Keto

Koji—a type of fermented rice used as seasoning in Japan—makes the meat in this roast chicken more tender, crisps up the chicken skin, and lends both sweet and savory notes.

The smoky sauce and mix of spices in this meatball recipe complement lamb perfectly.

This recipe for raw vegetables is the only conscionable thing you can serve right before sitting down to a heavier meal.

This zesty spin on the old party classic matches hot-smoked salmon with beet horseradish, two kinds of soft cheese, and crunchy veg and herbs. Serve it with bagels or pumpernickel bread.

Smoked almonds and black olives are our suggestions for this appetizer, but use any nut or olive that you like.

The lime juice and oil will keep the avocado from turning brown, but it’s a good idea to make this pico de gallo recipe right before you serve it.

Zhoug is a spicy herb sauce of Yemenite origin that you find in Syria and Israel. It’s often the go-to condiment for falafel and is eaten with bread for those who want heat with every bite. It’s a must with Shakshuka, and you’ll probably find yourself stirring it into scrambled eggs, spreading it on a sandwich, mixing it with Greek yogurt to make a dip, or just eating it by the spoonful.

This fresh new take on classic horseradish sauce makes a lot, but you’re going to want extra. It’s the perfect companion for both our Porcini-Rubbed Beef Rib Roast and our Crispy Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes.

I like spreading Quark on my morning slice of bread and topping it with jam, but you can also mix it with salt and herbs and dollop it next to boiled potatoes for a light meal. Using buttermilk will result in skim Quark, which is best for baking recipes. If you want a creamier Quark to eat as is, simply stir a little heavy cream into the Quark to loosen and enrich it. (Mixed with high-quality fruit preserves, this makes for a luxurious little snack.)

Traditional duck confit is not only cooked in fat but also preserved for a period of time. A true confit has a unique flavor developed as it ages in duck fat. You can make it the traditional way, buy ready-made confit, or use the cooking method described here, called sous vide (under vacuum). Recently, I learned how to use this method to make duck confit for use in Cassoulet in the Style of Toulouse, where large succulent chunks of boned meat are set between layers of beans to bake for a second long cooking. Sous vide–prepared confit will survive this extra cooking and remain flavorful and moist. Additionally, this is the easiest and least messy way to prepare this essential cassoulet component.

I’m sort of a snob when it comes to trying new recipes. I just seem to like my old tried and true ones best, and it takes a lot for something new to grab my attention. I had to have the recipe for this dip after I tried it on Super Bowl Sunday 2006. Garth is a die-hard Steelers fan, so it was an exciting day. Everybody always brings something for the party, and this was my friend Kim’s contribution. Being a good southern girl, I love anything with black-eyed peas in it, but for you folks who are right now turning up your noses at the idea of eating black-eyed peas, all I can say is just try it. In fact, maybe I should name it something else for those skeptics. How about Pea Dippy?

Seven ingredients and one skillet lead the way to home cooking that's as good as anything you'll eat in restaurants.

Zucchini ribbons take the place of pasta in this naturally gluten-free vegetarian casserole.

Of course, you can just roast a chunk of pork loin and spoon tapenade over it, but when you stuff the tapenade inside the roast, it will look all swirled and magical when sliced. It’s not that hard to do, really—two strategic cuts, a smear, a row of knotted strings—more basic butchery than brain surgery.

The beauty of oven omelets and frittatas is that they need no crust (unlike a quiche). Fortunately, the slow cooker does this job well—the eggs stay moist and tender thanks to the steady, low temperature. Be ready to serve and eat the frittata as soon as it is done cooking; for the best texture and flavor, do not let it stand on keep warm. The frittata needs maximum surface area to cook, so it works best in a large oval slow cooker. Serve with fried potatoes, or fruit salad and ciabatta toast.

Everyone should know how to roast a chicken. It's a life skill that should be taught to small children at school. The ability to properly prepare a moist yet thoroughly cooked bird, with nicely crisp skin, should be a hallmark of good citizenry—an obligation to your fellow man. Everyone walking down the street should be reasonably confident that the random person next to them is prepared, if called upon, to roast a chicken.

This recipe is a classic case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, especially when prepared and eaten outdoors, in warm weather, with bread and unconscionable quantities of Italian or Spanish rosé, ideally in Sardinia or at least with Sardinians. Female lobsters, with their delicious red roe, are a must. Ask your fishmonger, or look for animals with broad tails and soft, translucent feelers that cross at the tips.

Blanched almonds go into a blender with water and oil and come out as a luscious aioli. Because the nuts aren't toasted, the sauce doesn't actually taste very nutty. It's more decadent than yogurt, more subtle than mayo.

For easy, hands-off dinner prep, throw chicken thighs, green chiles, white beans, and a flurry of spices into your slow cooker and come home to a hearty, flavorful meal.

Any heavy cream that's beaten long enough turns into butter, of course. But by incorporating one extra step in the process—culturing the cream with buttermilk or yogurt, essentially turning it into tangy, funky crème fraîche—this recipe reaches a whole new depth of flavor.