Almond

Sweet from dates, sour from lemon, bitter from celery, and salty from Parmesan, this humble salad manages to get all taste buds firing at once.

This salsa verde is notable for two unusual additions—toasted pine nuts, which add buttery texture to every bite, and lime juice and zest, which are a fragrant alternative to the more commonly used lemon juice or vinegar. Blanched almonds can be used in place of the pine nuts; chop them into small pieces after toasting.

Clafouti is a rustic, simple French dessert that's a cross between a pancake and a custard. You can use other fruits, but cherries are traditional—and summer is when they're at their best.

This red sauce recipe comes together simply—roasted red peppers, garlic, almonds. Then toss it into pasta, spread it on sandwiches, serve on crusty bread as a party appetizers, or make up your own genius combination and let us know in the comments.

Swapping traditional basil for flat-leaf parsley for this pesto recipe makes for a balanced sauce that allows you to really taste the nuts, the olive oil, the Parmesan.

"I like the fact that just three or four main ingredients can make a smashing result," says van Boven about this sweet and crunchy salad.

These biscotti-like cookies are extra delicious dipped in an after-dinner drink such as Vin Santo.

This take on rice cereal treats--studded with pork cracklin's--will sustain you during car rides and afternoon hikes.

Creamy without being heavy, a dollop of lemony yogurt brings the dish together.

Adding salt to this classic sauce lets you taste the rich complexity of the caramel, not just the sweetness. To save time, feel free to replace the almonds and butter with 1/2 cup store-bought roasted almond butter (no added sugar). Just stir in the salt and almond extract and it's recipe-ready for the bread pudding.

This thick Spanish sauce, made with roasted red peppers and almonds, is also delicious on grilled or roasted scallions, chicken, and fish.

Inspired by a style of cake from California’s Miette bakeries, we frost the top and middle layers of this stunner but leave the sides naked to showcase the almond cake. Don’t have a pastry bag or star tip to frost the layers? Fill a resealable plastic bag with the frosting, snip off a corner, and pipe away.

Sweet, salty, and a little chewy, this almond granola bars recipe comes in handy for breakfast or a midday treat.

Adding cream of tartar to the caramel prevents the sugar from crystallizing. Drizzle the sauce over the cake; save the rest for passing alongside.