Side

Grapefruit and oranges, at their peak around the holidays, are like a beam of sunshine in the bleak midwinter. Here, a beautiful salad of juicy jewel-toned segments swims in a bright simple syrup infused with the licorice notes of star anise.

To balance the red-wine vinegar and capers in this blend of smoky eggplant and red peppers, anchovies perfume the relish with a deep, savory note. Though this is a natural accompaniment to the zucchini latkes, it also makes a lively option for the potato ones.

Food editor Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez's grandmother used to serve tender green beans tossed with mashed potatoes—so this is straight from Nonna's kitchen.

Applesauce goes global in a chutney spiced with ginger and red-pepper flakes. Tart Granny Smiths and sweet Galas are cut into chunks, giving this topping a firm bite. Fabulous over potato latkes, it’s also delicious with zucchini latkes .

Forget fuss—the key to this recipe is leaving everything alone. Tossing cucumbers with salt and then letting them drain prevents their moisture from diluting the flavors of the finished dish. A long, unattended marination enhances the sweet-sour blend of sugar and white vinegar that makes this salad especially refreshing.

These muffins are inspired by a favorite dessert: sticky toffee pudding. But they are revamped for breakfast and renamed with hope that as you present your beloved with a plate of these, you'll be invited to open your Filofax and check on next Friday night.

Luke Ostrom is a great cook. We've worked together for a long time; we've spent long nights drinking and talking food; we even traveled through Italy together. He knows his stuff, no doubt. So when he tells me we should try something, I usually listen. But when he started going on about orzo in our opening-menu-planning sessions, I was less than enthusiastic. He loved it when he was a kid, he said. It was so soul-satisfying and delicious, he said. It would make a great side dish on our menu, he said. But I wasn't buying it. I thought orzo was the kind of comfort food you fed to children and invalids: too bland, too soft, too ... boring. Boy, was I wrong. Luke's take on orzo can definitely qualify as comfort food: it's hearty, warm, and delicious, the kind of thing you can't stop eating. But it's also grown-up and complex: the wild mushrooms give it a rich earthiness, and the orzo has a great mouth-feel. It's sort of like the mushroom risotto of your dreams—only it's way easier. It's a great match with poultry or meat; but as far as I'm concerned, ain't nothing wrong with sitting down to a big heaping bowlful of this stuff all on its own, topped with a handful of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

A fun twist on tradition— cornbread stuffing molded into muffins.

Dau Hu Rang Muoi Luke Nguyen: I enjoy the simplicity and texture of this dish—it's like a vegetarian's version of salt and pepper squid.

This is easy to make and everyone loves marshmallows on top.

Cranberries add sparkle to the meal.

Add broth 1/4 cup at a time, stirring, to avoid sogginess.

This simple salad, with its lemony dressing and bitter greens, is a nice match for the fried latkes.

Brown butter makes broccolini almost decadent.

Luscious and satisfying—a little goes a long way. Make the gratin up to one day ahead. Before serving, cut it into pieces and rewarm in the oven.

Meet the latke's larger, Swiss cousin: the Rösti. This recipe makes two giant potato cakes; if you want to serve them at the same time, you’ll need to use two skillets (heavy ones produce the crispest results).

Be sure to use whole milk and whisk the batter by hand (overbeating with an electric mixer may prevent the puddings from puffing and rising).