Simmer

Yogurt curdles easily when heated, but mixing it with egg white and cornstarch, and then simmering it, makes the yogurt more heat-stable without changing the flavor significantly. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

Use this recipe to prepare Cabbage and Bacon Mashed Potatoes, Chili Mashed Potatoes, and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe was created to accompany Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches with Caramel Sauce . Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 50 min Pasta wasn't always the carbohydrate vehicle of choice — in the '40s, lots of saucy things were spooned onto toast. These mushrooms appeared in one of our stories about Katish — the Russian cook immortalized by Gourmet's Wanda E. Ivanoff — who liked their versatility as a side dish or main course, and who often made a big batch to keep on hand for impromptu snacks.

Remove the kernels from the cobs by holding each ear of corn upright on a flat surface and running a chef's knife along the cob and cutting downward, as close to the cob as possible.

Mulled wine is also known as vin chaud and glühwein. In the past, the drink was usually served in a pewter mug and often heated with a red-hot poker.

Active time: 5 min Start to finish: 30 min

To make this borscht into a full meal, serve the butter-braised oysters as a starter, or vice versa.

Soupe au Pistou During Marion Cunningham’s last visit with Richard Olney, he made a version of this recipe, which comes from Simple French Food. As he made it, he told her that he thought the trick to cooking is tasting — in the case of the soup that day, adding the right amount of salt and pepper, then cheese, then a little olive oil, and finally some macaroni. After making the soup in our own kitchens, following the recipe from the book (it's highly adaptable to seasonal produce or the contents of your larder), we can understand why this recipe is so loved among Olney’s fans.

The following recipe is based on Marcella Hazan's "no-stirring" method from her book Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. This recipe originally accompanied Roasted Veal Chops with Shallots, Tomatoes and Olive Jus.They may be seared and roasted while the polenta is simmering.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.