Slow Cook Modern

Feel free to experiment with this recipe, using different spices, different grains as accompaniments, even a different meat (my friend Leda made this using a bone-in lamb leg roast, for example, and was happy with the results).

IN THE MORNING

Load up the cooker.

IN THE EVENING

Cook the rice and slice or pull the pork.

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons ancho chile powder

½ teaspoon ground cayenne

1 (3½- to 4-pound/1.6- to 1.8-kg) bone-in pork butt

2 cups (370 g) long-grain white rice

MORNING

In a cup, combine the salt, chile powder, and cayenne, then rub the mixture all over the pork. Put the pork in the slow cooker, fat side down. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

EVENING

Put the rice in a sieve and rinse very well under running water. Dump into a 2-quart (2-L) saucepan and add 2¼ cups (540 ml) water and a good pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, stir once to unstick any grains from the bottom of the pan, then cover and cook over the lowest heat for 14 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Let stand, covered, for 3 minutes, then fluff with a fork or spatula.

Using tongs or two wide metal spatulas, remove the pork to a carving board. Slice or pull the meat from the bone, discarding any large pockets of fat. Serve, spooning some of the cooking liquid from the cooker over the meat.

Spicy tomatillo salsa

1 pound (455 g) tomatillos, husked and rinsed

4 ounces (115 g) jalapeño or serrano chiles, stems cut off

½ onion, cut into thick slices

2 cloves garlic, unpeeled

1 cup (40 g) chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon salt

MORNING OR EVENING

Preheat the broiler to high and set a rack about 6 inches (15 cm) from the heat source.

Arrange the tomatillos, jalapeños, onion slices, and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until the vegetables are softened and the tomatillos and jalapeños are charred in spots, about 15 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes. Peel the garlic. Transfer all the vegetables to a blender and add the cilantro and salt. Blend until chunky-smooth. Serve warm, or let cool, cover, and refrigerate; bring to room temperature before serving. The salsa will keep for at least 5 days in the refrigerator.

Porter Pork Roast

WITH chunky rosemary applesauce
ALSO GOOD WITH skillet potatoes (THIS PAGE) OR two peas with marjoram (THIS PAGE)

There’s something about dark beer and pork that’s so appealing: the bitterness of the beer cutting through the unctuousness of the meat, the wide range of flavors from so few ingredients.

IN THE MORNING

Sear the pork roast.

IN THE EVENING

Slice and serve.

1 (3-pound/1.4-kg) boneless pork shoulder roast

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 (12-ounce/360-ml) bottle of porter beer

1 large sprig fresh rosemary

MORNING

Season the pork all over with about 1½ teaspoons salt and plenty of pepper. Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over high heat. When it’s hot, add the pork and cook, turning with tongs, until nicely browned on most sides, about 7 minutes total. Transfer to the slow cooker. Pour most of the beer into the hot skillet, scraping up any browned bits, then pour into the cooker. Nestle the rosemary alongside the roast. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

EVENING

Using tongs or two sturdy metal spatulas, transfer the roast to a carving board. Cut into thick slices with a sharp chef’s knife (or pull the meat into serving-size pieces) and arrange on a platter. Spoon liquid from the cooker over the pork and serve.

Chunky rosemary applesauce

4 large sweet apples, peeled, if desired, and diced

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

Pinch of salt

Juice of ½ lemon

1 tablespoon maple syrup

MORNING OR EVENING

Put all the ingredients in a saucepan with 1 cup (240 ml) water, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft and breaking apart, about 15 minutes, adding a little more water if it seems too dry. Mash some of the apples against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula. If doing this in the morning, set aside, covered, until evening and reheat over medium heat, stirring frequently and adding some water, if needed, just before serving.

“Pulled Pork”

WITH yogurt-dressed coleslaw
ALSO GOOD WITH collard slaw (THIS PAGE) OR tangy potato salad (THIS PAGE)

With apologies to those of you who know real pork barbecue, this is not it. But it can certainly help ease the cravings of expat southeasterners—say, those living in a northern city apartment with no access to a good barbecue joint, much less a decent home smoker setup.

IN THE MORNING

Brown the pork.

IN THE EVENING

Pull the pork from the bones and puree the sauce.

1 (5- to 6-pound/2.3- to 2.7-kg) bone-in Boston butt pork roast

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ sweet onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic

1 (6-ounce/170-g) can tomato paste

½ cup (120 ml) crushed tomatoes

½ cup (120 ml) cider vinegar

¾ cup (110 g) raisins

2 teaspoons hot paprika

Soft split sandwich buns

MORNING

Season the pork all over with about 2 teaspoons salt and plenty of pepper. In a large skillet or sauté pan over high heat, cook the pork until nicely browned on several sides, turning with tongs or a carving fork, about 10 minutes total. It’s okay if it doesn’t quite fit in the pan—just do your best to brown it in your largest skillet.

Meanwhile, put the onion, garlic, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, vinegar, raisins, and paprika in the slow cooker and stir. Transfer the browned pork roast to the cooker. Pour ½ cup (120 ml) water into the hot skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits, then scrape the liquid into the cooker. Cover and cook on high for 8 hours.

EVENING

Using tongs or a carving fork and sturdy metal spatula, transfer the pork to a large baking pan.

With an immersion blender, puree the sauce in the cooker. With two forks or any other utensils that work for you, remove and discard the pork bones and any large pieces of fat, then shred the meat and return it to the sauce in the cooker to reheat. Serve on buns.

Yogurt-dressed coleslaw

This is a very straightforward slaw—I like to keep things pretty standard when pulled pork is involved. Serve it on the sandwiches, Virginia-style, or on the side.

3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (preferably full-fat)

¼ cup (60 ml) cider vinegar

1 teaspoon prepared mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon celery seed

1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

1 small head green cabbage

1 large carrot

MORNING OR EVENING

In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, vinegar, mustard, sugar, celery seed, salt, and lots of pepper. Quarter, core, and finely shred (or food-processor) the cabbage. Peel and grate the carrot and add the cabbage and carrot to the bowl with the dressing. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Derek’s Red Posole

WITH chilled radish chips
ALSO GOOD WITH chili garnishes (THIS PAGE) OR mini faux pupusas (THIS PAGE)

Instead of rehydrating the chiles and tomatoes, you can use about 1½ cups (360 ml) chili base (this page); just stir in water or stock to make about 2½ cups (600 ml) and add a little cayenne or more ancho chile powder and grate in some garlic when you add it to the slow cooker.

