Christopher Baker

Crisp on the outside, pillowy on the inside, and up for dancing with any savory flavor in your fridge or pantry. 

This uncooked mole gets heat from jalapeño, cooling freshness from lettuce and herbs, and a touch of richness from toasted seeds. Use any extra as a dip for crudités.

Pickling the onion in lemon juice gives it a fresh, less acidic finish. If you like, soak the carrot ribbons in ice water for 10 minutes to make them curl.

Turmeric or cinnamon? Nuts or raisins? The players may change, but the fundamentals of fluffy, fragrant jasmine rice pilaf are always the same.

Brining the chickens in buttermilk tenderizes the meat and keeps it moist. The flavorful pan juices are used to make croutons and a robust dressing for the pepper watercress and bread salad.

Using a mandoline to slice the carrots turns them into ribbons, and cooking them briefly keeps them from being too crunchy. If you don't have a mandolin, use a vegetable peeler.

If using skin-on hazelnuts, rub them inside a clean kitchen towel after they've been toasted--the skins will slip right off. Serve the fish with a lightly dressed butter lettuce and herb salad.