Easy

The aromatic sweetness of the vanilla complements the sharp blue cheese and smoky-spicy sausage, and, since we doubt you’re curing your own chorizo, it’s the single handmade element on this tapas plate. This recipe is from Morcilla, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

Topping this modern tartare with groats adds an earthy note, but they’re mostly there for texture. A coarse toasted breadcrumb can be subbed. This recipe is from Wildair, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

Like cheesy grits. Really, really, really, really cheesy grits. This recipe, which puts a southern twist (that’s the grits, y’all) on very French aligot (mashed potatoes blended with melted cheese), is from Buxton Hall, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

Cook the collards until they completely surrender themselves to the rich, spicy, lip-smacking braising liquid. This recipe is from Buxton Hall, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

There are many different styles of barbecue and more than one kind of barbecue sauce. This one originated in Alabama, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll dip your fried chicken in it. This recipe is from Buxton Hall, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

To answer your question, yes, homemade is way better. This sauce pairs perfectly with Buxton Hall's Hushpuppies. Cook the collards until they completely surrender themselves to the rich, spicy, lip-smacking braising liquid. This recipe is from Buxton Hall, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

If you like lox, bacon, or anchovies, you should thank salt—and time. That's all that it takes to turn supermarket limes into this pleasantly salt-tart-funky pantry staple, the sibling of preserved lemons.

Just because this is an infused mixture of wine, brandy, and orange liqueur doesn’t mean you can just throw anything in there and expect it to taste good. Use spirits you’d be happy to sip on their own. This recipe is from Morcilla, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

This creamy almond dip would be a terrific and unexpected pairing with any vegetable crudité. This recipe is from Lord Stanley, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

This ingenious way to prepare sweet potatoes will make you take back every bad word you ever said about them. This recipe is from Lord Stanley, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

Persimmons stand in for ripe tomato in this caprese-ish salad, and if you haven’t had them before, they’re worth trying. Before you buy, things to know: The squat fuyu persimmon lacks the tannins that define their pointy-bottomed counterpart, the hachiya variety. While fuyus can be eaten when slightly underripe (they’ll be crunchy), the hachiya needs to be dead ripe or else it will be insufferably bitter. This recipe is from Wildair, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

An addictive slaw with sweetness from the fresh coconut and sneaky, creeping heat from the chiles. Be warned! This recipe is from Bad Saint, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

You can finish this carbonara with other seasonal vegetables, such as shredded brussels sprouts or Napa cabbage. This recipe is from Oberlin, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

Thinly sliced raw cauliflower takes center stage in this salad, tossed in a bright, limey dressing and dusted with nutritional yeast.

The pepper skins add smokiness to the salad, so don’t peel them. Bonus: That makes life a lot easier.

Like your desserts extra-salted? Just keep adding more and tasting the butterscotch until you reach your personal sweet-salty threshold.

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.

Remember those pink salt blocks everyone was searing steaks on for a minute? A bit of kosher salt performs a similar function: transmitting heat.

The combination of salty water and salty Parmesan puts this pasta at risk of becoming oversalted. If that happens, throw in a knob of unsalted butter at the end to mellow it and add a smooth finish.

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.

There's a time for a 20-ingredient, four-hour curry, and it's not 5 p.m. on Tuesday. This shortcut version yields a hearty crowd-pleaser.

This sandwich can be lunch, a snack, or a late-night thing. Eat it with potato chips and lemonade; it's also great with a simple green salad for dinner.

This irresistible matchup of crispy and creamy releases more dopamine than a bag of Cheetos.

After testing with lots of other brands, these cookies are best when made with Cup4Cup gluten-free flour.