IN THE MORNING

Rehydrate the chiles, blend, and strain into the cooker.

IN THE EVENING

Stir in the hominy and radish tops.

2 ounces (55 g) dried guajillo and/or New Mexico chiles (about 8), stemmed and snipped into pieces with scissors

6 dried chiles de árbol, stemmed

6 sun-dried tomatoes

5 cloves garlic

3 cups (720 ml) boiling water

2 pounds (910 g) pork shoulder or country-style ribs, cut into 1½- to 2-inch (4- to 5-cm) chunks

1 teaspoon dried epazote (see Note, this page)

1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican

2 teaspoons ancho chile powder

1½ teaspoons salt, or more to taste

About 4⅓ cups (710 g) cooked and drained hominy (this page), or one 25-ounce/709-g can) hominy

Tops from 1 bunch radishes, washed well and chopped (optional)

Lime wedges

MORNING

Shake out as many of the guajillo seeds as possible (but don’t lose your mind over it). Put the guajillo and árbol chiles, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic in a blender and pour the boiling water over them. Let soak for at least 10 minutes, until the chiles are softened. Puree until very smooth. Set a fine-mesh sieve over the slow cooker and pour in the chile puree, pushing the puree and liquid through with a spatula; discard the bits of skin and seeds in the sieve.

Stir in the pork, epazote, oregano, chile powder, and salt. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

EVENING

Turn the cooker to high and stir in the hominy and radish tops, if using. Cover and heat through. Season with more salt, if needed, and serve with lime wedges.

Chilled radish chips

When very thinly sliced radishes are chilled in ice water for a few hours they curl into a scoop shape and become incredibly crisp and crunchy—a refreshing accompaniment to anything spicy. Keep them in the water in the fridge for up to 5 days and use them to scoop hummus, guacamole, or other dips.

1 bunch radishes, tops cut off (save the tops for the posole)

Salt

Ground cayenne (optional)

MORNING

With a mandoline or a Y-shaped vegetable peeler, slice the radishes paper-thin. Put in a container and cover with ice and cold water. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

EVENING

Drain the slices, sprinkle with salt and cayenne, if desired, and serve.

Curried Pork Loin

WITH roasted squash and Scotch bonnet sauce
ALSO GOOD WITH brown rice and peas (THIS PAGE) OR chayote with garlic buttered bread crumbs (THIS PAGE)

Pork loin is very lean, and can easily toughen in the slow cooker, so here it’s cooked in plenty of rich, flavorful liquid—coconut milk and tomato infused with aromatics and spice.

IN THE MORNING

Brown the pork, deglaze the skillet, and load the cooker.

IN THE EVENING

Hit the pork sauce with the immersion blender.

2 pounds (910 g) pork loin, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) chunks

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons Madras or other hot curry powder

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1-inch (2.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (13.5-ounce/400-ml) can coconut milk

1 fresh or frozen Scotch bonnet chile

1 large tomato, peeled and diced, or 2 canned tomatoes, diced

MORNING

Sprinkle the pork with several pinches of salt and grindings of black pepper and the curry powder. In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the pork in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally with a metal spatula, just until the spices are fragrant and the surface of the pork has lost its raw pink color, about 4 minutes. Scrape into the slow cooker.

Return the pan to medium heat and add the ginger, garlic, and most of the can of coconut milk (put the rest in the refrigerator for evening), stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the pan. Boil for 1 minute, then scrape into the slow cooker. Use a paring knife to slit the chile in one or two places, keeping it whole, and add it to the cooker, tucking it down into the liquid. Add the tomato, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours.

EVENING

Using a slotted spoon, remove the pork to a serving bowl. Add the rest of the can of coconut milk to the cooker and puree the sauce with an immersion blender. Taste and add salt, if needed. Return the pork to the cooker and serve.

Roasted squash and Scotch bonnet sauce

1 bunch fresh cilantro, including tender stems, chopped

Juice of 1 to 2 limes

About 2 teaspoons Thai black (sweet) soy sauce, or 2 teaspoons regular soy sauce plus 1 tablespoon honey

4 Scotch bonnet chiles

Salt

2 acorn squash

MORNING OR EVENING

Put the cilantro, lime juice, soy sauce, and ¼ cup (60 ml) water in a mini food processor. Wearing gloves, stem and seed the chiles. Snip them into the food processor. Process to a fine puree, taste, and add more lime juice and salt, if needed. Cover and refrigerate if making the sauce in the morning.

EVENING

Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°F). Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Put the squash cut side down in one or two baking dishes, add water to just cover the bottom of the dish, and roast until tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Serve with the sauce.

Japanese Curry Rice

WITH sweet apples with cayenne
ALSO GOOD WITH gingered Asian pear salad (THIS PAGE) OR broccoli-sesame hash (THIS PAGE)

I’ll admit the prep for this meal is a bit involved for a weekday morning, but if you make the curry roux and keep the remainder in the freezer, the next time you make this will be a breeze.

IN THE MORNING

Brown the pork and sauté the onion. If you have time, make the curry roux.

IN THE EVENING

Cook the rice and drain the liquid into a saucepan to make the sauce.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1½ pounds (680 g) pork shoulder or country-style ribs, cut into 1- to 2-inch (2.5- to 5-cm) pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 onion, sliced

4 small carrots, cut into 1- to 1½-inch (2.5- to 5-cm) lengths

3 Yukon Gold potatoes (about 14 ounces/400 g total), cut into 1- to 2-inch (2.5- to 5-cm) pieces

For the curry roux:

4 tablespoons (½ stick/55 g) unsalted butter

6 tablespoons (35 g) all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons Madras (hot) curry powder

1 teaspoon garam masala

1½ cups (295 g) medium-grain rice, such as Calrose rice

MORNING

In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the pork and season it with salt and pepper. Cook, turning with a thin metal spatula, until the pieces are nicely browned on one or two sides, about 5 minutes, then transfer to the slow cooker.

Add the onion to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and browned at the edges, about 5 minutes, then scrape into the cooker. Pour 1 cup (240 ml) water into the hot skillet, scraping up any browned bits, and pour the liquid into the cooker. Add the carrots and potatoes.

In a skillet or sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour, curry powder, and garam masala and cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, for 2 minutes. Scrape into a bowl. Pour 1 cup (240 ml) water into the hot skillet, scraping up any browned bits, and pour the liquid into the cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Cover the curry roux and set aside or refrigerate.

