Chef Jimmy Bannos, Jr., of Chicago's The Purple Pig, swears by his double-marinating technique. Here, he marinates his steak before it goes on the grill in a tangy lemon marinade and then gives it a quick dunk in a clean batch of marinade when it's hot off the grill. Bonus: The high amount of acid in the marinade also makes tougher cuts like flank and skirt steak extra tender. Slideshow: More Steak Recipes
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The luscious broth for these plump mussels from chef Jimmy Bannos, Jr., is creamy, tangy and lightly scented with fresh marjoram. Slideshow: Recipes with Mussels
The taste of the Mediterranean shines through in this airy feta spread that's served with olive oil–marinated cucumbers. More Mediterranean-Inspired Recipes
Asked why he uses pork in his saltimbocca (a Roman dish prepared with veal, prosciutto and sage), Jimmy Bannos Jr. responds, "Because pork is better." When he fries the pork, he uses a spatula to press the prosciutto into the chops until it's like a crust, a technique he learned cooking at Lupa in Manhattan.
In place of the veal shanks typically used in osso buco, Jimmy Bannos Jr. braises pork shanks with tomatoes and wine. He adds anchovies, crushed red pepper and lemon zest to the braise, creating a complex and deeply flavored sauce that's phenomenal served over creamy polenta. Recipe from Food & Wine America's Greatest New Cooks
Braising pork in milk, a method that Jimmy Bannos Jr., of The Purple Pig learned while cooking in Florence, results in supertender meat and an incredibly rich and flavorful gravy. Although the dish is rooted in Tuscan tradition, Bannos adds an American comfort-food spin by serving it with mashed potatoes. Slideshow: Great Pork Chop Recipes
Jimmy Bannos Jr. improves on the classic BLT by layering his version with curly frisée, lemony arugula aioli, thick-cut bacon and juicy heirloom tomatoes. He tops it all with a runny fried egg. Slideshow: Amazing BLT RecipesRecipe from Food & Wine America's Greatest New Cooks
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