Simmer Down

the onions and cook for a few minutes until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and all the herbs and spices, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, making sure not to burn the garlic. Add the salt and pepper. Add the entire can of tomatoes with the juice, leaving the tomatoes whole, and the beans and chicken stock. When this comes to a hearty simmer, begin adding the kale, one handful at a time, covering the pot after each addition so that the kale will wilt down and give you room to add more. When the kale has softened enough, you may gently stir the pot, incorporating the kale into the broth. Cover the pot and turn the heat down to a light simmer. Let the dish cook for at least an hour. The kale will lose its bright green color, but will soften beautifully. Taste the broth and add up to 1 tablespoon of sugar if needed. Depending on the brand of canned tomatoes you use, there may be a higher level of acidity than you’d like, and the sugar will sweeten any sourness. Reseason with salt and pepper.
    Although good on the first day, this dish is best made a day ahead. Reheat the entire dish over medium-high heat and then turn the stove down to low. You can leave the dish on low for a bit, but be careful not to overcook the kale, since it can break down entirely and ruin the dish. Chloe likes this served over rice or with a big piece of crusty French bread.
    Note: If you have fresh herbs available, you may certainly substitute those for the dried herbs, but make sure to triple the amounts.

    Olive oil
    1 ½ medium onions, sliced thickly
    3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the flat of a knife
    ½2 tsp. cumin
    1 tsp. coriander
    ½tsp. cardamom
    1 tsp. nutmeg
    2 tsp. ground ginger
    1 pinch cayenne
    ½ tsp. crushed red pepper
    3 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch-thick pieces
    1 large potato, cut into 1-inch cubes
    1 tbsp. butter
    1 red pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
    1 can unsweetened coconut milk
    ¼ cup chicken broth
    4 pork chops, bone-in or boneless, about 1/4 inch thick
    Salt, pepper, and sugar to taste
    ½ tsp. sesame oil

    Heat a skillet deep enough to hold all of your ingredients over medium-high heat. Coat the bottom of the skillet with a little olive oil, and sauté the onions and garlic for a couple of minutes. Add all of the herbs and spices, and continue sautéing for another few minutes to toast them and bring out their flavor. Add the carrots and potatoes, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the butter, red pepper, coconut milk, and chicken broth. Bring the dish to a simmer, and then turn the heat down to low. Cover and let this cook for 45 minutes.
    About 10 minutes before the vegetables and sauce are done, heat a separate skillet on medium-high heat. Dust the pork chops liberally with salt, pepper, and sugar, and lay flat in the skillet. Check after 4 minutes, and when they are nicely browned, flip them over and cook on the other side. Sprinkle each pork chop with 3—4 drops of sesame oil. Make sure they are thoroughly cooked through before serving.
    Serve the pork chops with a hearty amount of the vegetables and curry sauce over them. This is a great dish with any kind of rice and a simple side salad.

    JOSH'S NEW YEAR'S EVE DINNER

    2large English cucumbers
    4 handfuls mesclun mix
    6—8 oz. fresh enoki mushrooms

    Tools : at least one cylinder, about 4 inches in diameter and 2 inches deep

    Cut the cucumber into 4 paper-thin slices. You may use a mandoline to cut the slices. If not, you can certainly use a knife, but make sure that the slices are thin enough to bend easily. Place a cylinder in the center of an individual serving plate. Line the inside of each cylinder with one or two cucumber slices, depending on the length of the cucumber. Fill with a good handful of your mesclun mix, making sure the cylinder is full, but that the greens are not packed tightly. Cut off the bottom of each enoki mushroom, leaving the stem long. Using two fingers, gently make openings in the greens and insert the mushroom stems. Separate the mushroom tops to give each one the appearance of a crown. Slowly and delicately remove the cylinder from the salad, keeping the nice round shape. Drizzle a bit of the sesame-honey dressing over the salad, and pour more decoratively on the plate around the salad.

    ¼ cup rice vinegar
    ¾ cup sesame oil
    ¾ cup salad oil
    2 tbsp. soy sauce
    2 tbsp. orange juice
    2 tbsp. honey
    ½ tbsp. minced ginger
    ¼ tbsp. minced garlic
    2 tsp. black sesame seeds
    2 tsp. white sesame seeds

    Combine