EVENING

Rinse the rice in a sieve under running water. Dump it into a 2-quart (2-L) saucepan and add 2 cups (480 ml) water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook on the lowest heat until tender and all the water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Holding the cooker lid askew, drain as much of the liquid as possible from the cooker into a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Whisk in half of the curry roux and simmer until just thickened. Return the sauce to the cooker and serve with the rice. Tightly wrap the remaining curry roux in plastic and freeze for up to 6 months.

Sweet apples with cayenne

2 crisp sweet apples

Juice of ½ lemon

Good pinch of ground cayenne

Pinch of salt

EVENING

Using a Thai green papaya/mango shredder or the large holes of a box-type grater, grate the apples, including the peels—just hold the whole apple and grate one side until you reach the core, then turn the apple and grate the other sides. Toss in a bowl with the lemon juice, cayenne, and salt and serve.

Pork Mochimos

WITH marinated bean and tomato salad
ALSO GOOD WITH chili garnishes (THIS PAGE) OR quick-pickled vegetables (THIS PAGE)

Mochimos—salty pork (or often beef) cooked to fine shreds and tossed with fresh chiles and onion—are a new-to-me delight. It’s a simple process, but it does require a bit of evening work at the stove, and some measure of kitchen confidence: The tender braised pork will stick to the skillet and turn golden as you stir and scrape it, and you have to trust that this is what should happen and that this is how the dish becomes something other and greater than plain sautéed meat. Embrace the Maillard reaction and the not-nonstick cookware that makes it work most efficiently.

If you have leftover mochimos (it freezes and reheats very well), it’s great in burritos with soft beans or just pinched into a simple fried rice. I often make mochimos with leftovers from the Basic “Roast” Pork recipe (this page).

IN THE MORNING

Load up the cooker.

IN THE EVENING

Brown and shred the pork in a skillet (in two batches or in two skillets) and stir in the onion and chiles.

3 pounds (1.4 kg) pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) chunks

2 teaspoons ancho chile powder (optional)

½ teaspoon ground cayenne (optional)

1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

1 to 2 serrano chiles

½ onion

Corn tortillas, warmed (see this page)

MORNING

Put the pork in the slow cooker and toss it with the chile powder and cayenne, if using, and the salt. Pour in ½ cup (120 ml) water. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

MORNING OR EVENING

Thinly slice the chiles and onion. If doing this in the morning, put them in a container together and refrigerate.

EVENING

Place a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer half of the pork to the hot skillet and cook—turning and shredding the meat, and scraping the pan when it sticks (which is okay)—until the meat is deeply browned and crisp and most of it is in fine threads, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining pork. Toss the chile and onion slices with the warm pork, sprinkle with more salt, if needed, and serve.

Marinated bean and tomato salad

1 (14- to 15-ounce/400- to 430-g) can black beans or small red beans, drained and rinsed, or about 1½ cups cooked and drained beans (this page)

3 medium round tomatoes (about 10 ounces/280 g), chopped

1 small red bell pepper, or a large poblano or Hatch chile, if you’d like more heat, seeded and diced

¼ sweet onion, diced

Juice of ½ lime

1 large sprig fresh basil, torn, or ¼ cup (10 g) chopped fresh cilantro

Salt to taste

MORNING

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until evening.

Pork with Pineapple and Chiles

WITH all-purpose tomato salsa
ALSO GOOD WITH mini faux pupusas (THIS PAGE) OR marinated bean and tomato salad (THIS PAGE)

Here’s a hearty meal of spicy braised pork, with just a touch of sweet-and-sour action from the pineapple, which is pureed into a sauce.

IN THE MORNING

Brown the pork.

IN THE EVENING

Cook the rice and puree the sauce.

1 tablespoon ancho chile powder

1½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2½ pounds (1.2 kg) pork country-style ribs

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 cups (330 g) cubed fresh pineapple

4 dried chiles de árbol

2 cups (370 g) long-grain white rice

MORNING

In a cup, stir together the chile powder, salt, and cumin. Put the pork in the slow cooker and toss it with the spice mixture to coat it. In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add half of the pork and cook until just browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes, then turn and brown the other side. Return to the cooker and repeat with the remaining pork.

Pour ½ cup (120 ml) water into the hot skillet and scrape up any browned bits, then pour the liquid into the cooker. Pile the pineapple on top of the pork and tuck the chiles into the pineapple and pork. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

EVENING

Put the rice in a sieve and rinse very well under running water. Dump into a 2-quart (2-L) saucepan and add 2¼ cups (540 ml) water and a good pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, stir once to unstick any grains, then cover and cook over the lowest heat for 14 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Let stand, covered, for 3 minutes, then fluff with a fork or spatula.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork and half of the pineapple to a bowl. With an immersion blender, puree the sauce in the cooker. Season with more salt, if needed, return the pork and pineapple to the cooker, and serve with the rice.

All-purpose tomato salsa

4 scallions

1 to 2 jalapeño chiles

Juice of 1 lime

14 ounces (400 g) plum tomatoes (about 6)

Goya adobo seasoning (see Note, this page) or a mixture of salt, onion powder, granulated garlic, and a tiny bit of dried oregano, to taste

MORNING OR EVENING

Thinly slice the scallions, mince the jalapeños (seed them if you’d like less heat, and wear gloves), and toss them in a medium bowl with the lime juice. Dice the tomatoes and lift them from the cutting board to the bowl with your hands, leaving the excess juices behind. Toss and season to taste. Cover and refrigerate if doing this in the morning, or serve right away at room temperature.

Pork with Turnips, Tomatillos, and Greens

WITH broiled sweet onions
ALSO GOOD WITH corn muffins (THIS PAGE) OR cumin-spiced millet (THIS PAGE)

This recipe is loosely based on one by Rick Bayless that my parents make with big chunks of pork shoulder their butcher calls “pork cushions”; I’ve never seen that terminology used myself, but it feels appropriate. Bayless’s process is of course a bit more complicated, and he uses potatoes and wild greens instead of turnips, but I really love the bite and faint bitterness of turnips and their greens (which mellow considerably over the course of a day in the slow cooker).

IN THE MORNING

Blend the sauce and load up the cooker. If you have time, chop and wash the greens.

IN THE EVENING

Fold in the greens.

