Improvising in the kitchen becomes less daunting with a simple plan: Start with versatile ingredients like mild pork and earthy potatoes, add dependable flavor pairings (sweet notes for the former, sour for the latter), and—voilà—delicious meals without needing to constantly pour over a cookbook. Use these recipes to learn a mix of complementary tastes that will get your creative juices flowing.

This menu is inspired by The Flavor Bible , an innovative guide to cooking without a cookbook .