METHOD

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta, give a stir, and cook for 5 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander, return it to the pot, and toss with the oil. Use right away or spread the pasta out on a rimmed baking sheet to cool, then hold at room temperature for up to 8 hours.

2. Select a wide, heavy, not-to-deep pot that can hold most of the ingredients in a single layer, or close to it. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in the pot over medium heat for a few seconds, just to keep the bacon from sticking when added, then add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts and 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook until the bacon is lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes more. Season generally with salt and a few grinds of pepper.

3. Add the parcooked pasta and remaining 1 tablespoon butter and cook, stirring, until the pasta is lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sliced garlic and 1 cup of the stock. Cover and cook until the pasta has absorbed the stock, 3 to 4 minutes. Add another 1/2 cup stock, cover, and cook until it is reduced and the pasta is cooked through and glazed, stirring in a few more tablespoons of the stock, if necessary, to cause a glaze to form. Stir in the smashed garlic clove, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1 1/2 cups of the cheese, the lemon juice, and the herbs. If the pasta seems too dry, stir in a little more stock or water.

4. Remove and discard the smashed garlic clove. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the arugula, just wilting it, about 20 seconds.

5. Divide the rigatoni among six plates (or four as an entree) or wide shallow bowls. Top with remaining cheese and bread crumbs, and serve.

6. To make toasted bread crumbs, preheat oven to 275 degrees. Dice day-old bread and put it in a bowl. (If you don’t have any day-old bread, you can lightly toast bread in a low oven until just hardened.) Grate 1 or 2 garlic cloves, depending on the intensity of flavor desired, into the bowl using a Microplane. Pick the thyme leaves from 2 or 3 sprigs, and add them to the bowl, then drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the bread out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, shaking occasionally to endure even cooking, until lightly golden, completely dry, and hardened, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse to crumbs, but do not overprocess or they will become sandy. Bread crumbs can be held in an airtight container at room temperature for several weeks.

Joseph Ogrodnek, Walker Stern, and Andrew Friedman, Battersby, New York, NY

METHOD

1. Crack 6 cold eggs into a deep saucepan.

2. Add the butter. For smaller batches, use a 2-to-1 eggs-to-butter ratio.

3. Put the pan on high heat.

4. Stir continuously with a rubber spatula—don't whisk—making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan.

5. After 30 seconds, take the pan off the heat. Keep stirring. After about 10 seconds, put back on the heat. Repeat for 3 minutes.

6. In the last minute, season the eggs lightly. For extra creamy texture, stir in 1 tsp of crème fraîche.

7. Plate and garnish with chopped chives.

Gordon Ramsay, London, UK

METHOD

1. Three days before, combine 10 cups water and all remaining soup ingredients except gelatin in large pot. Bring to boil, spooning off any foam that rises to surface. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until chicken pieces are very soft and beginning to fall apart, adding more water by cupfuls if necessary to keep chicken submerged, about 2 hours 30 minutes.

2. Strain soup; discard solids. Return broth to same pot. Boil until reduced to 2 cups, about 35 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour 3 tablespoons water into small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens. Add to hot broth; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Transfer to 13x9x2-inch glass dish. Cover; refrigerate aspic overnight.

3. Two days before, combine all filling ingredients in large bowl and mix with fork just until blended. Cut aspic into 1/3-inch cubes. Add 1/3 of the aspic cubes to pork mixture; stir gently with wooden spoon just until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate. Return aspic to refrigerator.

4. Mix 1 cup black vinegar, 6 tablespoons soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons fresh ginger strips in small bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.

5. One day prior, line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Place 1 dumpling wrapper on work surface. Spoon 1 very generous teaspoon filling onto center of wrapper, including at least 2 aspic cubes.

6. Lightly brush edges of dumpling wrapper with water. Bring 1 corner of wrapper up around filling, then pleat remaining edges of wrapper at regular intervals all around filling until filling is enclosed and wrapper forms bundle-like shape with small opening at top.

7. Gather top edges of wrapper together and twist at top to enclose filling. Place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 day, or freeze in single layer in covered containers for 2 weeks.

8. On the day of, line each layer of bamboo steamer basket with cabbage leaves; place over wok filled with enough water to reach just below bottom of bamboo steamer basket. (Or line metal steamer rack with cabbage leaves and set over water in large pot.) Place dumplings atop cabbage, spacing apart.

9. Bring water to boil. Cover; steam until cooked through, adding more water to wok if evaporating too quickly, about 12 minutes for fresh dumplings and 15 minutes for frozen. Serve dumplings immediately, passing sauce alongside for dipping.