1 pound (455 g) tomatillos, husked and rinsed, chopped

1 large bunch fresh cilantro with stems, chopped

2 jalapeño or serrano chiles, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

¾ teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2½ pounds (1.2 kg) pork shoulder or loin, cut into big (3-inch/7.5-cm) chunks

12 ounces (340 g) turnips, peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2-cm) cubes

1 bunch (about 8 ounces/225 g) turnip greens

MORNING

Put the tomatillos, cilantro, chiles, garlic, cumin, 1½ teaspoons salt, and several grindings of pepper in the slow cooker. With an immersion blender, puree the sauce (or put everything in a blender, puree, and transfer to the cooker). Add the pork and turnips. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

MORNING OR EVENING

Chop the turnip greens and submerge them in a large bowl of water, swishing to remove any sand. Lift them into a colander and repeat the rinse with clean water until no more sand remains. Drain the greens well and set aside in the fridge if doing this in the morning.

EVENING

Turn the cooker to high. Gently fold the greens into the pork and sauce in the cooker, cover, and cook until the greens are wilted and just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with more salt, if needed, and serve.

Broiled sweet onions

2 large sweet onions

Olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

EVENING

Preheat the broiler to high and set a rack about 6 inches (15 cm) from the heat source.

Cut the onions into rounds ¼ inch (6 mm) thick and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush on both sides with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until blackened in spots and tender, about 10 minutes, then turn with a spatula and cook on the other side for a few minutes. Serve hot.

Pork Adobo

WITH iceberg and cucumber chunks
ALSO GOOD WITH gingered Asian pear salad (THIS PAGE) OR sweet apples with cayenne (THIS PAGE)

Confession: I’d never had Filipino adobo before I made it myself. Before developing this recipe, I spent at least two weeks (evenings only, granted) reading about it in books and online and being led down Filipino-food-culture rabbit holes, and I think what I’ve come up with based on that research is a classic, bare-bones adobong baboy (pork adobo); it features the traditional key flavoring elements of most adobo: vinegar, soy sauce, black peppercorns, and bay leaves. It is one of the most extraordinary dishes I’ve ever made, and yet it may very well be unlike any other adobo you’ve had.

I began the process of learning about this dish, which had long been a simmering fascination for me, feeling sheepish and a bit mortified, worried I’d get something wrong or offend a huge number of readers because my vinegar-to-soy proportion was not what their grandmothers and their grandmothers’ neighbors and all their neighbors’ ancestors had insisted on. But in all my recent reading about Filipino food, one thing that struck me is how open and accommodating Filipino writers are when describing their food and recipes, particularly when it comes to this dish called “adobo,” which it seems could be just about anything as long as it contains vinegar. This welcoming, anything-goes approach to traditional foods—certainly a function of the island food culture’s many, widely diverse historical influences—was so refreshing to me, and I hope you’ll read this pork adobo recipe and indeed all of the recipes in this book with the same level of informality.

IN THE MORNING

Brown the pork.

IN THE EVENING

Cook the rice and reduce the sauce a bit.

3 pounds (1.4 kg) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1½-inch (4-cm) chunks, very large areas of fat trimmed off

1½ teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

½ cup (120 ml) white wine vinegar (see Note)

¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce

¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar

2 stalks lemongrass, lower 5 inches (12 cm) or so only (optional)

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 inches (5 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, some of them crushed lightly

4 bay leaves

2 cups (370 g) long-grain white rice

MORNING

Season the pork with the salt. In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat a little of the oil over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add about one third of the pork in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, until the pieces are nicely browned on two or more sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker and repeat with the remaining pork in two more batches. Pour ½ cup (120 ml) water into the hot skillet, scraping up any browned bits, then pour the liquid into the cooker.

Pour the vinegar and soy sauce over the meat and stir in the brown sugar. Add the lemongrass, if using, garlic, ginger, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

EVENING

If there’s a lot of clear fat on the surface of the pork cooking liquid, use a large spoon to skim it off. Holding the cooker lid askew, drain as much of the liquid as possible from the cooker into a skillet (the one from browning the pork is fine) or a wide saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the liquid is reduced a bit, about 5 minutes. Pour it back into the cooker, turn the pork to coat, and serve with the rice (picking out the bay leaves and lemongrass stalks, if using, and making sure to spoon up some of the peppercorns as you serve—they sink to the bottom).

NOTE: You could use Filipino coconut vinegar here. It’s less acidic than most wine vinegars, but I find it to be too sharp and overpowering.

Iceberg and cucumber chunks

Spoon some of the vinegary adobo sauce from the pork over the lettuce and cucumbers as a dressing. If you’re serving this with another dish, you might wish to squeeze a little lime or sprinkle some rice vinegar over them—or leave them plain as a refreshing counterpoint to a rich or spicy dish.

1 small head iceberg lettuce, chilled

2 Persian, Asian, or any other crisp, crunchy cucumbers, chilled

EVENING

Cut the head of lettuce and the cucumbers into 1-inch (2.5-cm) chunks. Arrange in a serving bowl or on individual plates and serve. Really, that’s it.

Honey-Braised Ribs

WITH broccoli-sesame hash
ALSO GOOD WITH pan-seared green beans (THIS PAGE) OR baby kale salad with dates and pistachios (THIS PAGE)

It might seem like this is an awful lot of honey and that the ribs would be cloying, but the honey, which not only sweetens but also helps to keep the ribs moist as they cook all day, is tempered by the spices.

IN THE MORNING

Cut the slab into ribs and load up the cooker.

IN THE EVENING

Serve.

3½ pounds (1.6 kg) baby back ribs (1 smallish rack)

¾ cup (180 ml) honey

1½ teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

MORNING

Cut the rack of ribs between the bones into individual ribs and put them in the slow cooker. Drizzle in the honey. In a cup, combine the paprika, cinnamon, cumin, and salt and sprinkle the mixture over the ribs, turning them with your hand to coat them with the honey and spices. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

EVENING

Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the ribs to a platter. Spoon some of the cooking liquid over them and serve.

Broccoli-sesame hash

For more texture, add ¼ cup (25 g) sliced almonds with the sesame seeds.

1 pound (455 g) broccoli with stalks

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

MORNING OR EVENING

Trim the bottoms of the broccoli stalks and scrape the stalks with a vegetable peeler to remove the tough peel. Coarsely chop the broccoli and, working in batches if necessary, pulse in a food processor until finely chopped and the largest bits are smaller than a chickpea. Cover and refrigerate if doing this in the morning.

EVENING

In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the sesame seeds and stir for 15 to 30 seconds, until golden and fragrant. Add the broccoli, a good pinch of salt, and several grindings of pepper and cook, stirring and turning with a spatula, until the broccoli starts to crisp and brown a bit, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and about 3 tablespoons water, scraping up any browned bits, and cook, stirring, until the largest broccoli bits are just tender, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Season with more salt and pepper, if needed, and serve.

