Michael Graydon Nikole Herriott

A dark caramel has the necessary bitter edge to balance the sweet richness of the custard. Let it cook until it’s mahogany in color.

The pan-flip doesn’t just look cool, it ensures that food cooks evenly over high heat.

This recipe makes more bonito butter than you need. Use the smoky, slightly salty mixture to top your next steak, or to sauté greens.

This preparation is easily scaled up for a bigger piece of fish (and larger family), so double it if you wish.

This bread has a nutty flavor and intense chew; it makes toast that’s a wholesome meal unto itself. 

Richly marbled beef ribs beg for something crisp and refreshing to go alongside. If celery’s not your fave, try swapping it for any type of radish, escarole, or a tart apple.

You can braise the duck on Saturday and crisp it Sunday, which pares down the day-of duties.

To make the finished dish less of a knife-and-fork affair, remove the braised chicken from the bone, shred it with a couple of forks, and then stir it back into the tomato-kimchi sauce.

We've flavored the lamb shanks with North African spices and woken up the rich meat and vegetables with a handful of pomegranate seeds and fresh mint leaves sprinkled on just before serving.

This fresh take on tabbouleh eliminates the bulgur entirely and uses the golden seeds of millet instead, which give a nutty, cornlike taste to the salad. (Here's how to master millet). But it's really all about the green herbs: Feel free to add too many!

Pick a small to medium celery root and peel off its hide with a sharp knife. Inside you'll find ivory-green flesh that's crisp, a bit nutty, and utterly delicious in salads. This take on a classic remoulade provides perfect contrast to the silken luxury of seared scallops.

The crisp-skinned salmon is warmed up with spices and the sweetness of carrots. Then it's cooled down with one of the most refreshing combinations of all time: cucumbers and yogurt.

If you're ever cornered by a bland bowl of vegetables or whole grains, throw a handful of herbs on it. They instantly make the meal more beautiful and flavorful—without adding any salt, fat, or sugar. 

Local chefs run off with all the fancy lettuces at your farmers’ market? Not to worry. The herbed avocado base of this dish will elevate even the most basic supermarket greens.

Brining these french fries in a salt-and-cabbage solution seasons them and, as they start to lightly ferment, infuses them with a slight tang. Think salt-and-vinegar chips and you get the right idea.

You might think the braised pork belly is too sweet on its own. But paired with the sour kimchi and salty roe, it comes into eye-opening balance.

Novice bakers, this one’s for you.

A thousand might be an exaggeration, but this complex fruit syrup can be used countless ways. Add to spritzes, drizzle over fruit salads, mix into yogurt, or spoon onto grapefruit halves (just to name a few).