23 pungent recipes

Oyster soup with fresh and smoked oysters builds a creamy potato-leek base brightened with bacon, then finishes with both poached fresh oysters and pungent smoked ones for a chowder with double oyster character. Spinach for color, ready in 35 minutes.

Gratin of turnips and blue cheese layers thinly sliced turnips with caramelized onion, anchovy cream, and pungent Roquefort. A bold, French-style vegetable side for dinner parties.

Homemade hot chili powder blend with paprika, turmeric, dried chili peppers, cumin, oregano, and cayenne. More pungent and fresher than store-bought. Keeps for 6 months on the shelf.

Tender marinated beef and crisp asparagus stir-fried with pungent fermented black beans and garlic in a savory cornstarch gravy. A classic Chinese takeout dish made from scratch at home.

A rich, British-style curry sauce built on brown stock with curry powder, Worcestershire, white wine vinegar, and plumped raisins. Pungent, slightly sweet, and built to coat chicken or lamb.

Blue and cheddar cheese ball blends sharp port wine cheddar, pungent blue cheese, cream cheese, and Worcestershire into a make-ahead party appetizer rolled in toasted walnuts. The classic holiday cheese ball.

Chinese-style whole steamed fish topped with fermented black beans, fresh red chilis, ginger, garlic, and scallions. A Cantonese-inspired dinner that steams in 20 minutes and delivers clean, pungent, savory flavor.