the bay leaves and thyme sprigs Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat and reduce it until coats the back of a spoon but doesn’t taste heavy Season to taste with salt and pepper Meanwhile, remove the twine from the beef and slice it against the grain into ½-inch-thick pieces Place the pieces in overlapping layers in a 12-inch skillet and add a few ladles of sauce to moisten them Cover the skillet and set over medium-low heat, shaking occasionally, until the meat is heated through, about 15 minutes 10 Transfer the meat to warmed serving plates or a large platter and top with the cooked vegetables and more sauce Serve immediately GLUTAMATES, INOSINATES, AND THE UMAMI BOMBS F or many years, food scientists believed that our tongues were sensitive to four different basic tastes: sweetness, saltiness, sourness, and bitterness Turns out that there’s a fifth: umami First discovered in Japan, it’s best translated as “savory.” It’s the saliva-inducing qualities that, say, a good steak or a hunk of Parmesan cheese has in your mouth Just as the sensation of sweetness is triggered by sugar, saltiness by salt, sourness by acid, and bitterness by a number of mildly poisonous classes of chemical, umami flavor is triggered by glutamates—essential amino acids found in many protein-rich foods The key to getting many dishes to taste meatier—turkey burgers, chili, stew, soups, etc.—is to increase their level of glutamates Now, you can do this with powdered monosodium glutamate—a natural salt extracted from giant sea kelp—but some folks are squeamish about using it (I personally keep a little jar of it right next to my saltcellar) However, there are alternatives, namely, what I like to call the three umami bombs: Marmite, soy sauce, and anchovies If you’ve ever been to England, you’ve probably seen Marmite It’s that strange dark-brown goo with ... kelp—but some folks are squeamish about using it (I personally keep a little jar of it right next to my saltcellar) However, there are alternatives, namely, what I like to call the three umami bombs: Marmite,... glutamates—essential amino acids found in many protein-rich foods The key to getting many dishes to taste meatier—turkey burgers, chili, stew, soups, etc.—is to increase their level of glutamates Now, you can do this with powdered monosodium...GLUTAMATES, INOSINATES, AND THE UMAMI BOMBS F or many years, food scientists believed that our tongues were sensitive to four different basic tastes: sweetness, saltiness, sourness, and bitterness Turns out that there’s