Chicken stock

Sichuan mapo tofu: silken tofu in a fiery, numbing sauce of doubanjiang and Sichuan peppercorns. Finished with a cloud of ground pork.

Chicken braised in an entire bottle of Burgundy. The French answer to boredom. Takes 4 hours and cannot be rushed.

Braised veal shanks with gremolata. One of Italy's greatest dishes. The marrow in the bone is the prize.

Corn tortillas dipped in chile colorado sauce, filled with shredded chicken, topped with crema and queso fresco. Three chiles minimum.

Tomatillo-serrano salsa verde instead of chile colorado. Chicken filling unchanged. Top with crema, queso, and pickled jalapeño.

White wine version from Alsace. Riesling, cream, and tarragon instead of Burgundy and thyme. Lighter color, completely different personality.

Young jackfruit shredded in the chile colorado sauce. Fill with jackfruit, black beans, and roasted pepper. No crema, extra avocado.

Lamb shanks take the same treatment. Slower braise. The lamb version is technically Italian too, just less known.

Portobello mushrooms and seitan replace the chicken. The wine braise is unchanged. Serve over polenta instead of noodles.

Thick pork shanks braised in white wine and stock. Cheaper than veal. Nobody is disappointed.

Ground wagyu instead of pork. Richer, more luxurious, slightly less traditional. Worth the upgrade for a special occasion.

Shiitake mushrooms replace the pork. Vegetable stock. The doubanjiang and Sichuan peppercorns do all the heavy lifting anyway.