Make Ahead

Olives, garlic, herbs, tomato, and wine come together in this short rib dish, a nod to the warm and sunny flavors of Provence. A shower of freshly grated orange zest at the finale brightens the rich braised beef with a citrus zing. This recipe makes a deeply satisfying main dish for Hanukkah or any other celebratory occasion.

A bone-in pork rib roast has everything: lean and moist meat, a crusty fatty exterior, and rib bones. When you buy the roast, ask the butcher to remove the spinal chine bone and to separate the thin layer of meat on the ribs, stopping about an inch from the end of the bones. This allows you to season the interior of the meat next to the bones. Season the meat 1 or 2 days before cooking; it makes a big difference in the flavor of the roast.

A shoulder roast of pork, lamb, or beef is ideal for braising; the shoulder is an economical cut with lots of flavor, and long, slow cooking yields succulent meat and a deep savory sauce. A braised shoulder is delicious accompanied by soft polenta, mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or creamy beans to soak up the tasty juices. A roast with the bone in will hold together better during cooking and have more flavor. If the meat is boneless, it is helpful to tie it after seasoning. The braise will taste even better if seasoned a day before cooking and braised a day before serving.

This is a spicy and aromatic stew of chickpeas and tender vegetables. It is delicious served with pita bread, Buttered Couscous (page 79) or Saffron Rice (page 62), and spicy harissa sauce.

I like to roast a chicken with nothing more than a few herbs and seasonings. It is always satisfying, and the pan juices make a perfect sauce for the cooked bird.

Thomas likes to roast chicken and vegetables together in what he calls one-pot cooking. The vegetables make a bed for the chicken and prop it up so that it browns nicely, and the juices from the roasting bird permeate through the vegetables that caramelize on the bottom of the pot. He also removes the wishbone before cooking to make carving the roasted bird easier.

This is a dish of onion and sweet peppers cooked slowly until they are very soft and caramelized. It is a good filling for omelets or side dish for roasted meats.

This salad is especially good made with peppers roasted over a wood or charcoal fire.

Couscous, made of semolina wheat rolled into tiny granules, is the traditional dish of Morocco and northern Africa. It is cooked to a light and fluffy texture by steaming it several times, perfumed by the aromatic spices in the steamer. It is usually paired with meat or vegetable stews—try it with Moroccan-Style Braised Vegetables—and with spicy harissa sauce (page 112). There are instant varieties available, but cooking it the traditional way results in the best texture and flavor.

David makes these pickles to be enjoyed right after seasoning, while they are still vibrant and crunchy.

Not only is homemade stock easy to make and economical, but it also tastes better than any you can buy. I always like to have a quart of fresh stock on hand—or in the freezer—because then I know I have the makings of many a meal, notably a soup of seasonal vegetables. A whole chicken makes the most flavorful stock; otherwise, the meatier the chicken parts you use, the better. Sometimes I cut off the breasts of a chicken to save for another meal, and make stock with the rest of the bird. Whenever you roast a chicken, freeze the carcass to save for making stock; add it along with the other chicken parts.

In the south of France, an aïoli is both the garlic and olive oil mayonnaise sauce itself and the dish for which it is the raison d’être, which can be either grand or petit. Le grand aïoli is a festive Provençal free-for-all meal in itself, typically consisting of the sauce in its mortar surrounded by platters of seasonal vegetables (cauliflower, carrots, beets, green beans, artichokes, potatoes) all freshly boiled; poached salt cod and stewed octopus; and tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs. Summer is the time for an aïoli extravaganza; with crisp cold rosé wine, it is the perfect dish on a hot evening. Garlic is juicy and firm and in season, and the summer vegetables that are so good with the garlic mayonnaise are plentiful. The ingredients listed below are suggestions; add whatever vegetables and fish you like.

Homemade mayonnaise is so superior to store-bought that it is well worth the effort. Some people are intimidated by the thought of making a mayonnaise, but it is a skill easily mastered. A mayonnaise made with garlic, or aïoli, is one of my favorite sauces for almost everything. In the fall and winter months, garlic cloves may have a green sprouting germ in the center. Cut each clove in half lengthwise before pounding, and remove the bitter germ.

Pesto is a traditional pasta sauce, but it is also a delicious sauce for grilled vegetables and chicken, salads, and pizzas, and a perfect final flavoring to a bean and vegetable soup.

In Mexico, salsas are typically made with ingredients roasted on a clay comal, or griddle. A cast-iron skillet is a good substitute. When whole chile peppers, unpeeled garlic cloves, tomatoes, and tomatillos are dry-roasted, they brown as they cook and develop the toasty overtones that create deep flavors in the salsa. Another traditional tool is the molcajete y tejolote, a rough stone mortar and pestle used to mash and blend the salsa.

A simple uncooked sauce of fresh herbs brings aliveness to the table. Salsa verde (green sauce) is a versatile sauce of parsley and olive oil flavored with shallots, capers, and lemon zest. The basic recipe can be enhanced with additional ingredients to make it more pungent and complex. It will brighten and complement many dishes, especially grilled vegetables, meat, and fish.

I couldn’t cook without garlic. I use it raw and cooked in all manner of dishes. Many varieties of garlic are available, each with its own individual flavor, some with white skins and some with red skins. In the spring, you can also find immature or green garlic. It looks a lot like a leek and its flavor is a little milder and subtler than that of mature garlic. Green garlic tastes great and can be used in all its phases of development. As green garlic starts to mature, the bulb of cloves begins to form, but the skin will still be moist and tender. To prepare green garlic, trim off the root end and remove any damaged or dried outer layers. Use all the white parts of the plant and the tender, light green parts of the stalk. Mature garlic starts coming to market in summer. Look for firm, tight heads of garlic that are hard and heavy. Garlic has a definite season and eventually starts to sprout; the germ inside each clove starts to turn green and grow. When it has been in storage too long, it may become oxidized, turning yellow with an unpleasant odor. If the clove has started to sprout, cut it in half and remove the green germ from the center. Do not use cloves that have begun to turn yellow. I find the easiest way to peel garlic is to press down on the head with the heel of my palm to separate it into individual cloves. Use a sharp paring knife to cut off the tip and butt end of a clove and peel off the skin. I prefer not to smash garlic unless I am going to use it right away. Garlic begins to oxidize immediately and should not remain exposed to the air once it has been smashed or cut. Chopped or pounded garlic can be kept a short time under a bit of oil.

Choose ripe, flavorful pears—juicy, but not soft or mushy. The flesh of the pear should just give to gentle pressure near the stem end. Comice and Bartlett are almost always good, but try others available in your area; Warren and Kiefer are two that I like.