Garlicky Pork Ribs Soup with Tamarind and Greens

WITH pandan water
ALSO GOOD WITH sweet corn curry cakes (THIS PAGE), scallion pancakes (THIS PAGE), OR lemongrass rice (THIS PAGE)

This is a loose adaptation of the jaw phak kat in Andy Ricker’s phenomenal book of (mostly northern) Thai recipes, Pok Pok. As soon as his long-awaited book arrived in the mail a couple of years ago, I flipped through it and then ran around to every Asian grocery store in Lincoln, Nebraska, where we lived at the time, hunting down ingredients. The sour, salty, murky (read: flavorful!) soup was the first dish I made, and it was truly extraordinary. This weekday slow cooker–friendly version is a bit simpler and more pork-forward than Ricker’s, but I think just as good.

IN THE MORNING

Make a seasoning paste and load up the cooker. In the morning or evening, fry the sliced shallot and dried chiles.

IN THE EVENING

Sauté the greens and stir them into the soup.

8 cloves garlic

8 dried red chiles, preferably Thai, stemmed, four of them broken into pieces

2 large shallots, one chopped and one thinly sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 to 3 pounds (910 g to 1.4 kg) meaty pork ribs, or 2 pounds (910 g) country-style ribs

1 tablespoon fish sauce, or more to taste

1 tablespoon miso paste

1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate, such as Tamicon brand

About 5 tablespoons (75 ml) vegetable oil

1 pound (455 g) sturdy greens, such as yu choy or Chinese broccoli, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) lengths

MORNING

Using a mortar and pestle, smash the garlic, the broken-up dried chiles, the chopped shallot, and a good pinch of salt to a paste. Put the paste in the slow cooker with the pork ribs, 6 cups (1.4 L) water, several grindings of pepper, the fish sauce, miso paste, and tamarind. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

MORNING OR EVENING

In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat 4 tablespoons (60 ml) of the oil over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the sliced shallot and cook, stirring with a slotted spoon, until deeply browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove to a paper towel to drain. Return the oil to medium-high heat, add the whole dried chiles, and cook for 30 seconds, until just darkened a shade. Remove to the paper towel to drain. Set aside at room temperature; keep the skillet handy (no need to wash it yet).

EVENING

Place the skillet with any remaining oil (add a little oil, if needed) over medium-high heat. Add the greens and stir until just wilted, then cover and cook until the thickest stems are tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding about ½ cup (60 ml) water if they start to stick to the pan. Gently fold the greens into the soup in the cooker (the ribs will be falling-off-the-bone tender; fish out and discard the bones, if you’d like), season with more salt or fish sauce, if needed, and serve with the fried shallot and chiles on the side for topping.

Pandan water

2 quarts or liters fresh cold water

1 strip fresh or frozen thawed pandan leaf

MORNING

Put the water and pandan leaf in a pitcher and refrigerate for at least 6 hours to infuse, then serve cold.

Shredded Pork and Sour Kimchi Soup

WITH gingered Asian pear salad
ALSO GOOD WITH fried bean thread noodles (THIS PAGE) OR coconut oil sticky rice (THIS PAGE)

A great way to use kimchi that’s been in the refrigerator awhile and is perhaps too sour to eat on its own, this soup could not be simpler. If you’d like, use less pork and stir a diced block of firm tofu into the soup in the evening.

IN THE MORNING

Load up the cooker.

IN THE EVENING

Shred the pork and season the broth.

2 pounds (910 g) well-trimmed boneless pork shoulder or country-style ribs, cut into large chunks

About 2½ cups (375 g) kimchi, the more sour the better

6 cups (1.4 L) vegetable stock (this page) or chicken or turkey stock (this page)

About 3 tablespoons Chinese light soy sauce

1 to 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Gochujang to taste (see Note)

MORNING

Put the pork, kimchi, and stock in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

EVENING

Turn the cooker to high. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork to a bowl (it’s fine if some kimchi comes along). With two forks, shred the pork, then return it to the cooker to reheat. Season the soup with soy sauce, vinegar, and gochujang (push the pepper paste through the holes in the slotted spoon to speed its distribution) and serve.

NOTE: Gochujang, Korean hot pepper paste, is available in good grocery stores now, in the Asian foods section. It comes in a plastic tub and can be refrigerated for weeks or months after you open it. Often you’ll have a choice between hot and mild—which one you choose is up to you; the heat of the finished soup will also depend on how spicy your kimchi is. With a store-bought, fairly mild kimchi, I’ve found that 1 tablespoon of the hot gochujang is just right.

Gingered Asian pear salad

2 Asian pears

3 thin coins fresh peeled ginger, cut into thin slivers

Grated zest of ½ orange

3 teaspoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon Chinese light soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Green tops of 1 scallion, thinly sliced on the bias

EVENING

Using a mandoline, a Thai green mango/papaya shredder, or a good knife and knife skills, cut the pears into fine matchstick strips, discarding the cores. Put in a bowl and toss with the ginger, orange zest, vinegar, and soy sauce. Top with the sesame seeds and scallion and serve immediately.

Small-Batch Burgoo

WITH corn muffins
ALSO GOOD WITH tangy potato salad (THIS PAGE) OR sautéed green tomatoes with bread crumb topping (THIS PAGE)

This actually makes a pretty full pot of stew, but because Kentucky’s approximately third-most-famous dish is so often made for huge gatherings, in pots whose volume is measured in gallons, I thought I should clarify up front that this is an immediate-family-size version. Usually it’s made with all sorts of meats, whatever wild game or spare parts have been lingering in the freezer a tad too long, so feel free to take that approach here.

IN THE MORNING

Load up the cooker.

IN THE EVENING

Shred the meat and season to taste.

2 pounds (910 g) pork (shoulder, country-style ribs, or boneless) and/or chicken (boneless, skinless thighs or breasts), cut into large chunks

1 (28-ounce/794-g) can crushed tomatoes

1 small rib celery, diced

1 small carrot, diced

½ onion, diced

1½ cups (210 g) fresh or frozen sweet corn kernels

1½ cups (265 g) frozen lima beans, preferably Fordhooks

1 large russet potato, peeled and diced

1 bay leaf

1 cup (240 ml) beef stock (this page) or chicken or turkey stock (this page)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Worcestershire sauce

Ground cayenne

MORNING

Put the meat, tomatoes, celery, carrot, onion, corn, beans, potato, bay leaf, stock, 1 teaspoon salt, and several grindings of pepper in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

EVENING

Using two forks, shred the meat. (If it’s easier, fish out the chunks of meat with tongs, shred them in a bowl, then return them to the cooker.) Season the stew with more salt and pepper, if needed, about 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, and at least ¼ teaspoon cayenne. It should be tangy, peppery, and just a little spicy. Serve.

