Spicy

Whole cauliflower gets the pot-roast treatment in this Italian-inspired dish, braising in a spicy tomato sauce enriched with garlic and green olives. The cauliflower emerges fork-tender and infused with flavor, topped with golden-brown pecorino Romano that creates an irresistible crust. Ingredients 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving 6 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced 3/4 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano Kosher salt and ground black pepper 120ml (1/2 cup) dry white wine 1 can (794g/28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand 120ml (1/2 cup) pitted green olives, roughly chopped 1 head cauliflower (900g-1.1kg/2 to 2 1/2 pounds), trimmed 60g (2 ounces) pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated (about 240ml/1 cup), plus more for serving 60ml (1/4 cup) fresh basil leaves, lightly packed and roughly chopped Optional Accompaniments Creamy polenta Crusty bread for serving Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling Equipment Dutch oven with lid (5-6 quart capacity) Sharp knife for trimming Skewer for testing doneness Wide metal spatula Large spoon or tongs Instructions Preparation Position oven rack: Adjust rack to lower-middle position. Preheat oven: Heat to 425°F (220°C). Trim cauliflower: Remove any leaves and trim the base flat, keeping the head intact. Making the Braising Liquid Bloom aromatics: In a Dutch oven over medium heat, combine oil, garlic, pepper flakes, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Add wine: Pour in white wine and simmer until reduced to approximately 2 tablespoons, 5-6 minutes. Build sauce: Stir in crushed tomatoes with their juices, olives, 120ml (1/2 cup) water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then remove from heat. Braising Process Stage 1 - Initial braising (50-55 minutes): Place cauliflower stem-end down in the pot. Spoon some sauce over the top to coat. Cover with lid, transfer to oven, and cook until a skewer inserted straight down into the center meets just slight resistance, 50-55 minutes. ...

In England, the vindaloo is an ear-tinglingly hot curry, but it wasn’t always that way. It started life as vinho e alhos, a popular Portuguese dish that made its way over to Goa with Portuguese explorers in the 1500s. Traditionally a wine and garlic stew, it was transformed into the modern-day dish using white wine vinegar and garlic, combined with a warming garam masala of pepper, cloves, and cinnamon. In this recipe, the sweet potato works really well with the spices and tomato to make a sweet, sour, and pungent curry. And yes, it’s hot, but not mind-blowingly so. ...

Source Based on https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018182-hot-honey-shrimp. Preheat Oven Preheat oven to 500°F. Ingredients 1 tablespoon honey ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne ¼ teaspoon grated lime zest ¼ teaspoon freshly grated ginger 1 garlic clove, grated on a Microplane or finely minced ¼ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 pound cleaned extra-large shrimp, patted very dry with paper towels 1 tablespoon very cold butter, cubed Lime wedges, for serving 1 jalapeño, halved, seeded and very thinly sliced, for serving 1 tablespoon chives or scallion greens, finely chopped, for serving Preparation Marinade In a medium bowl, combine: ...