Name: Braised Veal Breast with Herbs, Pernod, and Tomatoes
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 (4 3/4- to 5-pound) large end of veal breast (about 8 bones), cut between bones into individual ribs; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large onion, halved, thinly sliced; 8 large garlic cloves, chopped; 2 large shallots, sliced; 3 anchovy fillets, chopped; 1 cup dry white wine; 1/4 cup Pernod or other anise-flavored liqueur; 1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice; 1 cup low-salt chicken broth; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon; 1 (10-ounce) bag pearl onions, peeled; 1 cup brine-cured green olives (such as picholine; about 6 ounces); 2 tablespoons grated lemon peel

Image may contain Food Dish Meal Stew and Lunch

Braised Veal Breast with Herbs, Pernod, and TomatoesNoel Barnhurst

This is great with polenta or egg noodles. To peel the onions like a pro, boil them for one minute; drain, cool, and peel. What to drink: Mas de Guiot 2005 Château Guiot Rosé from France ($10), a vibrantly colored rosé with raspberry aromas and a hint of spice.

Recipe notes

Sofrito Bolognese

An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.

Charred Vegetable Ragù

This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Pasta Alla Mezcal

This marinara sauce is great tossed with any pasta for a quick and easy weeknight dinner that will leave you thinking, “Why didn’t anyone try this sooner?”

Beef Stroganoff Ramen

This traditional dish of beef, sour cream, and mustard may have originated in Russia, but it’s about time for a version with ramen noodles, don’t you think?

Gigante Beans With Seaweed Salmoriglio

Salmoriglio is a Mediterranean sauce with herbs, garlic, and olive oil. In this version, kelp is used as the base of the sauce.