USE THE RACHAEL RAY GARBAGE BOWL

I know, I know: Rachael Ray? But I swear this will make a difference in how efficiently you can prep ingredients. Have a spare bowl near your cutting board, and put all trimmings, peels, cores, eggshells, meat bones and trimmed-off fat, ingredient packaging, and basically anything you’re going to throw away in the bowl. Then dump everything in the trash at once. (If you keep a compost pile, obviously don’t put the meat trimmings or packaging in the bowl.) Unless your kitchen is set up superefficiently and your garbage can is directly under your work surface, this will save you tons of time, even considering that you then have an extra bowl to wash.

Corn muffins

As with any quick bread, you can mix the dry ingredients in the morning and leave the bowl on the counter; mix the wet ingredients, cover, and refrigerate until evening. Then when you’re ready to bake in the evening, just stir the wet ingredients a bit to break up the solidified butter and dump into the dry ingredients to make the batter.

2½ cups (320 g) fine cornmeal, preferably stone-ground, white or yellow

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick/115 g) unsalted butter

1½ cups (360 ml) milk

1 large egg

1 cup (140 g) fresh or frozen sweet corn kernels

EVENING

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Butter a 12-cup muffin tin or spray with cooking oil spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Melt the butter, then add the milk and egg and whisk to combine. Pour the milk mixture into the cornmeal mixture and stir with a spatula until just incorporated; fold in the corn kernels. Pour into the muffin tin, filling the wells almost to the top. Bake until golden brown at the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then loosen the edges of the muffins with a thin knife and pop them from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pork and Apple Cider Stew

WITH crusty rolls
ALSO GOOD WITH seared radicchio (THIS PAGE) OR herb salad (THIS PAGE)

A little bit sweet with cider and chunks of apple, this thick and hearty stew makes a truly comforting one-dish fall meal.

IN THE MORNING

Brown the pork and onion.

IN THE EVENING

Reduce the sauce.

2 pounds (910 g) pork shoulder or boneless country-style ribs, cut into 1½-inch (4-cm) pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

½ onion, chopped

2 cups (480 ml) apple cider

3 small carrots, cut into

1-inch (2.5-cm) lengths

8 ounces (225 g) tiny waxy-type potatoes, or larger potatoes cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces

1 apple, cored and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces

1 bay leaf

MORNING

Season the pork with salt and pepper and toss the pieces in the flour to coat. In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the pork and cook until the pieces are browned on two or more sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to the slow cooker and repeat with the remaining pork, in the oil left in the skillet.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet and add the onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened and wilted a bit, then scrape the onion into the cooker. Pour a little of the cider into the hot skillet, scraping up any browned bits, then pour the liquid into the cooker and add the remaining cider, the carrots, potatoes, apple, and bay leaf. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and several grindings of pepper. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

EVENING

Holding the cooker lid askew, drain as much of the liquid as possible from the cooker into a skillet (the one used for browning is fine) or wide saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is reduced a bit, about 5 minutes; pour the sauce back into the cooker. Season with more salt and pepper, if needed, and serve.

Crusty rolls

If you don’t have a long morning available, start these yeast-risen rolls the night before—just shape them and let them rise slowly in the fridge.

4 cups (510 g) all-purpose flour (or half white whole wheat flour), or more, if needed

1½ cups (360 ml) warm water

2 teaspoons instant yeast

Pinch of sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the baking dish

MORNING OR EVENING BEFORE

Put the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl), make a well in the center, and add the water, yeast, and sugar to the well. Mix with the dough hook (or by hand), adding the salt as you mix. Knead in the mixer on low speed (or by hand on a work surface) for 5 (or 10) minutes, until smooth, adding a little more flour, if needed. Cover the dough with an overturned bowl and let rise until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.

Divide into 8 portions and roll into balls. Generously butter a pie dish or similar baking dish and arrange the balls in the dish; they should almost touch one another. (I put one in the center, and the rest in a circle surrounding it.) Drizzle the butter over the balls and gently rub with your fingers (or use a brush) to coat them. Cover the dish with plastic and either let rise for 30 minutes or refrigerate until ready to bake.

EVENING

Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). If the dough balls were refrigerated, bring them to room temperature while you preheat the oven. Uncover the dish and bake until nicely browned, 30 to 35 minutes (spread a little more butter over the tops for the last few minutes, if you’d like). Serve warm.

Fragrant Braised Pork Belly Sandwiches

WITH green apple rojak
ALSO GOOD WITH quick-pickled vegetables (THIS PAGE) OR quickie cilantro-lime topping (THIS PAGE)

This is my shortcut version of rou jia mo, or “Chinese hamburgers.” English muffins make a very fine substitute for the chewy, holey flatbreads, but I’d encourage you to try the homemade version sometime—it’s easy and fun!

IN THE MORNING

Load up the cooker and, if you have time, slice the scallion greens and fresh peppers.

IN THE EVENING

Trim the pork belly, chop it, and reheat in a skillet with the scallions and peppers. Toast the English muffins.

2 pieces star anise

5 dried red chiles

5 green cardamom pods, cracked

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns

2 pounds (910 g) pork belly, cut into four pieces

¼ cup (60 ml) Chinese light soy sauce (not “lite”)

¼ cup (60 ml) Shaoxing wine

3 scallions

3 coins fresh ginger

1 wide strip orange zest

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 green long hot peppers

Fresh cilantro and/or mint sprigs

English muffins or homemade mo (recipe follows)

MORNING

Put the star anise, dried chiles, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and Sichuan peppercorns in a muslin spice bag or enclose in a double layer of cheesecloth. Put the bag in the slow cooker, along with the pork belly, soy sauce, wine, the white parts of the scallions, the ginger, orange zest, brown sugar, and 1 cup (240 ml) water. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

MORNING OR EVENING

Thinly slice the scallion greens and the fresh peppers on the bias. If doing this in the morning, cover and refrigerate.

