Easy

Got some burned bits? Great job! The natural sugars in the root vegetables, along with the brown sugar, will caramelize, giving you a little bitterness to counter all that sweetness.

Sesame paste takes the place of hazelnuts in this Nutella-ish concoction. If you don’t want to make the concrete, schmear the chocolate-sesame spread on warm bread and thank us later.

Of this take on a martini, James Bond quipped, “I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made.” What he said.

Even if you’re not a huge fan of bitter greens, don’t substitute regular lettuce here; the slightly sweet dressing will taste cloying without some sharp contrast.

Use your newly skinless thighs in a braise.

You can stuff this slawlike salad inside your pita, or eat it on its own.

Though it can be made with other small plums, this cake is the tastiest with the Italian variety—but keep in mind that they are in their peak season only a few weeks a year, in late summer to early fall.

Make sure the leftover greens, especially if you’re using kale, are totally softened—you should be able to cut through them easily.

This is also great with maple syrup; you can use any kind of pear or apple, too.

Serve with celery sticks for dipping, use in place of mayo on tomato sandwiches, or dress salads with it (duh!).

You can make this dish with whatever vegetables you have on hand—potatoes, shallots, carrots, and leeks are all good options. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

If you can’t find buckwheat groats, coarsely chopped hazelnuts would also be A+.

Be sure to pat the snapper fillets dry with paper towels to remove as much moisture as you can before slicing.

Think of this fried rice recipe as a template, not a dictum. If you don’t have beef jerky on hand, use leftover short ribs or spareribs, try some Chinese sausage, or skip the meat altogether. The technique is what is key here, not the specific ingredients.

A knife-and-fork situation, with plenty of crunch and gooey, melty textures going on.

Puffed and pulverized wild rice is the new breadcrumb, coating any meaty white fish you like in a nutty, crispy exterior.

Slicing the scallion greens and chile at an extreme diagonal makes for a pleasing presentation.

We love this shrimp mixture piled inside of Kindred’s house-made rolls, but you can use your favorite brand of split-top buns if baking isn’t your thing.

Feel free to try whatever toppings you’d like; if it goes well with chocolate, it will go well with these.

When you put an egg on eggplant, you get a veg main course.

Store honey in a cool, dark place (like the fridge!) to slow oxidation and make it last a while. Then use it on pretty much everything.

The secret to removing the pin bones from black cod is to wait until after it’s been cooked.

Cutting the cauliflower into florets means the brine will absorb faster.

Don’t pass over slightly bruised or extra-ripe tomatoes for this soup recipe; they’re often the most flavorful and especially good here.