Tomatillo

Use this bright summer staple to add a bit of acidity and sweetness to a variety of dishes, like salads, hot dogs, pork, even eggs.

Outrageously crunchy.

Cutting those slits in the fish is key. They help the fish cook more quickly and make it easier to tell when it's done.

Aguachile, literally meaning chile water, is traditionally made with chiles, cilantro, onion, lime, and, yeah, water.

A delicious alternative to chimichurri to go alongside your grilled steak (or whatever!).

For a salsa that won’t send smoke shooting from your ears, be thorough about removing the seeds from the chiles, and even scraping out the ribs, the hottest part.

Oaxaca is known for its moles, and there are countless types. This recipe features dried red chiles and is often served with poultry.

We like toasting the canned hominy to concentrate and develop its flavor, but if that’s one step too many, it will still be awesome!

We tested this tamales recipe with both instant and fresh masa. Fresh masa yielded the best corn flavor and best texture, but we’ve included instructions for using instant since the flour is easier to find. You can find fresh masa and dried corn husks at tortilla stores/factories, in the international section at larger grocery stores, or online. Whichever masa you choose, be sure to save some of the tomatillo purée from the chicken filling.

Restaurant recipes for polenta budino, harissa swordfish, and a green gazpacho that readers couldn't wait to cook at home.

A cool green zingy soup; pack it in a thermos on ice and take it picnicking or to the beach.

Oh, the inherent stress in choosing the perfect avocado. The “ready to eat” ones can go from ripe to rotten quickly, so buy uniformly firm Hass avocados instead. Let them sit at room temperature until they have a slight give, usually a day or two (plan ahead!). This goes great with quesadillas, grilled snapper, and pork.

Quickly seared flank steak retains its pleasantly chewy integrity in this simple but nuanced brothy soup.

A cooling and crunchy green version of the typical tomato-based salsa.

Smoked pork hocks don’t just add meatiness and body to this chile verde recipe; they release smoky, salty notes as they cook, seasoning the beans in the process.

To prevent peeled or cut celery root from browning, submerge it in cold water with the juice of 1 lemon for up to 1 day.

The lighter, herbier counterpart to porky posole rojo, this brothy stew was made for crisp autumn nights.

Tiny tomatillos are one of our favorite farmers' market ingredients. Learn what to look for when buying them, plus how to cook with them at home.

Schmear this on sandwiches, use it to marinate shrimp or chicken, or spoon a dollop onto eggs.

What makes the dish is a 26-ingredient mole, a riff on the Oaxacan sauce that the chef calls a "happy accident."

This recipe makes more spice mix and chile paste than you’ll need for a single batch of mole. Keep the extras on hand for chili, stews, braises, or another batch of mole!

Prep the salsa over a live fire and fry the eggs on a propane stove for this camping-ready recipe.

This uncooked mole gets heat from jalapeño, cooling freshness from lettuce and herbs, and a touch of richness from toasted seeds. Use any extra as a dip for crudités.

Try not to pack the crab mixture too tightly; you want these to just hold their shape so they fry up light and airy. And remember: Crab cakes are only as good as the crab you use; buy the best you can afford.