EVENING

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork to a cutting board. Trim off the skin and as much of the underlying layer of fat as you’d like, then finely chop the meat and the remaining fat. Transfer to a large skillet or sauté pan. Holding a sieve over the skillet, ladle in about 1 cup (240 ml) of the liquid from the cooker. Place over medium heat and reheat the pork, stirring frequently. Add the sliced scallions and fresh peppers and toss to combine and heat through (the scallions and pepper should remain crunchy-crisp).

Toast the English muffins and spoon in the pork, along with a few sprigs of cilantro per sandwich.

Green apple rojak

⅓ cup (50 g) salted shelled peanuts

4 dried red chiles, preferably Thai, stemmed

1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate, such as Tamicon brand

2 tablespoons jaggery or brown sugar

2 Granny Smith or other tart green apples

MORNING OR EVENING

In a large mortar and pestle, pound the peanuts until they’re finely crushed but not paste-like. Set aside half of them to use as garnish.

In a small skillet or sauté pan, toast the chiles over medium heat until they’re darkened on both sides, about 3 minutes. Break them into pieces and add them to the mortar. Pound the chiles and peanuts together until they form a paste and the chile pieces are mere flakes. Stir in the tamarind, brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons water. Set aside at room temperature until evening.

EVENING

Core the apples and cut them into ¾-inch (2-cm) chunks. Put them in a bowl. Add the peanut sauce and toss to coat. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with the reserved peanuts, and serve.

Mo (Xi’an-style flatbreads)

Makes about 6

3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (240 ml) warm water

1 teaspoon instant yeast

MORNING OR EVENING

In a large bowl, stir all the ingredients together to make a smooth dough. Knead on the countertop for 5 minutes. If doing this in the morning, put the ball of dough back in the cleaned bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. If doing this in the evening, cover the dough on the counter with the bowl and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.

EVENING

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Divide the dough into golf-ball-size pieces (about six) and use a floured small rolling pin to flatten each into a round 4 to 5 inches (10 to 12 cm) in diameter and ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.

Heat a well-seasoned wok or a large griddle over medium heat. When a drop of water on the surface evaporates immediately, it’s hot enough. Working in batches, put the dough rounds on the wok (no oil is needed) and cook until the bottom is flecked with brown, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and brown the other side and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds. Transfer to the oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, then split in half to serve.

Cabbage and Beer Brats

WITH quark and caraway mash
ALSO GOOD WITH butter-roasted mixed potatoes (THIS PAGE) OR two peas with marjoram (THIS PAGE)

The sausages become very tender over eight hours, and infuse the lightly sweetened cabbage with the juices they exude in the process.

IN THE MORNING

Brown the sausages.

IN THE EVENING

Serve.

1 small head (about 1½ pounds/680 g) green or red cabbage, cored and cut into large chunks

1½ tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

6 beer bratwursts

½ onion, sliced ½ inch (12 mm) thick

1 (12-ounce/360-ml) bottle of beer, or most of it

MORNING

Put the cabbage in the slow cooker and sprinkle with the brown sugar and salt.

In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the sausages and cook until browned, about 2 minutes on each side. Arrange the sausages over the cabbage in the cooker. Add the onion to the skillet over medium heat and cook for 1 minute, then pour in the beer, stirring to scrape up any browned bits; pour the liquid into the cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

EVENING

Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the sausages, onion, and cabbage to a platter and serve, spooning some of the cooking liquid over the sausages and vegetables.

Quark and caraway mash

If you don’t have quark on hand, use plain Greek yogurt or labneh.

3 russet potatoes, peeled, if desired, and cut into chunks

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

⅔ cup (165 ml) quark (this page)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

EVENING

Put the potatoes, caraway, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the potatoes are very tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain in a colander (some of the caraway will be washed away, but that’s fine), return to the pan, and mash in the quark and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Red Beans and Rice

WITH quick-cooked shredded collards
ALSO GOOD WITH fried okra (THIS PAGE) OR chayote with garlic buttered bread crumbs (THIS PAGE)

Kidney beans need to be boiled to neutralize a toxin they contain—if you’re confident that your particular slow cooker will bring the liquid to a full boil for at least 10 minutes, you can skip the preboiling step.

IN THE MORNING

Boil the beans for 10 minutes.

IN THE EVENING

Cook the rice and ladle excess liquid from the beans. If you’d like, sear the andouille and add it to the beans.

1 pound (455 g) dried kidney beans

1 large green bell pepper

2 ribs celery

½ onion

3 cloves garlic

1 smoked ham hock

1 bay leaf

2 cups long-grain rice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, if needed

1 to 2 links (7 to 14 ounces/200 to 400 g) andouille sausage, cut into rounds ¼ inch (6 mm) thick (optional)

Cajun seasoning mix or ground cayenne (optional)

MORNING

Rinse the beans in a sieve under running water. Dump into a saucepan and add water to cover by 2 inches (5 cm). Bring to a boil, then lower the heat but keep it at a boil, and cook for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the bell pepper and celery into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces, dice the onion, and chop the garlic. Put them in the slow cooker. Drain the beans and add them to the cooker, along with the ham hock, bay leaf, and 6 cups (1.4 L) water. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

EVENING

While the rice is cooking, turn the cooker to high. Using tongs, transfer the ham hock to a bowl. Ladle as much of the excess liquid from the cooker as you can and discard it. Pull the meat from the ham hock in bite-size pieces and return them to the cooker, discarding the bone and any large pieces of fat. If the beans are still quite liquid, mash some of them with a wooden spoon, hit them with an immersion blender for a few seconds, or ladle out some liquid into a small bowl, whisk in the flour, and stir the mixture back into the beans and let cook, uncovered, for 10 to 15 more minutes.

If using the andouille, place a skillet or sauté pan over high heat. Add the sausage and cook until the slices are nicely browned on one side, 2 to 3 minutes, then turn and brown them on the other side. Transfer to the beans and gently stir.

Season the beans with salt, plenty of black pepper, and Cajun seasoning, if desired. Serve with the rice.

Quick-cooked shredded collards

1 large bunch collard greens (about 1 pound/455 g)

2 tablespoons olive oil or schmaltz (this page)

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 or 4 chiles de árbol

Salt

Vinegar-based hot sauce

MORNING OR EVENING

Wash the collards and pull out the tough center ribs (anything thicker than a pencil). Stack the leaves, roll them up, and cut the roll crosswise into ½-inch (12-mm) strips. Put in a bag and refrigerate if doing this in the morning.

EVENING

In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the garlic and chiles. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Pile in the collards and toss with tongs for 2 to 3 minutes. Add a good pinch of salt and 1 cup (240 ml) water, cover, and simmer until the collards are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with the hot sauce on the side.

