One-Bowl Wonders

Gail Bellamy

ONE-BOWL WONDERS

One-bowl meals don’t have to include rice or noodles, but often they do. Risotto, pasta and other comfort foods are found in cultures throughout the world, and American diners appreciate the variations in a big way. Clay pots, noodle bowls and paella pans are indicative of the wide variety of one-bowl meals being served today. On the following pages you’ll find many robust menu creations—Asian, Mediterranean and Regional American fare—that are as flavorful as they are filling. Look for soups, stews, pastas, paella and more.

From Michael Otsuka of Verbena in New York City comes the Asian-inspired Veal "Shabu Shabu" with Japanese vegetables, konyaku and udon noodles. For this dish, broth is ladled into bowls at the table. Chef Angel Gandarilla of Chicago’s Café Ba Ba Reeba! shares his recipe for Arroz conSetas (mushroom paella), flavored with a mix of portobello and shiitake mushrooms. Chef Gandarilla has been making paella for more than a dozen years. It’s a great dish for sharing: Traditionally, paella is brought to the table in its pan, and eaten communally.

Clay pot cooking comes into play at Lemon Grass Restaurant in Sacramento, California, where chef-owner Mai Pham offers Mom’s Catfish in a Clay Pot. The entree is served with steamed jasmine rice. Among this month’s recipes you’ll also find pasta dishes, including Charro Pasta from Flea Street Café in Menlo Park, California.