Fennel

This stew might come together quickly, but it gets plenty of backbone from fennel and white wine.

Make sure to have fresh bread on hand to soak up any extra dressing in the bowl.

This impressive-looking roast is easy to carve once you get started.

Think of the crunchy, granola-ish sesame clusters as seedy croutons for this juicy and bracing salad.

Don’t bother trying to divide this fillet into tidy portions. Instead, use a spoon to break it into perfectly imperfect pieces.

Can’t find Meyer lemons? Mimic their flavor by mixing half lemon zest and juice, and half orange zest and juice.

Drying out and toasting the cornbread in the first step of this recipe guarantees a crisp, flavorful dressing.

Braising the fennel and simmering the potatoes in cream before assembling the gratin infuses them with extra flavor.

Make a big batch of this ragù on Sunday, serve it with pasta and a big green salad that night, then send the family off with leftovers for lunch the next day.

If you don’t have fennel, simply omit it and double the onion.

These hot and sour pickles make a perfect garnish for Bloody Beers (click for recipe).

“Adding citrus segments takes chickpeas to another level. And I use the fennel bulb, stalks, and fronds in this dish so nothing goes to waste.” —Sue Li, recipe developer

The flavor of the spiced pickled fennel really pops with the sweet tomatoes.

Typically steamed or sautéed, fresh mustard greens are also great raw and simply dressed. “I like the strength they give to salads,” says chef Frederik de Pue, of Table, Washington, D.C.

Serve the shrimp on toast to soak up the delicious pickling liquid.

Risotto only sounds intimidating—if you can stir, you can make it. Poaching the eggs ahead of time should quell any lingering performance anxiety.

Want to build big flavor fast? Jarred marinara gives you a head start. Be sure to doctor it a bit for a homemade taste. Here we use fennel seeds and sliced fennel to serve with flounder.

Leave the skin on the salmon to insulate and help protect the delicate flesh as it cooks. Bonus: It cooks up as crisp as cracklings in the process. If you're new to cooking fish and want a little extra insurance, try this method with an ovenproof nonstick pan. 

Add the vegetables partway through braising to ensure they will have enough time to be infused with meaty flavor without overcooking. Serve with a loaf of your favorite crusty bread for sopping up the juices.