Cured Meat

Bacon-wrapped franks, pinto beans, avocado, and mayo are balanced by pickled jalapeños and salsa in this summertime favorite.

Competition for the best burger in London has gone mad. Some burgers are gourmet and piled high with toppings, whereas others are thinner, simpler, wrapped in paper, steamy and sloppy. All I can say is my insanity burger is going to be right up there—the method is almost ritualistic in what it requires you to do to get close to burger perfection. I've also used the brilliant technique of brushing the burgers with mustard and a dash of Tabasco Chipotle sauce as they cook to build up an incredible gnarly layer of seasoning.

Collards really cook down a lot, so don't be fooled into buying some puny little bunch. I like my collards on the smaller, younger side of life. (The younger the collards, the shorter the cooking time.) The addition of kimchi gives the classic creamed greens an umami bite that I adore.

Both guanciale and Pecorino are quite salty; Leonardo Vignoli, the chef at Da Cesare al Casaletto, recommends undersalting the pasta water to give you more control.

At Rioja, half of the bacon is replaced with ground fatback, a step that makes this excellent burger even better.

This salad is the answer to people who think they don't like leafy greens. Good kale has a deep, almost meaty flavor. Searing it and mixing it with brown-butter-drenched pine nuts, sweet raisins, and salty Parmesan cheese is a no-fail treatment. Most other hearty greens like beet greens, dandelion greens, or radish tops would also be good in this dish.

As in the case with most famous dishes, there are more ways than one to arrive at a good boeuf bourguignon. Carefully done, and perfectly flavored, it is certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man, and can well be the main course for a buffet dinner. Fortunately you can prepare it completely ahead, even a day in advance, and it gains in flavor when reheated. Boiled potatoes are traditionally served with this dish. Buttered noodles or steamed rice may be substituted. If you also wish a green vegetable, buttered peas would be your best choice. Serve with the beef fairly full-bodied, young red wine, such as Beaujolais, Côtes di Rhône, Bordeaux-St. Émilion, or Burgundy.

Use a vegetable peeler to peel the zucchini lengthwise into thin ribbons, stopping when you get to the very center where it is all seeds. You can use this same technique with carrots and peel long carrot ribbons, or also choose to use half carrots and half zucchini. The zucchini (or carrots or both) sliced this way also make a light, fresh summer salad when tossed raw with lemon juice, olive oil, and fresh herbs.

The secret to making this extraordinary spring salad? Remove and fry rotisserie chicken skin for a salty, extra-crispy topping.

Fregola, a tiny toasted pasta similar to pearled couscous, makes a flavorful base for this brothy spring dinner.

These aren't sticky-sweet brown sugar baked beans. Think of them like the top crust of a good cassoulet.

We're into the ruffles-on-ruffles look you get from using reginetti noodles and Savoy cabbage, but any short pasta and green cabbage can be used in their place.

Roasting the pancetta in one large piece renders out most of the fat, making it easy to dice into perfect 1/4" pieces.

Miso paste increases the umami factor, and broccoli rabe brings refreshing bite to this classic bacon, egg, and cheese pasta combo.

Sometimes it's okay to cut corners: Here we make the classic Italian dish with bacon and skip the multiday air-drying process. It's not traditional, but it sure is delicious