Side

Barbara Edwards, the reader who sent us this recipe, wrote that every time she served this salad, the men in the group would "lick the platter clean." We found the women in our test kitchens were crunching on it as happily as the men. The creaminess and tang of cottage cheese and mayonnaise offset the edge of onion and the crispness of cabbage.

There may be no better way for a yeast-phobic (or time-pressed) cook to put a fetching basket of fresh bread on the table. The secret is a biscuit dough so simple to make and handle that you'll find yourself baking these twists for weekday family meals as well as special dinners.

We've run recipes for this classic salad in various incarnations every few years as far back as the 1940s — with and without raw egg, with and without anchovies, changing up the cheese and even mixing in pasta or shellfish. This version is simply the best.

Stracci di Pasta Alle Mille Erbe Rags to riches takes on new meaning when such strange bedfellows as basil, tarragon, mint, thyme, marjoram, and rosemary mingle with pasta to create totally new flavors. Every ingredient matters, so don't skimp on quality: If you have time, you owe it to yourself to use homemade pasta.

With their light, tangy sesame dressing, these delicious little spinach cakes needn't only accompany a Japanese meal. They also make a delightful prelude to a hearty entrée like steak or chops.

Nasi Goreng
Chicken, shrimp, and fried rice combine in this traditional version of the classic Indonesian one-dish meal, made intense and spicy with fish sauce and plenty of chiles. On the side, cucumber slices cool things down, hard-boiled eggs provide a neutral foil, and shrimp crackers add crunch.

We weren't sure what would result from pouring an egg-and-yogurt mixture over a gratin of potatoes. The answer? A thin layer of tangy custard that just melts into the gratin. Like a much more sumptuous version of the sour-cream-topped baked potato, this dish is a welcome change of pace.

Persian in origin, this soufflé is wonderfully airy, and the eggplant is infused with garlic and lemon. Think of it as a warm, puffy baba ghanouj.

We think of this gratin as a vegetable-driven version of everyone's favorite, mac and cheese. The nutty, sweet undertones of cauliflower are particularly suited to meld with the tangy, salty Cheddar and the spicy horseradish.

These are the most elegant fried potatoes in the world. Don't expect the crunchy snap of a french fry but, instead, a soft, light crispness concealing an ethereally fluffy interior. There are various stories as to who or what "Lorette" is — but the number of French potato recipes named in honor of people and places illustrates how beloved and nuanced each dish is.

If you're tired of serving the same old green bean dishes, here's a way to give them a South Indian spin. The coconut augments the sweetness of the beans and, along with the crunchy mustard seeds, lends texture as well.

Similar to monkey bread, this is a great choice for brunch. Letting the dough rest overnight allows its flavor to develop into something wonderful.

The surging popularity of sandwich wraps and quick Mexican snacks like quesadillas has turned the flour tortilla, a staple once largely confined to northern Mexico, into something found in supermarkets across the United States. Of the store-bought varieties, we are big fans of those from Maria & Ricardo's Tortilla Factory (800-881-7040), available at high-end supermarkets such as Whole Foods and by mail order from the company. (Dry-toast them slightly to freshen before using.) That said, we are even bigger fans of homemade flour tortillas. Fragrant and slightly puffy, they fall squarely into the "staff of life" category.

Start the confit at least two weeks ahead. This would also be delicious on its own served with mashed potatoes.

A variation on twice-baked potatoes, these are an eye-catching takeoff on a sweet potato casserole. The sweet potato flesh is pureed with butter and milk, returned to the hollowed-out shells, and topped with mini marshmallows before a final baking. You can puree the potatoes in a blender or a food processor; use the blender for an especially silky texture.

This recipe brought to you by Bertolli.

This sauce blends fresh cranberry relish and cooked cranberry sauce.

This fresh side is a delicious alternative to cranberry sauce.