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Broccoli rabe is one of those vegetables that people either love or hate. An acquired taste, the subtle pungent bitterness of this healthy green fits with any main course. Farro’s nuttiness rounds out this simple and rustic side. It also makes a fine vegetarian dinner.

Panade sounds kind of “chefy” but in truth, the dish, made from crusty bread and lots of cheese, is just a cross between a savory bread pudding and holiday stuffing. When mixed with eggs and cream, the bread softens so it becomes almost soufflé-like, with pillows of puffy goodness infused with chard and caramelized onions. If something can be peasant food and elegant at once, this is it! Pair this as a side with Whole Roasted Chicken with Plumped Raisins, Toasted Pine Nuts, and Arugula (page 142) or serve it with a simple green salad, and you’ve got dinner.

Every summer my family vacations in Harvey Cedars on Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Say what you want about New Jersey but let me tell you, when it comes to produce and seafood, it’s hard to beat. Most people you talk to know all about the tomatoes and corn, but there is so much more. How about the clams? My family gets ours from a local clammer. The scallop boats come in daily. The swordfish is exceptional and the crabs are as good as they are anywhere. I’m inspired by all of these things, and I’ve included most of them in this one dish. It may seem like a lot of ingredients, and it is. If you want to leave something out go ahead, or add something to it by all means. All the action happens in one pot, making this a great beach house dish.

Pork loin is always welcome at any family table or dinner party, and thankfully it turns out to be as easy to make as it is impressive. Assemble it a day or two in advance and just pop the pork in the oven before dinner. The colorful jewel tones of the stuffing make this dish look as good as it tastes. Once you have the basic technique down, you can change the stuffing any number of ways—use different kinds of bread, dried fruit, wine, herbs.

So you feel like steak? This one is a monster! For all of the card-carrying carnivores out there, this dish will turn you on. Porterhouse is a great cut because it’s like two for one—on one side of the steak you have the tender filet and on the other, the firm New York strip. Grilling with wood chips is a common way to infuse flavor into meat, but for extra oomph, I turn to herb-infused smoke instead. Tossing damp woody herbs like thyme (rosemary would work here as well) directly onto the fire lends a distinctive earthy essence. The intoxicating smell makes your belly grumble and always has a “wow factor” with guests. Serve with Roasted Garlic (page 238) and/or Porcini Worcestershire Sauce (page 242).

This out-of-the-ordinary stew is seriously good and its enticing aroma seductive. The sauce is smooth and complex: cinnamon, mustard, cumin, fenugreek, and cardamom all add up to an intriguing flavor that really lingers. The parsley-almond garnish adds brightness to the dish. Sweet, nutty, and crunchy, with layers of Indian spices, this killer recipe is a musttry. Serve it over basmati rice.

Bone-in leg of lamb has marvelous flavor and is a traditional roast for festive family gatherings. There is a great deal of versatility in this cut, but my favorite way to prepare it is on a grill. Slow cooking on a grill keeps the lamb really tender and moist while adding an awesome smoky taste. The yogurt and lemon marinade helps carry the deep flavors of the lamb and also gives the meat a nice crust. The lamb needs to marinate for several hours, so plan accordingly. I love this with Greek Farro Salad (page 79), a bright, refreshing complement to the charred lamb.

A departure from classic chicken stew, this one-pot wonder with Middle Eastern flair is a little bit exotic but not off-putting or difficult to make in the slightest. In fact, my kids love it. The sweet apricots and salty olives play nicely off each other and collide under a shower of cilantro to jack up the flavor even more. The recipe should make a little extra for leftovers, which are even better the next day.

Sweet, succulent, and aromatic, this sophisticated yet homey family-style supper is definitely one to pull out when company is coming. Not only is pork shoulder super satisfying, but the cut is also an inexpensive way to feed a lot of people. Serve with herbaceous Parsley Sauce (page 239) and creamy Cheese Grits (page 189) for a lethal combination.

Rabbit is a great change of pace from the everyday and luckily is becoming more widely available. Have your butcher cut up the rabbit for you; it can be tricky to do at home. The flavor is mild and the meat tender; you’ll swear it tastes like chicken. The hot sauce and blue cheese do not overwhelm; they actually bring out the flavor of the rabbit. The blue cheese sauce also makes a great salad dressing, thinned with a tablespoon of water.

