Watercress

When buying squid, order a mix of bodies and tentacles for different textures and visuals, and ask your fishmonger to clean it, if it’s not already.

One of many cool things about (super-nutritious) sprouted lentils: They don’t need to be cooked first.

Using these exact vegetables is not the point; choose whatever’s in season and can stand up to being charred. The genius coffee dressing brings it all together.

Baking citrus at a high heat caramelizes the sugars and adds depth. It’s just the thing to bring intrigue to salads.

The keys to achieving razor-edged triangles: Let the sandwiches cool slightly, then slice with a serrated knife.

You want all of your cheese ball ingredients at room temperature to make sure the goat cheese mixture is smooth and homogenous.

Does Tosca’s roast chicken recipe take work? Yes, but the results—from the drippings-soaked sourdough toasts to the glossy pan sauce—are transcendent.

This recipe was created by reader Kim Smithers in our Chef Watson potato salad challenge.

Find long beans at Asian or specialty grocers.

This dressing is equally good drizzled over hard-boiled eggs or with crudité for dipping.

Squid is tender when it’s either cooked quickly over high heat, or gently for a long time. This is the quick version.

This recipe calls for fairly small racks of lamb, about a pound each. If your lamb is larger, the cooking time will increase, but you can get away with serving single, not double, chops.

The success of this simple soup depends on using the freshest watercress available. Choose the full-grown, thick-stemmed variety; it has more of the green's characteristic bold, peppery flavor.

Here’s how to time this: Have the salad and onion ring components ready before you cook the steak and the sauce, then keep the sauce warm while you fry the onions. Toss the salad at the last moment.

The oysters will plump slightly in the hot soup and take on a creamy but firm consistency; if overcooked, they’ll become rubbery.

A simple white wine pan sauce brings this one-skillet dinner together.

Toasting grains and seeds is a simple move that adds texture and deep flavor to this green salad. The dressing will be milder if you use fresh horseradish, or sharp and a tad spicy if you use prepared.

Yes, there are a few recipes within this recipe. But they're simple enough and can be prepared ahead of time, which makes putting the dish together a (relative) breeze.

The jalapeño's ribs and seeds are the spiciest parts; be careful not to rub your eyes after handling (or wear gloves)!

"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.

Brining the chickens in buttermilk tenderizes the meat and keeps it moist. The flavorful pan juices are used to make croutons and a robust dressing for the pepper watercress and bread salad.

King trumpet mushrooms star in this salad served at Brooklyn's Prime Meats. They're available at many supermarkets, but you'll find them at better prices at many Asian markets. Crimini (baby bella) mushrooms are a fine substitute.