Main Dishes

Braises, roasts and slow pots at the heart of the table.

Feijoada in a black clay pot with two looped handles: a thick, glossy, near-black stew of whole black beans with coins of smoked sausage, pork ribs and chunks of beef, surrounded by bowls of white rice, shredded green collards, golden farofa and orange slices

Brazilian

Feijoada: Brazil's Black Bean and Pork Stew, Made at Home

8 servings · 15 hr 30 min

Bigos in an aubergine-purple enameled Dutch oven: a dense mound of soft, caramel-brown shredded sauerkraut and cabbage with chunks of braised pork, slices of smoked sausage, dark dried porcini and prunes and a bay leaf, beside a white bowl with blue dots holding one serving, with slices of dark rye bread and a dish of juniper berries behind

Polish

Bigos: Polish Hunter's Stew with Sauerkraut and Kiełbasa

8 servings · 3 hr 25 min

Ash reshteh in a wide indigo-blue ceramic bowl: a thick, dark olive-green soup of cooked herbs and spinach with chickpeas, lentils and soft flat noodles, topped with swirls of white kashk, a heap of crispy fried onions, slices of fried garlic and lines of dark mint oil, with small bowls of fried onions and kashk and a bunch of fresh herbs behind

Persian

Ash Reshteh: Persian Herb, Bean and Noodle Soup with Kashk

6 servings · 3 hr 30 min

Endives au jambon in an oval flame-orange enameled cast-iron gratin dish: whole cooked Belgian endives, each rolled in a slice of pale pink ham, side by side under a creamy béchamel with patches of browned Gruyère, one cut open to show the soft layered endive inside, beside a plate with a roll and mashed potatoes, two raw endives and a wedge of cheese behind

French

Endives au Jambon: Endive and Ham Gratin with Béchamel

4 servings · 1 hr 10 min

Hakata mizutaki in a wide charcoal-black donabe clay pot on a wooden trivet: bone-in chicken pieces, one a whole wing, in a cloudy, milky white broth with napa cabbage, sliced long green onion, star-cut shiitake, enoki, cubes of tofu and chrysanthemum greens, with two small bowls of ponzu topped with grated daikon, chopsticks and a halved green citrus beside it

Japanese

Mizutaki: Hakata Chicken Hot Pot with a Milky White Broth

4 servings · 2 hr 10 min

Bagna cauda in a glazed brown terracotta pot on a terracotta stand over a lit tea light, golden olive oil over a thick, grainy brown sauce of melted anchovy and garlic, beside pale cardoon sticks, strips of red and yellow pepper, Savoy cabbage wedges, small boiled potatoes, sliced beets and halved roast onions, with bread and a glass of red wine behind

Italian

Bagna Cauda: Piedmont's Warm Garlic and Anchovy Dip at Home

6 servings · 1 hr 45 min

Cheese buldak in a round black cast-iron pan: bite-sized chicken pieces in a glossy deep red chili glaze with sliced scallions on one side, melted mozzarella with browned spots on the other, beside a bowl of white rice, cubes of pickled radish, a bowl of soft steamed egg, steel chopsticks and a spoon

Korean

Buldak: Korean Fire Chicken with Melted Mozzarella

4 servings · 40 min

A white bowl of Nigerian egusi soup: soft yellow-orange lumps of cooked melon seed in red palm oil sauce with chopped spinach, chunks of braised beef and flakes of dried fish, a smooth ball of pounded yam on a plate beside it and a spoon on the linen

Nigerian

Egusi Soup: Nigerian Melon Seed Soup with Beef and Spinach

6 servings · 2 hr 20 min

Mapo tofu in a white porcelain bowl with a blue band: soft cubes of tofu glazed in glossy red chili bean sauce with crumbles of beef, red oil at the edges, ground Sichuan pepper and thin slices of green onion on top, beside a bowl of steamed rice and a pair of chopsticks

Chinese

Mapo Tofu: Sichuan Tofu with Beef in Chili Bean Sauce

4 servings · 40 min

A bowl of khao soi in a white rooster bowl: orange-gold coconut curry with soft egg noodles, a chicken drumstick and a nest of crispy fried noodles with cilantro, beside small dishes of pickled mustard greens, sliced shallots and chili paste, lime wedges, chopsticks and a spoon

Thai

Khao Soi: Northern Thai Curry Noodle Soup with Chicken

6 servings · 1 hr 40 min

Lamb kleftiko in a deep oval terracotta dish lined with crumpled parchment: three golden pieces of slow-roasted lamb shoulder on the bone, pulling apart, over golden potatoes, onion, garlic and bay leaves, with lemon wedges and bread beside it

Greek

Lamb Kleftiko: Greek Slow-Roasted Lamb with Lemon Potatoes

6 servings · 5 hr 50 min

Paraguayan vori vori in a wide rust-red stoneware bowl: thick golden chicken soup with round cornmeal and cheese balls, a browned chicken drumstick, cubes of squash, red pepper, scallions and parsley, a white enamel stockpot behind

Paraguayan

Vori Vori: Paraguay's Chicken Soup with Cornmeal Balls

6 servings · 2 hr