Chile de Árbol

To me, chili powder need not be superhot, but you can change that if you like—just add cayenne or some spicy dried chiles (most of the common dried red ones you find are pretty fiery). But it is easy enough to add heat at any stage of cooking or even at the table, whereas the warm, welcoming flavor of good chili powder is hard to come by. When you’re buying dried chiles, look for those that are not brittle; they should retain some moisture and even be a bit soft.

This bean recipe is purposely brothy; if you have leftovers, reheat and smash them—they're great on toast with an egg. Also, if you have any leftover meat, throw it in during the last few minutes of cooking for an even heartier flavor, just as we did.

Look to Mexico, where turkey has been the big bird for centuries. Continue the theme by using the leftovers for tacos (corn tortillas, shredded meat, lime…). We promise you won't miss your sandwich.

When working with a large quantity of greens, it’s much easier to sauté them if they’re blanched first. Their time in the olive oil is more for flavoring and reaching the ideal texture.

Translation: Garlic shrimp. Which explains why there’s a clove of garlic for every shrimp in this saucy dish.

Most store-bought lard (the traditional fat in refried beans) is nearly flavorless, unlike chicken fat, which is delicious and readily available.

Don’t toss out your Parmesan rind. Use it to flavor the beans and broth for this comforting classic.

Think of this as Indian-spiced ketchup, and use it in all the same ways.

Tender Indian-spiced beef meatballs in a creamy tomato curry sauce will warm you from head to toe.

The secret to juicy, tender, delicately steamed white-meat chicken and squash? Going slow.

Try this with white beans on toast, in salads, or puréed and spread on pita.

These bright zesty pickles are equally at home in a cocktail as they are in a salad, with pâté, or as part of a cured meats and cheese board.

The tangy dipping sauce is great with pretty much any grilled meat. Keep it on heavy rotation this summer.

This ingenious technique cooks the chicken in a purse with its own juices and a mix of spices. It slowly simmers the bird to a silky richness—an enticing side of chicken that we rarely see.

Freshly squeezed orange juice and dried chiles make short ribs mouthwateringly irresistible.

Pass the Pods C'mon, who doesn't love edamame? Consider this the adults-only version: sautéed, spicy, and highly snackable.

A vegetarian twist on a Chinese take-out standard, these sprouts deliver crunch, spice, and zing.

Choose a country-style sourdough, preferably not too tangy, and if you prefer hot Italian links, go for it.

Don't have a spice mill? You can use a blender or food processor for this one.