Nut

Feel free to riff on this recipe and use any toasted nut or topping you like—try swapping in puffed rice, pecans, or dried currants.

This reader requested recipe is from the April 2003 issue (pictured above).

The sugars in the marinade can burn; moderate the heat if the chicken looks like it’s getting too dark. Learn how to make this recipe and more in our online cooking class with Sur la Table.

The steak can be marinated a day in advance—in fact, it gets better.

Garlicky, pungent ramps set off pesto pyrotechnics.

Wait, whipped cream in a salad? Yep. This rich, bright lemon cream is perfectly suited for Little Gems. “The cream takes over your whole mouth,” says chef Joshua McFadden, “while the lemon juice acts as a bridge.” Learn more here.

It might feel like you’re beating the batter for a long time, but that’s what gives this cake an airy lift. Stay with it!

It might look like there’s not enough stuffing, but really—there is. The ingredients are all very intense, so a little goes a long way, and if you overstuff the leg, it will become impossible to roll up.

Any combo of nuts will taste delicious in this simple filling for your next batch of buttery hamantaschen.

Chef Philip Krajeck serves a similar dish at Rolf and Daughters in Nashville; his hazelnut broth adds a clever layer of flavor.

The search for crispy trout skin stops here. Dredging the fish in ground almonds works wonders, adding a delightfully toasty exterior.

Simmering vegetables in a covered pot over low heat so that they steam in their own liquid—a French technique called à l'étouffée—is the ticket to achieving a soup with pronounced depth. We love this method with cauliflower, but also try it with celeriac or rutabagas.

Don’t laugh—good gluten-free pastas exist. Andean Dream makes our favorite shells.

The toffee mixture will harden as these cool, transforming into a snappy, crunchy layer that holds everything together.

You don't have to wait until summer to make pesto. Forget the basil and make one of these winter pestos, instead.

These get better with time, so don’t hesitate to make them ahead.

The ribbon of brown butter plays a raw cookie dough role in the center of these pecan blondies.

Rolling out the dough between sheets of parchment paper means it won’t stick to your pin or tear.

There is no obvious point of entry when dealing with celery root. Prepping it isn’t complicated, though: Use a chef’s knife to cut off the top and bottom of the root, exposing the pale flesh of the interior. Prop the root on one of the newly flattened poles, and, using curved downward strokes, cut off the brown skin in long swaths. Once peeled, cut the root into chunks, cutting out any spongy bits that may develop at the center.

Keep the heat on low after you stir in the mustard—the sauce could break unattractively if it boils.

Rinsing the onions in cold water tames some of their bite.

Nuts and nut oils are an easy way to change up your weeknight grain game. Try tossing in different toasted nuts and drizzling with their respective oils.

Regardless of the color of quinoa, make sure you rinse it before you cook it.

Regular old bark gets a bit spicier with a pinch of cayenne pepper and bitter orange.