Simmer

Red lentils, faster-cooking than other varieties of the legume, are the foundation of this earthy, rustic soup. Light but satisfying, it's a wonderful (and easy) start to an autumn meal.

The legacy of San Francisco's Italian and Portuguese immigrants—many of them fishermen—lives on in this fuss-free take on the North Beach favorite, with fresh fennel adding a subtle touch of anise to the tomato-based seafood stew.

Split and browned bratwurst provides contrast in a Normandy-style pairing of apples and cream.

Like an eastern European take on ravioli, this embodiment of Polish comfort food is right at home in a lively tomato sauce with dill and caraway seeds.

Food editor Ian Knauer has taken three of his favorite things—pigs, booze, and fire—and combined them into a heady, creamy, southern-inspired specialty.

Gently pickling the shallots mellows them and also adds hints of sweetness and acidity. Tossing them with some earthy, quick-cooked kale makes for a pleasing contrast in flavors.

These are the Jay Gatsbys of sloppy joes—suave, debonair. But we'd be remiss if we let the black-tie frippery of these cosmopolitan joes belie their true nature: Just as with Fitzgerald's famous hero, there's substance underneath all that class. These civilized sandwiches are hearty, delicious, and perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Chefs will tell you that sometimes inspiration comes from the exalted—but just as often by chance. "I was shopping for porcini mushrooms at a restaurant-supply store and saw a bag of king oyster mushrooms sitting next to a package of some amazing pistachios," says Chang, though this sophisticated dish would never give away its accidental origins.

We love this cool vehicle for fennel seed on its own, and we venture it would also boost any other fruit-based dessert as beautifully as it does the pear crisps.

We've never seen a spin on the ubiquitous combination of beets, cheese, and nuts as original as Smith's—it's an amazing take on familiar flavors. The beets are nestled in a pool of almond butter and crowned with a glorious Gorgonzola bombolone (an Italian-style puff of fried dough).

Studies show that sweeter-than-sugar honey has disease-fighting antioxidants. It also makes Bonaparte's unique dessert bee-licious!

Try this tasty, nutritious combination from Gene Briggs, executive chef of Blue and Table restaurants in Charlotte, North Carolina. Folate in the asparagus helps prevent anemia; grapes contribute good-for-your-heart flavonoids.

A quick chili becomes the topping for these messy open-face sandwiches.

A flavorful, colorful vegetarian stew that's as beautiful as it is easy to make. Rice on the side makes the dish complete and soaks up all those great flavors.

Using turkey makes this take on the Hungarian beef stew lighter. Adjust the heat level by using all hot paprika, all sweet paprika, or a combination.

This gorgeously scented, lush dessert radiates the tropics: As the guanabana—otherwise known as soursop—sherbet melts on the tongue, it releases notes of exotic fruits and flowers that are beautifully complemented by the other fresh fruits served with it.

Common in Latin American cooking, this orange oil infuses dishes with instant depth and quite often with their signature golden color. We've made three times the amount you'll need for the yellow rice with pigeon peas because annatto oil is also called for in our recipes for arroz con pollo and Ecuadoran potato cakes with peanut sauce .

Talk about comfort food. This traditional stew combines all manner of meat with two different kinds of tubers. Sour orange lends a uniquely Caribbean flair. We like to brighten our sancocho by pairing it with avocado, rice, and cilantro, and to inject a little heat with a splash of hot sauce. We would not turn down an accompanying plate of crunchy tostones (twice-fried green plantains).