Balinese-Style Banana Leaf–Wrapped Pork Chops

WITH coconut oil sticky rice
ALSO GOOD WITH basic coconut rice (THIS PAGE) OR bok choy brown basmati rice (THIS PAGE)

On a whim a few years ago I bought a three-author cookbook published in the UK with the glorious title Best-Ever Cooking of Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia & the Philippines: Ingredients, Techniques, Traditions, & All the Popular Local Dishes. And they aren’t kidding. It’s an absolutely insane book: step-by-step photographs of every single dish (all 340 of them—how’d they do that?), no-holds-barred ingredients lists (terasi and belacan, milkfish and mutton, sour carambola greens), and extensive tips and notes on every page. This recipe was inspired by one for a spice paste–rubbed and leaf-wrapped whole roast duck (which I swear I’m going to try one of these days).

IN THE MORNING

Make the seasoning paste and load up the banana leaf–lined cooker.

IN THE EVENING

Open the banana leaf and remove and slice the pork.

3 large shallots, chopped

5 cloves garlic, chopped

2 thumb-size pieces fresh turmeric, peeled and chopped

2-inch (5-cm) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

2 jalapeño or serrano chiles, chopped

4 fresh kaffir lime leaves, minced

2 stalks lemongrass, tops and tough outer leaves removed, chopped

3 tablespoons grated unsweetened coconut

1 tablespoon fish sauce

½ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large piece of banana leaf, rinsed, thawed if frozen

4 thick-cut bone-in pork chops

Lime wedges

MORNING

In a mini food processor or a good blender, combine the shallots, garlic, turmeric, ginger, chiles, lime leaves, lemongrass, coconut, fish sauce, salt, and several grindings of black pepper. Pulse to make a very smooth paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Cut a piece of banana leaf to line the whole bottom of the pot and come up and over the long edges. Season the chops lightly with salt on both sides. Pat the shallot paste on both sides of each pork chop and arrange the chops like falling dominoes in the banana leaf–lined cooker. Fold the edges of the leaf over the top of the chops to enclose them. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

EVENING

Open the banana leaf package and use tongs or a metal spatula to remove the chops to a carving board or serving platter. Serve one chop per person, or slice the meat off the bone to serve, spooning juices from the cooker over the meat. It’ll be messy, but delicious, either way. Put lime wedges on the table for people to squeeze over the pork.

Coconut oil sticky rice

2 cups (400 g) glutinous rice

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

Banana leaves, rinsed and cut to fit two bamboo steamer levels 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter

MORNING

Put the rice in a bowl and add cold water to cover by several inches. Set aside to soak until evening.

EVENING

Drain the rice in a sieve and rinse well under running water. Return it to the bowl and drizzle with the oil, tossing to coat well. Divide the rice between two 8-inch (20-cm) bamboo steamer levels lined with banana leaf circles, spreading it evenly in the trays. Bring a pot of water or about 1½ inches (4 cm) water in the bottom of a wok to a boil, place the stacked steamer on top, covered (the water should not touch the steamer), and steam for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Serve hot.

Smoked Sausage, White Bean, and Spinach Soup

WITH retro garlic bread
ALSO GOOD WITH crusty rolls (THIS PAGE) OR romaine salad with creamy herb dressing (THIS PAGE)

If your ham hock is very meaty (or if you use two hocks), you might not even need to add the sausage, which really is just gilding the lily.

IN THE MORNING

Load up the cooker.

IN THE EVENING

Pull the meat off the ham hock and sear the sausage. Fold in the spinach.

1 smoked ham hock

2 cups (365 g) dried Great Northern beans

4 ounces (115 g) baby spinach

12 ounces (340 g) smoked sausage, such as kielbasa, cut into rounds ¼ inch (6 mm) thick

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

MORNING

Put the ham hock in the slow cooker and add the beans and 8 cups (2 L) water. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

EVENING

Turn the cooker to high. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the ham hock to a bowl; when cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bone, discarding any large pieces of fat, and return the meat to the cooker. Fold in the spinach.

Place a large skillet or sauté pan over high heat. Add the sausage and cook until the slices are nicely browned on one side, 2 to 3 minutes, then turn and brown them on the other side. Transfer to the soup and gently stir. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Retro garlic bread

4 tablespoons (55 g) unsalted butter, softened (20 seconds in a microwave oven will do the job)

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

¾ teaspoon salt

8 large, thick slices Italian-style bread

MORNING OR EVENING

Stir together the butter, garlic, and salt. Spread it on both sides of the bread slices and place them on a baking sheet; set aside.

EVENING

Preheat the broiler to high and set the rack about 6 inches (15 cm) from the heat source. Broil the bread, watching it closely, until golden brown and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the slices over and broil the other side until browned. Serve hot.

Classic Split Pea Soup

WITH carrot-top pesto
ALSO GOOD WITH almond-lemon pistou (THIS PAGE) OR baby kale salad with dates and pistachios (THIS PAGE)

There is no need to get fancy when it comes to split pea soup. It’s one of the world’s most perfect foods.

IN THE MORNING

Load up the cooker.

IN THE EVENING

Pull the meat from the ham hock.

1 pound (455 g) dried green split peas

1 smoked ham hock

1 bunch carrots (about 7 small), cut into ½-inch (12-mm) pieces, tops removed and reserved for pesto (below), if desired

1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch (12-mm) pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

MORNING

Rinse the split peas in a sieve under running water. Dump into the slow cooker and add 6 cups (1.4 L) water. Add the ham hock, carrots, and potato. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

EVENING

Using tongs, transfer the ham hock to a bowl. Pull the meat from the bone in bite-size pieces and return them to the soup, discarding the bone and any large pieces of fat. Season the soup with salt and plenty of pepper. If you’d like it thicker, hit it with an immersion blender for a few seconds to break up some of the split peas and vegetables. Serve.

Carrot-top pesto

I like this pesto-type dollop to be quite lemony, the better to brighten long-cooked dishes, but if you’re not as big a lemon fan, add the juice and zest a little at a time, tasting as you go.

1 bunch carrot tops

¼ cup (30 g) chopped walnuts

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

Grated zest and juice of ½ lemon

½ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

MORNING OR EVENING

Wash the carrot tops and spin them dry. Chop them and put in a mini food processor with the walnuts, garlic, oil, lemon zest and juice, salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Pulse until finely chopped and combined, scraping the side of the bowl as needed. Transfer to a container, and cover and refrigerate if doing this in the morning. Let come to room temperature before serving.