Claire Saffitz
Contributor
Claire Saffitz is a freelance recipe developer and video host. Previously, she was Senior Food Editor at Bon Appétit magazine, where she worked for five years in the test kitchen. She hosted the series Gourmet Makes on the Bon Appétit YouTube channel, where she used her classical pastry knowledge to reverse engineer popular snack foods and candy.
Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Cinnamon
Blanching the chopped orange in boiling water before cooking it with the cranberries removes any bitterness from the peel and pith.
Butternut Squash Tarte Tatin
Precooking the squash seasons and softens it, but don’t let it get dry or brown. The moisture it retains ensures it will be tender after baking and helps keep the caramel saucy.
Spicy Cranberry Sauce
Removing the seeds from one of the chiles lessens the punch. If you like more heat, leave them in. If less, scrape out seeds from both chiles.
Glazed and Flaky Apple Tart
If you're the type who prefers desserts that go heavy on the fruit, this apple tart's for you.
Cranberry-Fig Sauce
Figs bring a touch of sweetness to this bright, chutney-ish sauce and nicely offset the sharpness of the vinegar.
Toasted Pecan Torte with Butterscotch Topping
This eats like a cross between a pecan pie, sticky toffee pudding, and a butterscotch sundae.
Shortcut Puff Pastry
You don’t need to smash the butter to smithereens—it’s those large pieces that make for a flaky pastry.
Roast Sausage and Fennel with Orange
Roasting Italian sausages on a bed of sliced fennel and red onion is two kinds of genius: sausage drippings flavor the vegetables and you only have one pan to clean when dinner is done.
Ham Hock and White Bean Stew
If you can’t find corona or gigante beans for this stew, use smaller white ones like cannellini. Keep in mind that they’ll cook a lot faster, so give the ham a 30-minute head start.
Oxtail and Red Wine Stew
Love beef stew and braised short ribs? Consider giving oxtails a try. These surprisingly meaty cuts contain a ton of collagen, which melts into the stew to create an ultra-rich, ultra-silky texture and flavor. In fact, you might end up needing to thin the finished stew with water before serving.
Curried Chickpea and Lentil Dal
This super-easy recipe is a perfect canvas for punchy, crunchy toppers like toasted coconut and mustard seeds with turmeric oil and a zingy chutney. The dal is vegan but full of hearty protein thanks to the chickpeas, lentils, and coconut milk.
Silky Pork and Cumin Stew
A tangy cabbage slaw and zesty, charred avocadoes dressed with lime juice and chili powder brighten up this earthy, warming stew.
Slow-Cooked Chicken Stew with Kale
Shred perfectly cooked chicken thighs, then add the bare bones back to the simmering pot for an ultra-rich stew. Zesty gremolata, chopped bacon, and fresh lemon add even more flavor.
Roast Fish With Cannellini Beans and Green Olives
Slow-roasting provides the best insurance for moist, super-flaky fish without the need for much tending—which means you can direct most of your attention elsewhere this Valentine’s Day.
Warm-Spiced Saucy Lamb Stew
Keep in mind that the level of heat in harissa pastes varies widely from brand to brand—adjust how much you add depending on your preference. If your stew skews hot, just top it with a dollop of minty yogurt for instant relief.
Baked Pasta alla Norma
This easy dinner packs all of the classic flavors of classic Pasta alla Norma—eggplant, tomatoes, and basil—into a pan with spaghetti, garlic, and Parm.
Oven Polenta With Roasted Mushrooms
Still stirring your polenta? With this nearly hands-off method, the oven does the hard work while your stovetop does the bare minimum.
Broccoli and Garlic-Ricotta Toasts
Crispy roasted broccoli works just as well as an appetizer as it does a side dish when scattered over garlicky, ricotta-slathered toasts.
Cranberry-Fig Sauce
Figs bathed in butter and sugar bring a sweet, tawny balance to tangy cranberries.
Lemon Cake With Fruit
Whatever fruit you have on hand—pears, berries, figs, grapefruit—will fare beautifully in this sheet cake, which is as good for breakfast as it is dessert.