Put a Lid on It

Tadashi Ono, of the Japanese restaurant Ganso, in Brooklyn, has a trick to making his sakana nitzuke—sea bass simmered in a soy-and-mirin broth—perfectly poached and suffused with flavor: a traditional Japanese otoshibuta. The cedar lid is smaller than the circumference of his pot and sits directly atop the ingredients. Gentle pressure from the lid holds everything in place so nothing moves or breaks apart. The lid also forces the cooking liquids to circulate upward and fully coat the ingredients below, eliminating the need for stirring or turning. ($12; mtckitchen.com)