What to cook in January: Recipes that promise to be an adventure
Devote your day to the careful creation of something special
I once embarked on the making of a lasagna so intricate, my friend and I jokingly dubbed it "engagement lasagna." It took four hours to shop for and six hours to prepare — considerably more effort than it takes to make the storied "engagement chicken" — and I gave a big piece to someone I had a crush on. It was all very exciting.
I'm not a zealous cook; I typically have to google "how to boil an egg," but give me a recipe that's an all-day adventure and I'm in. Plotting where to shop, conferring with mongers, calling and texting more experienced friends about swaps and techniques, wondering if things will rise or settle as they should — that's the kind of high-stakes fun that gets me into the kitchen, especially on an otherwise quiet January day.
The recipes here are just the kind of project I like to devote myself to this time of year. They don't necessarily cost a lot of money to make, but each is a bit of an endeavour. Choose one that speaks to you, and whose preparation you can see yourself luxuriating in. If you're feeling a little timid, be assured that there are options for all levels of experience. For example, food writer Corey Mintz's version of the classic French culinary challenge Boeuf Bourguignon — an easier recipe than the one he attempted in youth that, he says, "nearly broke [his] teenaged brain."
If you'd like to make dumplings and memories, Chinese-Canadian pastry chef Jackie Kai Ellis's family recipe for Pork and Chive Dumplings is the perfect day-long affair to get family and friends in on.
Even if you're a very experienced cook, there's always a new culinary mountain to climb. When we interviewed Jamie Oliver in 2020, he told us there were "thousands of things" he had yet to tackle, like hand-pulled noodles. "That's something I'd love to do that always baffles me. Working on it." Meanwhile, you can spend a Sunday trying his recipe for Arrosto Misto, which calls for no fewer than five different kinds of birds.
If you're wondering if my brave, heartfelt (and successful) attempt at a very complicated lasagna led to an engagement — absolutely not. No matter. Turns out, it's true what they say: it isn't about the destination, it's about the journey ... to lasagna.
Sabzi Polow — Fragrant Herbed Rice
Arrosto Misto with Velvety Polenta
Soft Korean Sweet Rice Cakes | Injeolmi
Mille Feuille Two Ways: Nectarine Cardamom and Raspberry White Chocolate
Jamey Ordolis is the senior producer of CBC Life and a regular contributor to CBC Radio.
