For Bigger Flavor, Water Your Sauce, Not Your Noodles!

Tender rice noodles sop up an umami-rich sauce in this Thai-inspired stir-fry.

By Shaula ClarkDecember 4, 2023

For Tough Vegetables and Tenderloins, Sear Then Steam

A burst of steam gets two ingredients to the finish line together

By Milk StreetDecember 4, 2023

Chicken Soup, Spiced Thrice!

Chicken soup with a twist: richly spiced and topped with a spicy herb paste.

By Albert StummDecember 5, 2023

In Malaysia, Chicken Is Twice-Cooked and Richly Glazed

Chef Bob Muze heads Cili Kampung in Kuala Lumpur.

By Albert StummDecember 11, 2023

Finding Italy’s Forgotten Pastas

Caramelized onions and oregano meld as a sauce for whole-wheat pasta.

By JM HirschDecember 11, 2023

Biryanis Build Flavor by the Layer

Mohammed Muzmil seasons his matka-style biryani with a blizzard of spices from a masala dabba.

By JM HirschDecember 11, 2023

Goulash: 1,000 Years Old and Still Taking Its Time

Goulash is made in stages, creating layers of flavor from simple ingredients.

By JM HirschDecember 11, 2023

Oaxaca’s Lighter, Brighter Weeknight Mole

This easy mole adds smoky, tangy, savory-sweet flavor to juicy chicken.

By Albert StummDecember 11, 2023

The French Call It Croque Monsieur

Ditch the béchamel! We use a no-cook crème fraîche, Gruyère and mustard mix instead.

By Chris KimballDecember 11, 2023

Introducing Pane Siciliano

High-protein semolina flour is not just for pasta—it produces a crispier crust, better flavor and a golden hue.

By Chris KimballDecember 11, 2023

This Brazilian Cake Keeps the Focus on the Carrots

This carrot cake is so full of carrots, it’s actually orange. And there’s no tedious grating—the blender does all the work.

By Shaula ClarkDecember 11, 2023

Quick Whole-Wheat Yogurt Flatbreads

A simple shortcut for sourdough-like flavor

By Milk StreetDecember 11, 2023

Fermentation Vessels

Fermentation has been used to preserve and flavor food around the world for millennia.

By Milk StreetDecember 12, 2023

Chris Kimball's Book Reviews

Get a taste of what Christopher Kimball is reading at Milk Street.

By Chris KimballDecember 12, 2023

Small Bites from Milk Street

"Everywhere in the world, there are tensions—economic, political, religious. So we need chocolate" —Alain Ducasse

By Milk StreetDecember 12, 2023

Off The Air

Editors’ Answers to Milk Street Radio Questions

By Milk StreetDecember 5, 2023

Caramelized Carrot Soup with Fennel Seeds and Cumin

This soup is simple to make but gets amazing depth of flavor thanks to a technique from the encyclopedic cookbook “Modernist Cuisine.” The recipe uses baking soda, an alkali, to accelerate the caramelization process of the carrots’ natural sugars; the

Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Our rich, creamy riff on classic Indian butter chicken uses no heavy cream—pureed cashews bring the creaminess and allow the warming spices and aromatics to shine through.

Oven-Baked Three-Layer Croque Monsieur Sandwiches

In Paris, Chris Kimball tasted the best croque monsieur of his life. Could we achieve greatness at home?

Honey-Miso Salmon and Broccolini Traybake

The vegetables gets a head start in the oven while the salmon marinates in a savory-sweet mixture of miso, soy sauce and honey.

Parmesan-Garlic Crisped Bread with Spicy Greens

Pancotto, also known as pane cotto, translates as “cooked bread,” a reference to the stale bread that is torn into pieces and cooked similar to pappa al pomodoro, the much-loved Tuscan tomato-bread soup. In Italy, we learned there is no one way to mak

Thai Stir-Fried Rice Noodles with Shrimp and Basil

“Drunkard’s stir-fried noodles” is a favorite in Thailand and in our comments section. “WOW, this recipe was definitely a banger,” a reader writes. “That sauce just soaks into the noodles.”

