Steam

If you've never made a savory custard, now's the time. Start with this minimal and delicate Japanese version, studded with fresh peas and tender shrimp.

Healers have touted saffron's medicinal properties since the days of Hippocrates, and Cleopatra claimed that it was an aphrodisiac. Its scarcity (it takes some four thousand crocus blossoms to create an ounce of saffron) and the belief that it could be used to treat everything from wounds to the plague even caused the Austrians to go to war over the spice during the Dark Ages. This is at least one feudal folk myth that modern science has corroborated. Studies have shown that saffron has outstanding antibacterial and antiviral properties and also aids digestion. People sometimes balk at saffron's cost, but it isn't unreasonable when you consider its potency; this recipe calls for only 1/8 teaspoon, and as you'll see, a little goes a long way. This pilaf is a delightful and gorgeous dish. The rice is sautéed before cooking to avoid that sticky, gummy consistency, and ginger, parsley, and lemon zest add zing. Prepare ahead: Soak the rice in cool water and the juice of half a lemon for 8 hours or overnight before cooking; this will make its nutrients more available and decrease the cooking time. If you don't have time to soak the rice, add an extra 1/4 cup of broth and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Chopped lemon pulp and peel are added to the couscous for a complex bittersweet flavor.

Perfect with roast chicken on a casual Monday night with family, this seven-ingredient dish is great to throw together at the last minute. Steam the potatoes instead of boiling—this will keep them fluffy and light. Then, taking inspiration from German-style potato salad, smash them with a hot and smoky bacon dressing and toss with fresh dill, cider vinegar, and sugar. Planning an elegant winter spread? Serve this hearty side with pork chops.

Although there’s no substitute for enjoying a pot of freshly steamed mussels on the coast of France, this 30-minute supper is a pretty good substitute. The briny flavor and deep garlic aroma of stewed mussels are surprisingly simple to recreate. Crunchy french fries (whether frozen or homemade) and a mellow mustard mayonnaise round out this classic meal. Served with crusty bread, these mussels can create an intimate weekend dinner or an easy weekday escape.

Pistou, the simple combination of fresh basil, garlic, and olive oil, introduces the same savory spirit when tossed with tender, buttery green beans. One of the secrets to this salad is soaking the red onions: a quick water bath moderates their intensity without diminishing their crunch.

This elegant, delicious appetizer has long been a favorite among Epicurious members. It’s important to let the blanched asparagus cool completely before assembling these spears. They can be prepared up to a day in advance.

We especially like the combination of parsnips, kohlrabi, and celery root in this bacony mash. Prepare the dish a day ahead to allow the flavors to meld (and save time on Thanksgiving Day).

Thanksgiving flavors (squash, cinnamon, butter) with a Persian-inspired touch. The spiced butter is also a treat mixed into couscous.

This is a simple way to prepare whole fish, yet one that few Western cooks have mastered. In the Vietnamese culture, a properly steamed fish is a benchmark for chefs, and those who can't do it right are considered to be bad cooks. A perfectly steamed fish has flesh that is just cooked at the bone, never dry. Typically, whole fish are not served with the liquid in which it was steamed, which is too fishy tasting, and any sauce is added at the end, after the fish has been cooked. In this classic Chinese preparation, the fish is topped with scallions, cilantro and ginger, then doused with hot oil, which releases the flavor of the aromatics into the flesh of the fish.

This recipe is part of the Epicurious Online Cooking School, in partnership with the Culinary Institute of America. To watch it being made, and to learn how to make other Mexican classics, check out the video classes.

This recipe is part of the Epicurious Online Cooking School, in partnership with the Culinary Institute of America. To watch it being made, and to learn how to make other Mexican classics, check out the videos.

This recipe is part of the Epicurious Online Cooking School, in partnership with the Culinary Institute of America. To watch it being made, and to learn how to make other Mexican classics, check out the video classes.

Many people become extremely intimidated when it comes to making Persian rice. You have to trust me when I tell you it is really not a big deal—just don't tell anyone Persian I said that! All you need to do is to imagine that instead of making rice, you are making pasta. Most of us know how to make pasta; it is probably what you ate every day when you went to college! You are going to cook this rice in boiling water with oil and salt, just like pasta. You are going to wait until the rice is "al dente" (when you bite a grain of rice it should still have a white dot in the middle), just like pasta. Do not overcook Persian rice or your reputation as a Persian cook will suffer! And last, you are going to drain it, just like pasta. The difference comes next: Persian rice has one cooking step that pasta doesn't have. Persian rice gets steamed. Think of it this way: since this rice is fancy, it requires a "spa treatment." What is the result when you pamper yourself in a sauna? A new you! What is the result when you treat your rice to a "spa treatment"? Each and every grain of rice becomes its own entity and a pearl from heaven! What is the best after-effect of a "spa treatment" for a woman? It makes a better wife, a better mother—and a better cook! What is the best after-effect of a "spa treatment" for Persian rice? The most scrumptious, crunchy, golden crust: TADIG! To make this rice you will need a colander—and the smaller the openings, the better. You don't want your precious rice to slip out! Also, many Persian cooks wash and soak the rice as if it were dirty laundry…I am sorry, I keep my laundry in the basement and I don't have time for all that soaking, so trust me when I tell you that you don't need to do it! The quantities in the recipe below might seem large, but considering that Persians breathe rice, it goes really fast. If you want to make a smaller quantity, try only 3 cups rice, 8 cups water, 1/4 cup oil, and 1 tablespoon salt. Also, any basmati rice will do. Basmati rice is also available in whole-grain brown; although it is a little stickier, it is absolutely delicious and healthful!

Blending ice cubes into the marinade helps to keep the fish and marinade ice-cold while you're preparing and serving.

Serve this fragrant, Indian-inspired side dish with all things chicken.

White wine and briny shellfish juices marry in the pot, then are puréed with parsley to create a light sauce so flavorful, it needs only a touch of butter.

Sablefish’s succulent texture and high oil content make it an exceptional choice for steaming. In this recipe, the fish is steamed in parchment-paper packets (en papillote), which seal in moisture and flavor.