Tomato

The ingredient list for a curry can be a little daunting with all those spices, but the technique isn’t very far from a pasta sauce: you just toast the whole spices and then move on to a sort of sofrito of onion, garlic, and ginger. From that flavor base, you add tomatoes and whatever veggies you desire. At the end, a quick chutney, really just a rough chopped blend of herbs and coconut, gives the stew a bright pop of flavor (the way a few torn basil leaves make that tomato sauce sing).

The smoky sauce and mix of spices in this meatball recipe complement lamb perfectly. It would be great with ground beef too, if that’s more your thing.

These are extra saucy and a little sweet like the original SpaghettiOs, but with grown-up flavors all around.

You don’t need hours to simmer tomato sauce. This recipe shows you how to make an excellent one in 30 minutes, with 5 ingredients, in 1 pan, with very little effort.

Not the biggest fan of lamb? This hearty, soul-warming ravioli recipe will be equally successful if you use beef short ribs instead. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to shape and fill ravioli.

A flavorful tomato sauce that’s a cinch to make and rock shrimp that come already peeled mean a weeknight dinner recipe has never been so easy—or delicious.

The chicken should be falling-apart tender; if it starts to shred when you plate it, that’s a good sign!

Not a big fan of chorizo? This chili recipe can also be made with chicken, turkey, or Italian sweet or spicy sausage.

Adding fresh puréed tomato at the end of this long-simmered pork ragù lends this bowl of deliciousness acidic brightness along with depth. Unbeatable. This recipe is from Oberlin, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

Even so-so tomatoes will become sweet and deliciously concentrated after this treatment. 

Make any modifications that suit you and the preferences of your eaters: Onions in place of shallots; carrots for fennel; add garlic; omit the cayenne; a splash of cream instead of butter, as you wish.

If you've got a can of tomatoes, a jar of spicy peperoncini, and a hunk of Parm in your fridge, you're halfway to a satisfying pasta dinner.

When two talented chefs bunk up with their pals in Maine, the weekend passes blissfully between lunchtime lamb gyros and late-night blondie sundaes.

A salad so easy you can actually have the kind of Summer 2016 people (okay, Drake) write songs about.

Freshness counts. Buy prime tomatoes when they’re in season. And, if possible, grind whole green cardamom pods rather than using powdered.

When you're working with chiles, you should be wearing rubber gloves. Sound funny? Well, it won't after you accidentally touch your eyes.

Progression of a tomato sandwich: On buttered bread with salt; on bread with mayo and cheddar; seasoned and grilled with cheddar and mayo. They’re all pretty perfect, but we’ll take the advanced version, thanks.

Mussels steam in the same saucepan as chili-and-fennel-spiced tomato sauce in this effortless supper.

Got mealy, lackluster tomatoes? Turns out you’re in luck.

Dorade is also known as sea bream and orata; you can substitute with red snapper or black bass.

This high-summer salad hits every note on the sweet (red pepper), sour (tomato), salty (ricotta and anchovy), and bitter (olive) scale.

Two sweet-salty finishings let guests craft their own signature sandwiches, but if you’re a purist, leave them off and let the (excellent) bacon speak for itself.

When late-season and bruised tomatoes show up at the market, stock up.

The acidity in the lime juice and tequila will help the fish firm up, but if it sits too long, it will get tough.