Onion

The Italian version of an omelet, in which the whisked eggs and the other ingredients go into a large pan at the same time, a frittata can be eaten warm or cold. Almost any kind of vegetable works well in a frittata. We love the sweetness and flavor of leeks and roasted onions. The original sandwich at ’wichcraft contained only the frittata and good, aged Cheddar cheese. Ben Bohen, a long-time collaborator, would have this sandwich as his regular breakfast—except that Ben would always add roasted tomato. He encouraged the staff to try it, and he encouraged the customers to try it, until eventually he converted us all and we put it on the menu forevermore with Ben’s roasted tomatoes.

This is the basic tomato sauce that I use the most. It takes a bit of time to make, but it’s worthwhile because the sauce is so versatile—and during the hour of simmering I can be doing other things out of the kitchen. So I double this recipe, freeze it, and use it all week. Store extra sauce by allowing it to cool completely, then pour two-cup portions into freezer bags and freeze for up to three months. The classic marinara sauce is great with any pasta shape. But when you’re keeping it simple, why not keep it truly simple? Go with the classic spaghetti.

Note that the ingredients here are something of a hodgepodge: potato and sweet potato, zucchini and carrot, onion and bell pepper. That’s because this is a pretty loose recipe, and you should feel free to substitute whatever you prefer. Just be sure to cut any vegetables to roughly the same size, to ensure that they’re all fully cooked—but not overcooked—at the same time.

The beauty of a dish like this is that you get just enough meat to feel satisfied that you’ve had a substantial meal, but you’ve actually consumed a much greater proportion of healthy greens than of red meat. Plus, it can serve four people on the budget of one steak.

The secret to the intense mushroom flavor in this recipe is that not only are mushrooms themselves part of the mix, but the risotto is cooked with mushroom-flavored broth. In order to use dried porcini mushrooms—or any dried mushrooms for that matter—you have to reconstitute them by allowing them to sit in hot water for a few minutes, absorbing that water and plumping up. Then the mushrooms are ready to cook with, and you have all this flavorful liquid as a by-product. By all means, take advantage of it: Here, it works as a flavor booster to the chicken stock; but you can also use it as the base of a wonderful soup or sauce.

Throw these pantry ingredients together and you’ve got a terrific salad. You could add other ingredients to jazz it up, like 1/2 cup capers, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, and some fresh basil leaves, and you could even serve it over 2 cups fresh arugula.

Pork is a very popular meat in Italy, but it is eaten more often in the form of sausage or cured. It wasn’t until I started to work as a private chef that I realized what a fixture pork chops are on American tables. This is my Italian take on an American classic, pork chops and applesauce; the onions cook down to a jam-like condiment.

Fregola is a toasted semolina pasta that is very popular in Sardinia. You can substitute any small shape pasta, such as orzo, which it resembles, but do make the effort to seek it out at a specialty food shop; its nutty flavor makes this pasta salad really unusual and delicious.

In Sardinia melon, watermelon, and other sweet fruits often find their way into salads. Watermelon is used most commonly, but I find it’s easier to get good cantaloupe year-round. This is very fresh tasting and refreshing, and because I always like a little crunch in my salads, I’ve added some toasted walnuts. Sometimes I add some grated Pecorino cheese to this as well. Serve this after the meal as a palate cleanser before—or instead of—dessert.

Pickled onions such as these are most often used as a garnish for tacos, burritos, and guacamole in Mexican cuisine. I think they are just as delicious on most of the burgers in this book, and they add a level of intrigue that raw onion slices could never do. The fresh lime juice is essential for its fresh, clean flavor as well as its acidity. If you want to pump up the volume on flavor and add a bit of heat, try adding a few whole jalapeño or serrano chiles to the mix.

I created this barbecue sauce to top the Dallas and Cheyenne burgers (pages 37 and 39), but it’s also an ideal dipping sauce for Perfect French Fries (page 86). After you’ve made this quick and easy sauce once, you’ll want to slather it on grilled chicken, steak, pork chops . . . you might never go back to the bottled stuff.

Sometimes an onion ring is all about the sweet, tender onion, and sometimes the coating is given the chance to share the spotlight. Well, if you are looking for an onion ring that falls into the latter category, this is the one for you. Beer acts as a leavening agent, making for an extremely tender batter, and the deep malt flavor of dark beer makes this delicious to boot.

Even people who think they don’t like onions will fall for these onion rings, which are crispy on the outside and have a sweet, soft interior. Double dipping the onion rings helps to give them that extra-crunchy coating. I love the extra-sweet taste of Vidalia onions, but if you can’t find them in your market, any other sweet variety or even good old yellow onions will work well, too.

This burger was a staple on Mesa Grill’s lunchtime menu for years and it still makes a guest appearance from time to time. Tuna is a perfect choice for an alternative burger as its substantial meatiness really emulates that of beef. It also stands up to aggressive seasonings and is the perfect base for the slightly sweet, slightly tangy, slightly spicy pineapple-mustard glaze. The relish isn’t like anything you’ll get at a hot-dog stand; dill pickles, peppery poblano chiles, and tart lime juice make for a fresh, not sweet, crunchy relish.

The first thing that I have to do on any visit to Philadelphia is get myself a cheesesteak. Whether it’s from Tony Luke’s, Gino’s, or Pat’s, I can’t do anything until I’ve had one. I always order mine with Provolone cheese and lots of hot peppers, and you’ve got to do what the locals do and say “wit,” as in with griddled sweet onions and bell peppers. All of those toppings do make for one great sandwich, but move them onto a burger . . . now that’s what I’m talking about! And I don’t even need to leave my home state to get my fix.

The patty melt first appeared on the American diner scene in the 1940s and is still a favorite more than sixty years later. Take a good look at what it is—meat and cheese pressed between slices of buttered bread—and you might wonder: Was the patty melt America’s first panini? As a rule, my perfect burger consists of a thicker patty served on a soft roll, but everyone needs to break the rules, even their own, once in a while. This patty melt, with its sophisticated jam-like onion relish and buttery Gruyère cheese, makes breaking the rules extra delicious.

Just mention the Carolinas and I immediately think of pulled pork sandwiches, dripping with barbecue sauce and topped with creamy coleslaw. Take the pulled pork out of the equation, add the rest to a burger, and you’ve got the Carolina Burger. It’s all about finding a great home for those sweet, vinegary, and spicy flavors that go so well with coleslaw.