Simple Cooking

It’s pie without baking and an ice cream sundae without the fuss (not to mention the salted coconut crust). We call that a win-win-win.

In the air fryer, you can have tender, pull-apart ribs in a fraction of the traditional time. The spice rub ensures a crunchy, caramelized exterior “shell” as well, so there’s nothing missing here except the hefty barbecue grill and all the mess that comes along with it.

Beef tenderloin is precious enough to baby on a two-zone grill: Sear it over high heat, then transfer it to the cooler side and turn it often to hit a perfect medium-rare.

Satiny and pleasingly sticky, caramel is one of the most delicious additions to cakes and pastries. The longer the caramel cooks, the darker and less sweet it becomes. You can judge the color by eye or with an accurate instant-read thermometer. Cream of tartar and corn syrup both help prevent crystallization in the finished caramel sauce.

Unlike the oven, the air fryer makes actually-crisp chickpeas. The high heat, circulating at a super-fast speed, dries out the chickpeas so they’re almost dehydrated.

When you make eggplant in the air fryer, not only do you get a wonderful texture, but you have a healthier version than fried eggplant without anywhere near the mess to clean up.

Topped off with a simple raw corn salsa, these patties are a crowd-pleasing and low-maintenance summer dinner.

No cheesecake roundup would be complete without this one, created by Santa Fe’s Three Cities of Spain coffeehouse (which closed in the mid-1970s) and our absolute favorite in the creamy category.

Long sweet peppers show up at farmers’ markets during the peak of the season and may be sold as long sweet yellow, sweet banana, Hungarian Sweet, or Cubanelle. You can substitute two medium red, orange, or yellow bell peppers (don’t use the green ones).

Store-bought curry pastes come in varying degrees of spiciness, even if their labels all say the same thing. If the cooked tofu isn’t as hot as you’d hoped, amp it up by tucking a slice or two of Fresno chile into your wrap.

Don’t skip the vodka. It will give the sorbet a smoother, less icy texture.

Cardamom, pistachios, and lemon add a vibrant twist to this seasonal, jewel-toned dessert.

Treat this spoonable dessert as a vehicle for piles of your favorite peak-season fruit.

Roasting salmon low and slow yields fish that stays moist and tender even when served chilled. A marinated green bean salad is a perfect crunchy accompaniment.

The classic components of a BLT get enhanced with a spicy, zesty horseradish mayo—the ideal foil for ripe summer tomatoes and salty bacon.

Blooming the ginger, turmeric, and black pepper in oil is essential for releasing their aromatic properties into the sauce.

This one goes out to all the peanut sauce fans out there. And if you’re thinking, Peanut butter and pork? Sounds crazy! Trust us, it works. Also trust us on this: Putting sugar in your noodles for this recipe is crucial. It balances the salt, heat, fat, and tanginess going on here, and brings out the flavors of everything else (nope, it doesn’t make anything sweet).

A chunk of smoked salmon is the heart of this refreshing, savory dish. You'll pile crisp fennel onto a bed of lemony yogurt, then top the whole mix with a tangy mustard dressing.

You can do the grilling for this dinner a full day ahead. Then just pull the grilled chicken and peppers out of the refrigerator an hour before serving and toss them with the sweet-tart vinaigrette.

These adobo-marinated steak wraps have a delightful garnish: Corn nuts. Their primary role here is to add salt, crunch, and sweet toasty flavors to each bite. Corn chips, Fritos, or even kettle-style potato chips would be excellent understudies.