Blender

For this soup recipe, whack the garlic cloves with the side of a chef’s knife; the papery skins will loosen from the cloves and you can slip them right off.

Coddle eggs in a warming, cumin-spiced Swiss chard braise to start the new year with plenty of healthful, fortifying greens.

Classic recipe. Superior flavor. Flawless brunch.

Quinoa—either red, black, or white—adds body and heartiness to this warming bowl of tomato-basil soup.

Prepared green curry paste gives this simple, dinner party–worthy dish tons of complex flavor in very little time.

To mimic a traditional risotto, this grain-free version first simmers sunflower seeds to soften them to a rice-like texture, then purées a portion of them to create a creamy sauce. You can easily follow the sunflower cooking method for a basic go-to grain-free risotto, then swap in whatever seasonal vegetables you'd like to top it with.

Bright, piquant green peppercorns and a flambéed splash of Cognac make this classic French sauce a fun and festive way to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

This roasted carrots recipe makes extra dressing, which is good because you’ll want to use it on your next burger, over broiled salmon, or in a grain salad.

Zhoug is a spicy herb sauce of Yemenite origin that you find in Syria and Israel. It’s often the go-to condiment for falafel and is eaten with bread for those who want heat with every bite. It’s a must with Shakshuka, and you’ll probably find yourself stirring it into scrambled eggs, spreading it on a sandwich, mixing it with Greek yogurt to make a dip, or just eating it by the spoonful.

Shakshuka means “all mixed up” in Hebrew and is one of the most popular breakfast dishes in Israel and at Sofra. Many countries in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean claim a version of their own, like Tunisian chakchouka, made with peppers and harissa, and a Moroccan version made with lamb sausage and harissa. The eggs are poached directly in the spicy tomato sauce, so it’s important that the sauce is well seasoned and warmed before you add the eggs.

From here grow all other vinaigrettes. Use your instincts to vary the basic recipe. My everyday dressing almost always includes a bit of mustard which helps emulsify the dressing while adding tang.

Blanched almonds go into a blender with water and oil and come out as a luscious aioli. Because the nuts aren't toasted, the sauce doesn't actually taste very nutty. It's more decadent than yogurt, more subtle than mayo.

Eric Ripert's original version of this dish at Le Bernardin in NYC is prepared with half as much pasta—usually super-delicate angel hair—and is painstakingly and exquisitely plated. I’ve doubled the pasta here to make it more of a family-style dish; there is still enough sauce to coat each strand of spaghetti. A few judicious pinches of bonito flakes make an economical and visually appealing substitute for the pricy caviar, and the dish can also stand with no garnish at all.

An extra chile for this harissa recipe will play up the heat, and if you’re feeling confident, you can customize the mix of spices as well.

Chips and dip: classic, and every culture has its take. There's hummus and pita, tortilla chips and guac, British chips and tartar sauce... From time to time, we’ll run an Indian take on chips and dip using crunchy papadums (thin and crispy lentil crackers) with a cold, creamy version of dal (stewed beans and lentils). The trick is to keep the dal super light so it doesn’t snap the papadums.

Instead of butter and cream, cashews provide richness and creaminess to the sauce for this vegan pasta dish.

Canned chickpeas up the convenience factor in these naan wraps, which have a lovely balance of sweet and spicy flavors and creamy and crunchy textures.

An unexpected side dish that can be made hours ahead of a party; wait until the last minute to toss together.

Granted, this is a bit of work for a salad, but that’s how to transform vegetables into brag-worthy ingredients. To simplify, you could char the beets and greens in a dry cast-iron skillet.

Make any modifications that suit you and the preferences of your eaters: Onions in place of shallots; carrots for fennel; add garlic; omit the cayenne; a splash of cream instead of butter, as you wish.