Sara Dickerman

Fresh sardines are only sporadically available, so we’ve recommended using canned sardines here. By all means broil fresh sardines if your fishmonger has them. If you go with canned, spend a little money on them: Imported Portuguese and Spanish sardines such as Cole’s and Matiz taste much better than the grocery store staples. You could also use good-quality tuna—again, imported canned tuna, or line-caught albacore from the Western U.S., will taste best. A time-saving tip: Soaking the farro over.…

Orange-flower water can give even a simple fruit salad a faraway lilt, but adding too much of it leaves a dish tasting like old-fashioned soap. Use this ingredient with serious discretion—start with ⅛ tsp.

You can prepare steel-cut oats according to package directions. Or quicken the morning cooking by soaking the oats in boiling water before you turn in the night before; in the morning, just put the pot on the stove and they’ll cook in about 10 minutes

For a salty, savory, crunchy boost, sprinkle this on roasted vegetables, soups, and hot cereal.

A spoonful of this sweet, earthy condiment perks up eggs, grain dishes, and simply prepared proteins.

If you leave this on the thicker side, it’s a great crudités dip. Or, thin it and pour onto salad.

If the vibrancy of this dressing fades, perk it back up with more lime juice.

If you don’t have a steamer basket, improvise: Place a ramekin in the bottom of the pot and prop a dinner plate on top so steam can circulate around it.

Choose dried chiles that are fairly flexible, a sign they’re not too old.