Five dishes best on the second day

Some dishes should really only be eaten on the second day.

Lasagna

It seems as though everything gets better in these stacked layers. The lightly caramelized base, the sauce that has soaked into the sheets and the generous béchamel sauce are even richer. But the ultimate highlight remains that crispy edge along the side of the dish.

Curry

It’s the powerful herbs and spices that make curry so fantastic, and they need time. On day two, it’s extra spicy because all the excess moisture has cooked out. And that’s when all the flavors really come into their own.

Paella

That crispy layer at the bottom has undoubtedly caused countless family arguments. It’s not just the fried rice that makes paella better on the second day; the mild flavors also become more intense and deeper. The saffron is more pronounced, and the flavor of the fish is in every grain of rice.

Soup

It’s wonderful to come home and not have to do anything else. The soup that’s still waiting in the fridge is the perfect solution: put it in a pan and turn on the heat. Look forward to the vermicelli in the chicken soup that has been cooked just a little too soft, and the fully cooked vegetables bursting with flavor. The chicken has often already been fished out.

Stewed meat

To be completely honest, you really shouldn’t eat stewed meat on the first day. Of course, we do anyway. But that extra day… It makes everything better. The sauce has become one cohesive whole, rich and sticky. The meat has been braised so thoroughly that only a few stray pieces remain.

Text: Mette Dijkstra
Image: Shutterstock