my version -- served with fennel seed infused pan roasted roasted potatoes and micro green citrus salad… "Butter chicken or murgh makhani (pronounced [mʊrg ˈmək.kʰə.ni]) is a curry of chicken in a spiced tomato, butter and cream sauce. It originated in the Indian subcontinent as a curry. The curry was developed in the 1950s by Kundan Lal Jaggi and Kundan Lal Gujral, founders of the Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi, India. The curry was made "by chance" by mixing leftover tandoori chicken in a tomato gravy, rich in butter and cream. In 1974, a recipe was published for "Murgh makhanii (Tandoori chicken cooked in butter and tomato sauce)". In 1975, the English phrase "butter chicken" curry first appeared in print, as a specialty of the house at Gaylord Indian restaurant in Manhattan. In Toronto and the Caribbean, it can be found as a filling in wraps, roti, and rolls, while in Australia, and New Zealand, it is also eaten as a pie filling. Chicken is marinated for several hours in a mixture of lemon juice, dahi (yogurt), Kashmiri red chili, salt, garam masala and ginger garlic paste. The marinated chicken is cooked in a tandoor (traditional clay oven), but may be grilled, roasted, or pan-fried. It is served in a mild curry sauce that includes butter. The sauce is a tomato- and garlic and ginger-based sauce that is simmered until smooth and much of the water has evaporated. There are many variations on the composition and spicing of the sauce, which is sieved so that it is velvety smooth. Spices may include cardamom, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, coriander, pepper, garam masala and fenugreek (Punjabi/Hindi: kasuri methi). Cream may be used in the sauce or as a garnish. Cashew paste may be used as a thickener and it is finally garnished with coriander.” -- Wikipedia my other version -- finished with yougart cream and tamarind aioli... here chicken is served with kala jeera (black cumin) polao (aromatic basmati rice) cooked with ghee [is a class of clarified butter that originated in ancient India], himalayan pink salt, green peas.

tender fall apart chunks of beef simmered in a rich red wine gravy makes julia child’s bœuf bourguignon an incredible family dinner.... "Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon (Bœuf Bourgignon in French) is a world wide loved classic for a reason. This is one recipe where you want to take your time cooking it, drinking a glass of wine or two while preparing it, and show it a lot of love. Every step is worth it. I don’t know about you but when reading the original recipe from Julia’s book, I immediately became as nervous as Amy Adams’ Julie in the movie Julie and Julia. SO MANY STEPS. So I poured myself a wine and began my mission to follow AT LEAST one recipe in my life as best as I could. The results were unbelievable. I can honestly say I have never enjoyed a stew as much as I did when it was done." - Cafe Delites "Julia Child made cooking fun. She inspired millions to take to the kitchen and appreciate the pleasures of making and eating good food. In 1995, Julia had the foresight to establish The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts to further her far-reaching impact as a teacher and mentor after her death. Since 2004, the Foundation, through grants made to other non-profit organizations and by presenting the Julia Child Award, continues Julia’s legacy, educating and encouraging others to live well through the joys of cooking, eating and drinking well."

my version -- blackrice cooked with butter and veg stock, lobster poached in lemmon butter, uni sauce made with sake, shallots, tarragon, heavy cream, and parmigiano-reggiano; finished with microgreens and japanese furikake... "In Japanese, furikake means "to sprinkle over." Furikake are seasonings of various dried ingredients such as egg, seaweed, or sesame, made to top a bowl of plain white rice." "Sea urchins, those spiny, round little guys moving slowly across the rocks and coral at the bottom of the ocean, are actually a delicacy in many parts of the world. Uni may be an acquired taste, but has many health benefits, and is even considered an aphrodisiac. Uni is one of the few remaining delicacies that are harvested from the wild, and are almost always hand-cut by professional scuba divers. In some parts of Korea, though, this feat is tackled by women, who train their whole lives to dive in cold water and hold their breath for long periods of time. Armed with only a mask and a knife, the “sea women” or haenyo dive as deep as 50 feet with no other gear to gather urchins, abalone, seaweed and conch to sell and help support their families.” - Food And Wine "For creamy sea urchin sauce, the typical process is to sauté garlic, shallots, and chiles in olive oil, then add the pasta and pour in a sauce made from raw sea urchin roe blended with softened butter or heavy cream. It's then cooked just long enough for the sauce to heat through and thicken, taking on a rich, glossy sheen. Both of these basic processes produce decent, simple results, but I found the finished dishes lacked brightness. The Sicilian idea of adding wine to the garlic-and-oil base was a step in the right direction. I tried it with a Pinot Grigio, a dry vermouth, and a dry sake. The wine and sake were both great; the vermouth will do in a pinch if it's all that's in your cabinet at the moment.” - serious eats.

