Side

This dish is great alongside the Lemony Chicken Milanese .

Sambal Serai Editor's note: This recipe is adapted from James Oseland's book Cradle of Flavor: Home Cooking from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. It originally accompanied Javanese Chicken Curry and Beef Satay and was part of an article by Oseland on Indonesian cuisine. This gorgeous-tasting, easy-to-make raw sambal originated in Bali. Try to find the freshest, most flavorful lemongrass you can when making it—your best bet may be in deep summer at a farmers' market that serves a substantial Asian community, where you're likely to find impeccably fresh, organic lemongrass.

Nasi Uduk, Java, Indonesia Editor's note: This recipe is adapted from James Oseland's book Cradle of Flavor: Home Cooking from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. It originally accompanied Javanese Chicken Curry and was part of an article by Oseland on Indonesian cuisine. Rice that's been cooked in coconut milk and seasoned with aromatics is a velvety-rich, alluring dish. It turns up in countless incarnations all over Indonesia. This is the Javanese version, which is flavored with lemongrass and daun salam leaves, the woodsy-tasting Indonesian herb. The aromatics are submerged in the rice as it cooks, infusing the cooking liquid—and, in turn, the rice—with their essences. The hint of lemongrass is appealing, while the topping of crisply fried shallots adds smoky succulence. Friends I've cooked this rice for have told me it's the best rice they had ever eaten. It pairs well with just about anything that plain rice is served with, including curries and stir-fries, though it's wonderful on its own, with a salad of baby lettuces. I prefer to eat nasi uduk warm rather than hot — its flavors are more pronounced. It's not advisable to halve this recipe: Using one cup of rice would mean that most of the aromatics would be sitting on top of the rice as it cooks rather than being submerged in it, resulting in a poorly flavored dish. Reheat the excellent leftovers in a warm oven. It's also not advisable to make this dish in a rice cooker, as the fats and proteins in the coconut milk and the high, continuous heat of a rice cooker's heat source can easily lead to the rice on the bottom layer sticking and burning.

Use shaved Parmesan in place of the goat cheese, if you like.

This recipe was created by chefs Slade Rushing and Allison Vines-Rushing of the Longbranch in Abita Springs, Louisiana. It's part of a special menu they created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

Perfect for entertaining, this gorgeous torta—sheets of delicate crespelle layered with rich besciamella and sweet Italian sausage—won't disappoint. You'll be deliciously rewarded for your effort.

Pasta with butter and mushrooms is appealing all by itself, but the cheesy, garlicky bread crumbs make this dish a showstopper.

Formaggio Crucolo Fuso con Speck e Patate What makes this dish so exceptional is Crucolo, a semisoft cow's-milk cheese, sweet and creamy like a fresh Asiago, that's made by a single producer in Trentino's Valsugana Valley. The region's speck, which comes from the hind leg of the pig, combines Italian salting and drying techniques with the smoke-curing common in Austria, where speck is more like bacon.

Spaghetti con Salsa di Olive e Pinoli All'arturo This pretty, confetti-like dish is sure to become one of your weekday standbys. Not only is it easy to prepare, but you've likely got all the ingredients right there in your fridge. The trick is to hand-chop everything very finely, so that you get just the right amount of fiery crunch in every bite.

Risotta allo Zafferano con Midollo alla Piastra Combining a lovely golden hue with wonderfully beefy depth, this classic risotto alla milanese is hearty enough to stand on its own, but if you really want to be Italian about it, pair it with ossobuco.

Using a freshly made ricotta makes all the difference in these delicious fried morsels.

Corkscrew pasta gets a wake-up call with the unexpected übercrunch of toasted panko and a salty jolt from anchovies.

Chickpeas add meaty body to a home-style vegetable soup; round out the flavors with a sprinkling of grated cheese.