Simple Cooking

Pickling berries is a great way to make the most of seasonal produce. Try them over ice cream and salad.

Here’s your opportunity to use up berries that are slightly past their prime. This recipe method concentrates the berries’ flavors, so the more delicious they are to begin with, the better they will be dried. At Craftsman and Wolves in San Francisco, CA, William Werner combines them with raw berries in tarts or adds them to arugula salads. They're chewy—a bit softer than a dried apricot—with a plump, juicy consistency.

Learning how to properly caramelize onions is key. Once you've mastered the basic technique, you’ll use them for everything from French onion soup to onion dip to topping burgers.

Don’t believe the hype that every vinaigrette recipe should have one part acid to three parts oil. This more assertive ratio brings a lot more flavor to the table.

Steaming the apricots over the rice while it rests softens them just enough.

Kitchen economy: Use any leftover cooked vegetables, grains, or beans in your fridge for this frittata, then add any leftover frittata to a sandwich the next day.

A hard sear on the first side of the chicken ensures that it will get nicely browned without getting dry.

Set a large colander in the sink before you add the shrimp so you can drain the seafood boil as soon as it comes off the heat.

For perfectly cooked halibut, all you need is a kiss of high heat from a grill or cast iron pan and a simple vinaigrette. This version is served with a juicy tomato salad.

Cutting those slits in the fish is key. They help the fish cook more quickly and make it easier to tell when it's done.

Spiced grains, roasted peak-season vegetables, and a lemony garlic dressing make this a stand-out side dish that doubles as a satisfying lunch.

An accompaniment to Herb Salad Spring Rolls. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Serve this dish as a side at a pot-luck gathering or for a quick-and-easy one-pot dinner.

While the ingredients for this sweet, salty, and savory salad can all be prepped ahead, the greens should be tossed through just before serving so they stay bright and crisp.

For fall gatherings—everything from back-to-school to Thanksgiving—this colorful wreath makes an elegant centerpiece. The leaves are created by painting melted candy wafers on maple leaves, letting it harden, then peeling off the leaf to reveal a stunning edible replica.

For a super summery dinner, top supremely crunchy cutlets with a shaved zucchini salad studded with mint, cashews, and ricotta salata.

Poaching peaches in ginger beer infuses them with sweet, spicy flavor. Layer the fruit with ice cream and top with more ginger beer for a fun spin on a classic float.

The simplest, easiest, kid-approved peanut sauce for dipping or drizzling.

Store-bought granola makes an instant crisp topping in this lickety-split version of the classic summer dessert.

This crab rangoon recipe from Jet Tila’s 101 Asian Dishes You Need to Cook Before You Die offers a simple method for making the crispy, creamy snack at home. You can freeze them for up to two weeks and then fry directly from frozen—a good trick to use if you're hosting a cocktail party and want to prep in advance.