my version -- served with chicken, cauliflower, peas, fresh carrots, kimchi, and micro greens… "Laksa is a spicy noodle dish popular in Southeast Asia. Laksa consists of various types of noodles, most commonly thick rice noodles, with toppings such as chicken, prawn or fish. Most variations of laksa are prepared with a rich and spicy coconut soup or a broth seasoned with sour asam. -- Wikipedia "Laksa is one of the most popular dishes of Southeast Asian origin, with a diverse variety of ingredients and preparations which vary greatly by region. Because laksa has different varieties across the region, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact origin of the dish. Nevertheless, numbers of laksa recipes has been developed along the trade channels of Southeast Asia—where the ports of Penang, Medan, Malacca, Singapore, Palembang, and Batavia (now Jakarta) are the major stops along the historic spice route. The intensive trade links among these port cities enables exchanges of ideas to take place, including sharing recipes. There are various theories about the origins of laksa. One theory is that the word laksa is theorised to come from an ancient Persian word for "noodles". Another theory about the dish's origins goes back to the 15th century Ming Chinese naval expeditions led by Zheng He, whose armada navigated Maritime Southeast Asia. Overseas Chinese migrants had settled in various parts of Maritime Southeast Asia, long before Zheng He's expedition. However, it was after this that the number of Chinese migrants and traders significantly increased. These Chinese men intermarried into the local populations, and together they formed mixed-race communities called the Peranakans or Straits Chinese.[8] In Malaysia, the earliest variant of laksa is believed to have been introduced by the Peranakan Chinese in Malacca." -- Wikipedia

one of my versions -- traditional bengali morog polao (মোরগ পোলাও - pan roasted chicken with aromatic basmati rice) cooked in tahdig style (crispy persian rice with saffron -- pan-cooked until a crust has formed on the bottom)... (Persian: ته دیگ‎, tah "bottom" + dīg "pot") -- Tahdig is a famous Persian style rice. Tah-Dig means bottom of the pot, explaining exactly what this recipe is...the rice on the bottom of the pot. "If you’re expecting this dish to be like a chicken biryani, it isn’t. It’s more gently spiced than most biryani, and it’s not meant to be spicy at all. This dish is aromatic, rich in flavor, and very succulent from the onions and chicken. Morog pulao is served as a one-dish meal, often during special occasions.” -- Afsana Liza "To make the yogurt & saffron TahDig, mix yogurt and a pinch of ground saffron powder. Stir in one cup of the cooked rice. Heat the oils in the pan, layer with yogurt mixture and top with the rest of the cooked rice.” -- Persian Mama Leftover tahdig/morog polao with avacado, mango, cucumber, tomato, mint, chives salad... Classic tahdig...

my version -- with red miso, kombu, balck saseme paste, charred bok choy, mushrooms, pickled kelp, balck garlic chili oil, and ramen eggs (ajitsuke tamago)... Considered to be one of the best ramen in Japan, its noodles sit in a black soup. Kogashi comes from Hakata, considered by many to be the ramen capital of Japan. Seikan Aoiki, the master chef behind the ramen, devised the dish out of desperation after world war II. Without access to traditional ingredients, he looked to what was around. "The key to ramen eggs (known in Japanese as ajitsuke tamago 味付け卵) is that they aren’t just flavoured by their marinade. The salty and sweet marinade actually acts as a cure to firm the whites and yolks, and give the yolks a savoury and jammy taste and consistency, which is a much better texture for ramen. Two days curing is about right for curing ramen eggs, but you can go more or less depending on the levels of salt and sugar in the liquid." -- Adam Liaw Here is my chickpea miso ramen with ma yu (black garlic oil) and organic chicken sausage...

my version -- mom’s comfort food -- fish rice and lentil — elevated — lentil cooked with kale, spinach, methi, pach phoron, mustard oil … fish (mahi mahi) pan roasted with turmeric, cumin, cilantro, mint, garlic — finished with lime/orange citrus… "Bengalis love their food. When a bunch of Bengalis get together, the conversation mostly revolves around food, soccer, and politics. Any guesses to which topic takes precedence? When we speak of Bengali cuisine, fish and rice (maach-bhaat) comes to mind. Bengalis, like the French, spend not only a great deal of time thinking about food but also in its preparation and eating. Quips like ‘Bengalis live to eat’ and they ‘spend most of their income on food’ are not entirely misplaced. The early morning shopping for fresh vegetables and fish is the prerogative of the head of the family, and it is believed that he alone can pick the best at a bargain." -- Ananya Banerjee "Fish fry -- Where there are Bengalis, there will be at least one fish dish. But fish fry or maachh bhaja is so simple and easy to make that every Bengali can cook it up for a meal, and so can you. Just rubbed with salt and turmeric, and fried in shorshe tel or mustard oil, this dish can be eaten with rice, or just as a snack with chillies and onions." -- India Today