Beef short ribs are commonly braised for hours. What is slightly unusual and great about this recipe is that the short ribs are slow-roasted until tender and then grilled to impart a smoky char. It may seem like a difficult recipe, but I swear it’s not, and the delicious result is so worth the time. The ribs need a day to marinate, so plan accordingly. After tasting this dish, you’ll never braise a short rib again! Use any leftover meat to make Short Rib and Fontina Cheese Panini with Tomato-Onion Chutney (page 120) or Pappardelle with Beef Sugo and Ricotta (page 111). This is a really rich dish; all it needs to round it out is a simple green salad. To make the spiced short ribs really sing, I prepare a version of Spanish romesco sauce. Bold, tangy, and definitely habit-forming, romesco looks ordinary enough but in one bite transforms the dish. When making the sauce, it’s important to use a food processor and not a blender so it retains a chunky texture. This recipe will make more than you need for the short ribs and is a terrific go-to sauce to keep around. Try it with grilled vegetables and seafood (it’s particularly awesome with shrimp), tossed with pasta, or as a sandwich spread.

When it comes to pork ribs, for my money I prefer St. Louis ribs to baby back. They’re long and thin with a good amount of meat, not to mention less expensive. Grilling the ribs to crisp them up after they have slow-roasted for a couple of hours may require a little extra effort, but believe me, you’ll reap the rewards with insanely tasty ribs that will have everyone licking their fingers. A creamy cool slaw and sweet-rich barbecue sauce round out this comfort-food meal.

This hearty vegetarian stew has special memories for me. I used to make it almost every day when I was broke, back when I was trying to open my first restaurant. And yet I never get tired of it. This dish has layers of flavors, comes together pretty rapidly, and leaves you fully satisfied.

This is one of those dishes where patronizing a local butcher, instead of a chain grocery store, will mean success. To halve and bone a couple of chickens is not an easy task, so leave this to the experts. Be specific with your butcher: request boneless chicken halves, meaning the first joint of the wing is clipped off and the only bone in the bird is the one that attaches the lower part of the wing to the breast, also known as an “airline.” As an alternative, buy boneless chicken parts. There aren’t a lot of ingredients to this dish; it really is all about the quality of chicken and a couple of well-seasoned cast-iron skillets. To get the super crispy skin, it is imperative that the chicken lies flat in the pan. Serve this with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes (page 193) for a perfect Sunday supper.

Succulent, tender, and aromatic, roast chicken is a dish that all cooks should have in their arsenal. There are many schools of thought on how to master the perfect roast chicken. My philosophy is the simpler the better. I don’t use a big roasting pan or rack, truss the bird, or change the oven temperature fifty times. As far as technique goes, I like to start roasting the chicken breast side down to protect it from drying out in the initial intense heat. Gravity also works on your side that way; all of the juices gather in the breast meat during the first half of cooking, keeping the meat really moist. Then I turn the bird over to finish cooking and brown the breast. Swiss Chard and Caramelized Onion Panade (page 183) makes a terrific side.

Beautiful plump fish covered with a butterscotch-colored sauce on a bed of snow-white puree, this is a very subtle dish, in a good way. The ratio of honey to mustard to soy sauce is perfect: you get sweet and salty with a little bite to complement the mild fish. The whipped parsnips are smooth and just rich enough with butter and cream. Bok choy makes a crisp accompaniment.

These are not your typical mussels served in run-of-the-mill white wine broth. The tomato harissa broth is an addictive elixir. Even though the mussels are served with rice, you will want to have plenty of crusty bread on hand to sop up the flavorful goodness.

Salmon steaks are shaped sort of like a horseshoe and have the bone left in the center. They’re really thick and meaty and don’t stick like fillets, which means they’re perfect for the grill. Wild salmon is preferable to that raised in fish farms, as it tends to be healthier for you and taste better. Be sure to remove all the little pin bones with a pair of tweezers or have your fish guy do it. With the bounty of produce on the planet, I gotta say onions are probably my favorite vegetable. They can be transformed in so many different ways. This onion sauce is so velvety you’d swear there is butter in it. The trick is to cook the onions low and slow so they don’t brown or caramelize. This fennel hash is also killer with steak or eggs in the morning.

This might be the easiest recipe in the book and one you’ll pull out over and over again for its ease and deliciousness. All you need are a few good ingredients and a hot grill. When it comes to buying fresh tuna, the species, or even the bright red color, is not necessarily an indicator of quality. In fact, fatty tuna, which is more desirable, is often paler but of no lesser quality. Fresh tuna is shiny, bright, and redolent of the ocean; it should talk to you. The Provençal vinaigrette is a full-flavored condiment you’ll want to have on hand—always! Use it on everything from grilled fish to crostini and sandwiches. If you want to serve the tuna with another side dish, Sautéed Broccoli Rabe (page 192) is a good choice.

This Mediterranean-inspired dish not only is light and healthy, but also has depth of flavor with a contrast of textures and temperatures. Most home cooks tell me they’re intimidated by cooking fish with skin on; they find it tears or doesn’t crisp up as it should. There are two keys to success: one is patience and the other is a well-seasoned cast-iron pan, preferably one that has gone through generations of use. The second alternative is to cheat and use a nonstick frying pan.