Yemenite Chicken and Vegetable Soup with Turmeric

The soup called marak temani is a fragrant, chunky, golden-hued meat- and vegetable-studded broth that originates with Yemenite Jews. Its defining flavor is savory hawaij, a Yemeni seasoning blend of turmeric, cumin, black pepper and cardamom, but oft

Pakistani-Style Chicken Biryani

In Lahore, Pakistan, we learned different ways to make biryani, a multi-layered dish of rice and meat, all boldly seasoned with spices and aromatics. Based on lessons we learned from street vendor Mohammed Muzmil and chefs Muneeze Khalid and Gulnaz Si

Tomato Rice with Smoked Sausage and Peas

This homey, comforting one-pot meal is a riff on Cuban arroz con salchichas, or rice and sausage. We first brown slices of smoky kielbasa, then sauté a simple sofrito of onion and poblano pepper to build flavor. Garlic, cumin, dried oregano and bay pr

Skillet Shrimp with Green Olive, Caper and Jalapeño Sauce

Inspired by Veracruz-style shrimp from the Gulf Coast of Mexico, this shrimp dish combines punchy, savory depth of Spanish cooking with a piquant, Mexican-style touch.

Parmesan and Pancetta Pasta with Kale

This quick, one-pot pasta dinner hits a wide spectrum of flavors: it’s savory with crisp bits of pancetta, umami-rich with Parmesan, green and minerally with kale, spicy with pepper flakes and bright with a last-minute addition of lemon juice. We use

Curry-Braised Chicken with Tomatoes and Potatoes

This comforting, low-effort braise takes inspiration from Mauritian chicken daube. In the 18th century, French colonizers brought the hearty braise called daube to Mauritius, an island nation in the Indian Ocean. Over time, Mauritians adapted the dish

Whole-Wheat Pasta with Pecorino and White Wine-Onion Sauce

In Italy, J.M. Hirsch discovered the sweet and savory deliciousness of forgotten “onion pasta.”

Malaysian Twice-Cooked Turmeric Chicken with Lemon Grass and Sweet Soy

The Malaysian dish called ayam masak kecap translates as “chicken cooked in soy sauce,” but it’s commonly referred to as “bachelor’s chicken” because it’s quick and easy to throw together. It also happens to be irresistibly delicious. Pieces of turmer

Hungarian Goulash

Hungary’s national dish, goulash—or gulyás in Hungarian—has countless variations. Some are soupy; others thick and meaty. Our version takes inspiration from Tibor Rosenstein, chef/owner of Rosenstein restaurant in Budapest, whose unique method makes f

Pan-Fried Potatoes with Cumin, Cilantro and Peanuts

These skillet-cooked potatoes are a type of Indian sabzi, or dry-cooked vegetables boldly seasoned with spices. Our inspiration comes from “Made in India” by Meera Sodha, who explains that the dish she calls “ferrari potatoes” (it also goes by other n

Yellow Mole with Chicken

Yellow mole is one of the lightest and brightest in flavor. It’s also far easier to make than most long-cooked moles but still feels special-occasion-worthy.

Sicilian Semolina and Sesame Bread

Our version of pane siciliano, or Sicilian sesame bread, has a soft, fine quality and a rustic, satisfying chew.

Brazilian-Style Chocolate-Glazed Carrot Cake

In bolo de cenoura, the blender pulls out an amazing, orangey sweetness from carrots—totally unlike any American carrot cake.

Cannellini Beans and Cabbage with Pancetta and Parmesan

A creamy mess of white beans, crisp pancetta, cabbage, savory Parm—the ingredients list alone told us this would be a winning combination.

Chocolate and Spiced Pear Freeform Tart

Chinese five-spice powder adds intrigue to the classic paring of pears and chocolate. We prefer Bosc pears for their firm texture. Don’t peel the pears—the russet-toned skins contrast nicely against the creamy-white interiors of the fruit. If you like

Quick Flatbreads with Yogurt and Whole Wheat

Flour, baking powder, salt, yogurt, honey: if you’ve got these onhand, you can make plush skillet flatbreads.