Ripen fruit faster. Chill wine faster. Soften butter faster (or try to, at least). And, most of all, make dinner faster.
We're constantly telling you to speed up, to rush, to get that chicken on the table as fast you possibly can. But pause.
Life's not a race to finish. Sometimes, as The Beatles (and lots of others) have said, the love you take is equal to the love you make. Put in more—more time, more energy, more ingredients—and, with the right recipe, you'll get something remarkable, like falling-apart broccoli or an unbelievably crispy grain salad.
​Sure, lengthy stints in the oven and slow simmers are less desirable in the summer or on a weeknight, but we're having a cold spell in the Northeast and it's almost the weekend: Now's the time to pull out your cooking tricks—to make a leisurely dinner and wait for a cheesecake to chill.
These recipes aren't the simplest or the fastest: Some call for long marinades; some involve frying or slow-cooking; one asks you to bake cheese that you could very well eat straight from the package.
But the time and effort? Worth it.
You can sub the persimmon for a fruit or vegetable in season near you:
This doesn't take so long—but it does take longer than eating ricotta right from the tub:
See what other Food52 readers are saying.