my version -- couscous cooked with brussel sprouts, garlic, olive oil; herb roasted cornish hen; seasonal root veg tagine... "When the French are asked to name their favorite dishes, couscous invariably comes near the top of the list. And why not? This import from North Africa is delicious, economical and healthy. The fluffy semolina grain forms a bed for veggies and chick peas cooked in a rich broth flavored with mildly exotic spices. Then along comes your choice of meat, poultry, spicy sausage, fish or a combination, as in this ‘royal’ version." "The ‘royal couscous’ is with a mixture of meats, is a French take on the original, which became a fixture of the French culinary repertoire after the country’s North African colonies gained independence in the mid-20th century. There are many regional variations. In Algeria, the broth may be made without tomatoes (clear) or with (red), while in Morocco and Tunisia it is typically red. Morocco uses spices such as saffron, ginger and cinnamon to impart a subtle flavor, while fish couscous is popular in Tunisia and Algerians often add broad beans. Beyond these generalities, every community has its own speciality, and sweet couscous with almonds or raisins is a popular dessert across North Africa."-- The Everyday French Chef

my version -- roasted chicken legs marinated with hoisin, soy, ginger, garlic, chili, rice vinegar, and sesame oil; served with cabbage radish grapefruit salad dressed with homemade grapefruit vinaigrette... "Soy sauce, sugar, black vinegar, and fermented bean paste are used all over China, but in Cantonese food, "garlic, ginger, and scallion is like the holy trinity," Schoenfeld notes. You'll find other seasonings in the kitchen, like chili peppers, five spice powder, black pepper, and star anise, but they're used sparingly. In addition to soy sauce, which comes in a few varieties, Cantonese pantries call for sweet and savory hoisin sauce, plum sauce, shrimp paste, and dried black beans. The latter is known in Chinese as dou chi—often translated as salted black beans—and is used to make the pungent, fermented-tasting black bean sauce. Dou chi are actually the oldest known food made from soy beans, and they're not light on the salt. You can learn that the hard way like my father did when he added more than the recommended amount to a recipe that turned out inedible." -- Serious Eats Hoisin sauce is a thick, fragrant sauce commonly used in Cantonese cuisine as a glaze for meat, an addition to stir fry, or as dipping sauce. It is darkly-colored in appearance and sweet and salty in taste. Although regional variants exis

my salmon seasoned with togarashi seasoning served with sushi rice, steamed bok choy, baby corn over home made kombu dashi... "Dashi is a family of stocks used in Japanese cuisine. Dashi forms the base for miso soup, clear broth soup, noodle broth soup, and many simmering liquids to accentuate the savory flavor known as umami. Dashi is also mixed into the flour base of some grilled foods like okonomiyaki and takoyaki." -- Wikipedia The simplest dashi is vegan, made from cold-brewing kombu, while stronger versions are created by squeezing the flavor out of bonito flakes (katsuobushi), dried sardines, dried shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, dried scallops, adzuki beans, and/or toasted soybeans. -- bonappetit

my version -- with creamy garlic sauce, peas, salmon bits, scallion, Lemmon, and peperoncino... "Ask any pasta addict what they think about shrimp linguine, and they’ll tell you to stop talking and give them a fork to dig in. Called “linguine con gamberi” in Italian, this dish is for all those moments that only Italian comfort food would do." -- Skinny Spatula Seafood and pasta are a perfect pairing in my opinion. I absolutely adore seafood and you all know I love pasta, so for me it’s a natural pairing. Plus this Linguine con Gamberetti (Shrimp) dish has an unexpected little kick to it from the red pepper flakes. Anytime you can add a little kick to a dish I’m all for it. - bellalimento

from my kitchen... baked, torched potatoes, served over red pepper garlic sauce. shrimp/avocado (grilled shrimp infused in mirin/sake vinegar/lime) crips (on japanese rice crackers). brie bites — 3 ways — blueberry, fig jam, jalapeño jam. chicken yakitori. fondant potatoes (crusty potatoes with garlic, thyme, butter). traditional chicken potato korma cooked with french and japanese techniques. spinach dip with Italian crostini. crab salad with rice crackers and nori. mango avacado red onion smoked salmon bites (seasoned with mirin and rice vinegar) on Japanese sesame crackers.