Take chicken, pork chops, and soup from bland to bold

Boston Globe

18-02-2025

Makes 4 servings
This aromatic braise with a warm yellow hue is our version of Ethiopian doro alicha, the milder cousin of better-known, more intensely spiced doro wat. Turmeric, onion, ginger, and garlic supply the flavor foundation. The dried herbs and spices mimic the complexity of niter kibbeh, a spice-infused butter ubiquitous in Ethiopian cooking.
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Serve with injera, a spongy, slightly sour Ethiopian flatbread, if you can get some. Otherwise, rice, or even naan, is a good accompaniment.
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Make sure to cover the pan and reduce the heat while simmering the chicken. The amount of liquid in the skillet is relatively scant (this is intentional, to keep the flavors concentrated); covering and gentle simmering will prevent it from evaporating.
3 tablespoons ghee or neutral oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1½ tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano or ¼ teaspoon each dried oregano and dried thyme
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 cup dry white wine
2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and/ or drumsticks, skin removed and discarded
In a 12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat, warm the ghee until shimmering. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and fully softened, 10 to 12 minutes; reduce the heat if the onion browns too quickly.
Stir in the ginger, garlic, turmeric, oregano, cinnamon, cardamom, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and
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cook over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits, until the liquid has evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add ¾ cup water and the chicken, turning to coat. Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce to medium-low heat, and simmer, occasionally stirring and turning the chicken, until a skewer inserted into the largest piece meets no resistance, 18 to 20 minutes.
Uncover, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring often, until the cooking liquid has thickened enough that a wooden spoon drawn through the sauce leaves a trail, 5 to 8 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Cinnamon, Beef, and Noodle Soup
Connie Miller
Cinnamon, Beef, and Noodle Soup
Makes 6 servings
We first made this recipe with two cinnamon sticks, but its flavor didn't come through, so we tripled it and added anise seeds, as well. The broth is still balanced but much brighter.
Instead of developing flavor by browning the beef, we get rich umami flavor from soy sauce.
You can prepare the broth and meat up to three days ahead; refrigerate both until needed, then discard the solid fat from the surface of the broth and proceed.
Six 3-inch cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons anise seed
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup rice wine
8 scallions, trimmed and halved crosswise into white and green parts
1 bunch cilantro
4-inch length ginger (3 ounces), cut into pieces and smashed
3 pounds beef shank, trimmed
8 ounces dried wheat noodles
5 ounces baby spinach
1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce, plus more to serve
Ground white pepper
In a 7-quart Dutch oven set over medium heat, toast the cinnamon sticks and anise until fragrant.
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Add 8 cups water, plus the soy sauce, wine, scallion whites, cilantro, and ginger. Bring to a simmer. Add the beef, then cover and simmer over low heat until the beef is tender and falling off the bone, 2½ to 3 hours.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a large plate and cool. Pour the broth through a mesh strainer into a large bowl. Discard the solids and return the broth to the pot. When cool enough to handle, shred the meat, discarding fat and bones, then return the meat to the broth.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until al dente. Drain and reserve. Meanwhile, return the broth to a simmer. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in the chili-garlic sauce and season with white pepper. Divide the noodles between serving bowls and ladle the soup over, seasoning with additional chili-garlic sauce, if desired.
Salt-and-Pepper Pork Chops With Spicy Scallions
Connie Miller
Salt-and-Pepper Pork Chops With Spicy Scallions
Makes 4 servings
The salt-and-pepper treatment is a Cantonese technique applied to meat, seafood, and tofu. The protein typically is deep-fried, but here we opt to pan-fry pork that we first dust in cornstarch seasoned generously with Sichuan pepper, black pepper, and cayenne.
The easiest way to grind the tongue-tingling Sichuan peppercorns for this recipe is in an electric spice grinder.
In a classic salt-and-pepper dish, chilies and garlic are quickly fried and tossed with the cooked protein for big, bold, in-your-face flavors. We, however, finish the pork with a fresh, punchy uncooked mix of sliced scallions, chopped cilantro, minced chilies, rice vinegar, and grated ginger.
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When shopping, look for boneless pork loin chops that are ¼ to ½ inch in thickness. They sometimes are called pork cutlets.
Serve with steamed jasmine rice.
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 Fresno or jalapeño chili, stemmed, seeded, and minced
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns, finely ground (see headnote)
½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
8 boneless (about 1½ pounds) thin-cut pork loin chops/ cutlets (¼ to ½ inch thick), patted dry
1⁄3 cup grape-seed or other neutral oil
In a medium bowl, toss together the scallions, cilantro, chili, vinegar, ginger, and ¼ teaspoon salt; set aside.
In a wide, shallow dish, mix together the cornstarch, Sichuan pepper, cayenne pepper, five-spice, 2 teaspoons black pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Dredge the cutlets in the cornstarch mixture, turning to coat both sides and pressing so the mixture adheres, then transfer to a large plate, stacking or shingling as needed.
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat, warm the oil until barely smoking. Add half of the cutlets and cook until browned on the bottoms, 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip the cutlets and cook until golden brown on the second sides, about 1 minute. Transfer to a platter and tent with foil. Cook the remaining cutlets in the same way, using the oil remaining in the skillet. Spoon the scallion-cilantro mixture onto the finished chops before serving.
Christopher Kimball is the founder of Milk Street, home to a magazine, school, and radio and television shows. Globe readers get 12 weeks of complete digital access, plus two issues of Milk Street print magazine, for just $1. Go to 177milkstreet.com/globe. Send comments to