Side

The secret to this Chinese favorite is not to let the noodles sit in the sauce very long — toss them together a few seconds before serving.

The leftover braising oil is extremely flavorful. You can toss it with pasta or use it in dressings. This recipe is an accompaniment for Monkfish and Clam Bourride .

Chermoula Chermoula is a traditional North African marinade for fish, especially in Morocco where, surprisingly, it's often used with shad. It has become very popular recently with North American restaurant chefs as a quick and easy (and cheap!) way to add lots of flavor to bland fish. Many old-fashioned recipes don't call for cilantro and parsley at all, but the fresh flavor of the green herbs adds a great deal to the preparation. Instead of shad, which is hard to find even when it's in season, and very difficult to bone, I use salmon steaks or fillets. You could substitute many other kinds of fish, including swordfish, halibut, haddock, and even fresh-water fish, such as catfish and perch.

Smothering is a Cajun cooking term that refers to browning anything from meat to vegetables in oil, then braising it in a small amount of liquid, tightly covered, until tender.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

The unusual combination of mushrooms and dried apricots makes for a delicious and earthy soda bread.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Yukon Gold potatoes cut into one-inch pieces can be substituted.

This refreshing dish can be prepared and chilled two hours before serving.

Serve as a first course on a bed of arugula or as a side dish with grilled beef or chicken.

Serve with: Leaves of romaine lettuce (for wrapping up scoops of salad) and flatbread.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

The honey is optional because some carrots are sweeter than others. Taste the salad, then decide whether to drizzle.