make some burritos spicier than others, you can shake hot sauce on at this point.) Fold the bottom of the tortilla over the filling, fold in the sides, and roll it up, setting it to cool seam side-down. Repeat with remaining tortillas, filling, and cheese.

To eat right away: Go for it! but I love to brown it in a pan on both sides for some added texture and to ensure the cheese gets melty. Heat a skillet with a thin layer of oil over medium heat and add burritos you’re ready to eat. Cook until browned and crisp on both sides and dig in.

To freeze for later: Wrap burritos individually in foil (best for oven reheating) or plastic and pack in a freezer bag with all air pressed out. Burritos keep in the freezer a few months, or for as long as your freezer allows them to without imparting a “freezery” taste.

To reheat from frozen in an oven: Heat oven to 375°F. Heat foil-wrapped burrito for 40 to 50 minutes. To check for warmth, stick a toothpick or skewer into the center of a burrito and keep it there for 10 seconds. If the toothpick is warm when it’s remove, the burrito is too. If not, give it more time.

To reheat from frozen in a microwave: Unwrap burrito and microwave on a plate for 3 to 5 minutes, turning over once midway. To check for warmth, stick a toothpick or skewer into the center of a burrito and keep it there for 10 seconds. If the toothpick is warm when it’s remove, the burrito is too. If not, give it more time.

Both methods: For that extra crisp once warmed, follow the skillet instructions under “To eat right away” above.

Notes

• Chili powders tend to range a lot in heat level so give it a taste before you start to make sure you’re not surprised after adding the first 2 teaspoons.
• Depending on the size of my tortillas, I sometimes end up with 1 to 1.5 cups extra filling. You can use it to make more burritos or just heat it up with extra cheese and put an egg on top, and I did with delight last week.

Prepare the meatballs: Combine chicken, crumbs, milk, garlic, half the green onions, the paprika, salt, pepper, and egg in a large bowl with a fork, mixing until just combined. Transfer bowl to fridge while you prepare the slaw.

Make the slaw: Whisk buttermilk, mayo, cider vinegar, sugar, and remaining half of scallions from the meatballs in a large bowl and add cabbage, tossing to evenly coat it. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

[Here is where, if you’re unhinged enough to make your own barbecue sauce, you can do so using the quickie recipe at the end. But there is truly no need to do this to make a great meatball slider, promise.]

Toast your buns: In a large frying pan, the same one where you’ll cook your meatballs, melt a tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Place your buns, cut-side down, in the pan. Cook until cut sides are golden-brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to plate or platter where you’ll assemble your sliders.

Cook the smashed meatballs: Remove chicken meatball mixture from fridge and, using wet hands for a smoother shape, roll into the size and number of meatballs you’ll want — this is determined by the size of your buns. Be sure to roll the meatballs smaller than the bun so that they will fill it out once smashed.

Heat your large frying pan over high heat for a minute, then coat with about 2 tablespoons oil. Place your first few meatballs in the pan and let them sear for 30 seconds to 1 minute before using a heavy spatula to flatten them until they’re about 1/2-inch-thick. Season meatballs with an extra dusting of salt and pepper. Cook until they’re crisp and deeply browned underneath, about 3 to 4 minutes — reduce the heat to medium-high if they’re cooking much faster — and flip each, cooking on the second side until it is also browned underneath, another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer meatballs to prepared buns and repeat with remaining meat.

To finish: Spoon barbecue sauce onto each meatball, top with a few sliced of pickle, and a small heap of slaw, and eat right away.

Quickie Barbecue Sauce: Combine 1/3 cup ketchup, 3 tablespoons each molasses and apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1 teaspoon chili powder or smoked paprika (or half of each) in a skillet and bring to a simmer, stirring, over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour into a bowl for serving; wipe out pan and continue to use it to toast the buns and cook the meatballs.