main meal

Ideas for the main meal of the day, dinner, be it at noon, early or late afternoon.

Rabbit with mustard (lapin à la moutarde)

A Burgundian classic: rabbit braised gently in a Dijon mustard, white wine and cream sauce until tender and silky, with mushrooms as an optional addition.

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Chicken moambe (poulet à la moambé)

Bone-in chicken browned and simmered slowly in rich palm nut cream with tomato, garlic and chile until the sauce turns thick and deep red-orange — Central Africa's signature dish.

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Angolan dried meat calulu

A hearty Angolan stew of dried, salted beef simmered slowly and finished with tomato, okra, spinach and palm oil, traditionally served with funge.

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Turkish stuffed lamb spleen (dalak dolması)

Lamb spleen stuffed with a fragrant rice pilaf of pine nuts, currants, ground meat and warm spices, then roasted until deeply browned — an Anatolian offal specialty from Manisa.

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Moroccan stuffed lamb spleen (tihane farcie)

Lamb spleen split and packed with a spiced ground-meat and herb filling, then roasted until deeply browned and sliced into rounds, a traditional Moroccan offal specialty.

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Freekeh-stuffed squab (hamam mahshi)

Egypt's hamam mahshi, adapted for the American kitchen: squab stuffed with smoky green wheat and warm spices, poached until tender, then fried until crisp.

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Baked chicken and potatoes with yogurt and lemon

A one-dish supper of chicken quarters and sliced potatoes baked under a blanket of yogurt and lemon juice. The yogurt keeps the meat tender and turns the pan juices creamy and tangy; the potatoes underneath soak up everything that drips down. Almost no work, and very little to wash up.

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Monkey gland steak

South Africa's most alarmingly named dish contains no monkey and no glands. What it does contain is a glossy, sweet-sharp sauce of ketchup, chutney, Worcestershire and garlic, spooned over a steak seared hard and fast. It is a steakhouse classic, a braai fixture, and one of the great pantry sauces of the world.

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Spiced chicken noodles with peanut sauce

Peanut chicken noodles are a satisfying Australian-style stir-fry inspired by the flavors of Southeast Asian satay. Tender chicken thighs are seasoned with coriander, cumin, and turmeric, then tossed with chewy Hokkien noodles, crisp vegetables, and a creamy peanut and coconut sauce. Lime, sweet chili, and soy sauce balance the richness with brightness, sweetness, and a savory edge. Quick to prepare and full of flavor, this is the kind of multicultural cooking that has become a familiar part of the Australian food scene.