Vegetarian

A supermoist chocolate cake encased between layers of rich chocolate frosting is at once both a decadent treat and one of life's simple pleasures. And "simple" is an important descriptor here. Because it's an oil-based cake—like carrot cake—it doesn't involve equipment any more complicated than a whisk and a bowl. Two stealth ingredients make this dessert different: unsweetened coconut milk and instant espresso powder. The former is amazing in its ability to add richness to the cake and stand in for cream in the ganache without overwhelming the dessert with coconut flavor. Espresso powder in the frosting magically highlights the depth of the chocolate. Because this cake happens to be dairy-free, it's perfect for Hanukkah, and a godsend for anyone dealing with lactose intolerance. But the cake is so incredibly delicious, no one will notice the lack of cream and butter. They'll be too busy asking for seconds and thirds.

Think of these as the best part of French onion soup minus the broth. Better yet, they're in a form that's much easier to eat than the soggy wet bread, weighed down with cheese, that usually tops crocks of onion soup. Don't be surprised if these disappear before you get a chance to sample one yourself!

Salty sautéed peppers, especially those that are mildly hot, are delicious summer treats—irresistible bites with a glass of chilled wine.

Cobblers are mostly fruit, with the sweet cobbler biscuits floating on top to soak up all the juices. They are a good thing to make when you have an abundance of fruit and a number of people to cook for. Make them all year round with whatever ripe fruits are in season, either singly or in combination. They are superb served warm for dessert but even better for breakfast the next morning.

I love fruit at the end of a meal and am easily satisfied with whatever is ripe and in season. However, if I have guests and want to give them something more than fresh fruit, simply baking sweet peaches or nectarines transforms them into a warm and fragrant dessert. All kinds of fruits are lovely baked—pears, nectarines, apricots, pluots, apples—but peaches are particularly luscious and juicy. This recipe gilds the lily a bit with berries and wine. If those ingredients are not on hand, don’t let that stop you; the peaches are wonderful baked without them.

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.

Oven-roasting is an especially good way of cooking winter root vegetables such as potatoes, turnips, carrots, parsnips, and celery root, as well as onions, unpeeled garlic cloves, squashes, and fennel. The crispiness and caramelization that develops in the oven brings out the vegetables’ natural sweetness and intensifies their flavors.

Earthenware dishes with a large surface area, that are shallow, low sided, and glazed on the inside, are perfect for slow-cooking in the oven and the formation of the golden crust of a gratin.

Polenta is ground corn cooked in water to make a thick and creamy porridge. Coarse, stone-ground dried corn makes delicious polenta and long, slow cooking allows its full flavor to develop. When hot and just cooked, it is soft; as it cools, it becomes firm and can then be cut into shapes and fried, grilled, or baked. Polenta is versatile; serve it with all kinds of roasted or braised meats and poultry, vegetable stews, tomato sauces and ragus, beans, mushrooms, and greens. This recipe adds the sweet taste and crunchy texture of fresh corn.

A technique for making cornbread with an extra crispy crust is to bake it in a preheated cast-iron skillet. When fresh corn is in season, try adding juicy kernels to the batter.

For Bryant, shucking and eating freshly picked ears of corn reminds him how for generations his family was intimately connected with their food sources—they ate what they grew. When you eat juicy corn on the cob, served straight from the pot and slathered with butter, it’s easy to imagine such a connection. Freshness really matters with corn—as soon as it is picked, the sugars in the corn start converting to starch. Choose ears that feel plump and fat with tightly closed, bright green husks and golden brown silks. Look for stems that are moist and pale green, and check for tight, small, plump kernels. Kernels cut from the cob offer other possibilities: sautéed, with sweet peppers, chiles, tomatoes, squash, or beans; or used in cornbread and griddle cakes, and in numerous soups and salsas. To prepare kernels for cooking, pull off the husks and cornsilk from the ears of corn. Rub the ears with a clean dish towel to remove any clinging cornsilk, and snap off the stems. Cut the kernels from the cobs: Hold an ear by the tip, stand it up vertically with the stem end down, and use a sharp knife to cut down the length of the cob, cutting just deep enough to slice off the kernels. This is messy; to contain the kernels, it helps to work in a large bowl, or on a small cutting board set inside a roasting pan.

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.

A basic fresh pickling method is to make a brine, bring it to a boil, and cook cut-up vegetables in the simmering liquid until they are just tender, but still a bit crisp. Many vegetables are good for pickling; prepare as many different kinds as you like, but cook them separately.

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.