Vegetarian

Preheating the pan helps the leeks take on some color; cooking at a lower temperature ensures they're fully tender.

Using whole walnuts means there's more area for the seeds to get stuck and add crunch.

An antidote to the many mayo and sourcream dips out there (which we also love).

Let your cheese ball hang out in the fridge until firm. It will be easier to roll in the nuts.

Don't be shy about letting your onions get some char.

When using preserved lemons, scoop out the insides and only use the peel.

Store the finished nuts in an air-tight container to prevent stickiness.

This is seriously addictive—salty, sweet, and crunchy at the same time. Believe us.

Brining the nuts with herbs and some spice infuses them from the inside out, and the long roasting time gives them extra toasty flavor.

Set this up in advance and serve it at room temperature. The cheese will be soft enough to scoop with a cracker—and will taste better, too.

A palate-cleansing fennel salad to balance rich pork and hearty sides.

Cream of tartar is optional, but it keeps the sugar from crystallizing, making this caramel foolproof.

For a slightly more virtuous quick bread—more like breakfast, less like dessert—reduce the amount of granulated sugar to one cup. 

Jaew is a tart, smoky dipping sauce from Thailand, usually served with grilled meats and sausages. Hot Joy chef Quealy Watson takes it to a Tex-Mex place in this eggy, cheesy rice dish that might remind you of nachos (it works). Watch the step-by-step video here.

If you can't find candied chestnuts, simply toss them in the cocoa with one tablespoon of brown sugar (no need to glaze them first).

The intensely flavored soffritto is the foundation of this rich pasta; double the ingredients and freeze half for next time.

This recipe from Thai-Kun makes a generous amount of sauce, which you may find yourself finishing (we won’t judge). Any leftover would be great on everything from white rice to noodles to…well, more bread.

Bright, herbal, and sharp, this comically simple condiment is just what you want alongside braised meat.

Because the dough for this pita bread recipe has a relatively short rising time, it can be made while the lamb braises. Turn up the oven and bake the pita while you’re reducing the braising liquid on the stove-top; the timing will come out perfectly.

A cooling, slightly garlicky spread that’s great with braised lamb tonight and possibly even better when added to a lamb sandwich tomorrow.

The broiled onion needs to be really black, all the way through, so that it’s dry enough to turn into powder to mix in this compound butter from Rose's Luxury. Things get smoky—open a window first!