Chicory

Buying slab bacon rather than sliced allows you to cut it into the perfect size and shape.

Feel free to adapt this fruit salad as the seasons change; aim for a mix of juicy fruit (like melon), stone fruit, and berries.

The Zuni roast chicken depends on three things, beginning with the small size of the bird. Don't substitute a jumbo roaster—it will be too lean and won't tolerate high heat, which is the second requirement of the method. Small chickens, 2-3/4 to 3-1/2 pounds, flourish at high heat, roasting quickly and evenly, and, with lots of skin per ounce of meat, they are virtually designed to stay succulent. Your store may not promote this size for roasting, but let them know you'd like it. I used to ask for a whole fryer, but since many people don't want to cut up their own chickens for frying (or anything else), those smaller birds rarely make it to the display case intact; most are sacrificed to the "parts" market. But it is no secret that a whole fryer makes a great roaster—it's the size of bird favored for popular spit-roasted chickens to-go. It ought to return to retail cases. The third requirement is salting the bird at least 24 hours in advance. This improves flavor, keeps it moist, and makes it tender. We don't bother trussing the chicken—I want as much skin as possible to blister and color. And we don't rub the chicken with extra fat, trusting its own skin to provide enough. But if the chicken is about method, the bread salad is more about recipe. Sort of a scrappy extramural stuffing, it is a warm mix of crispy, tender, and chewy chunks of bread, a little slivered garlic and scallion, a scatter of currants and pine nuts, and a handful of greens, all moistened with vinaigrette and chicken drippings.

We love making this salad with mâche instead of traditional frisée.

Using these exact vegetables is not the point; choose whatever's in season and can stand up to being charred. The genius coffee dressing brings it all together.

Membrillo lends subtle sweetness to the dressing; look for it at any well-stocked cheese counter.

Made creamy with sieved egg yolk, this dressing is also especially delicious when spooned over sliced beets or boiled and cooled asparagus, green beans, or cauliflower.

These days, it goes without saying that if you're a vegetarian, you can simply leave out the sausage.

This is a gorgeous, seasonal hors d'oeuvre that would be lovely on a table or as a passed appetizer. The tang of the feta compliments the sweetness of the salad and the bitterness of the endive leaf, and the jewel tones of the beet and persimmon make for a beautiful bite.

Sourdough enriches salad dressing for a creamy, tangy finish.

A grilled split turkey, golden brown as it comes from the parrilla, is one of my favorite dishes. Salt and pepper are all it needs. Such a simple preparation wants an equally uncomplicated but flavorful side dish. Chicory, which I learned to love when I worked in Italy as a young man, does the trick for me every time. Brushed with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, and grilled to crispness, it is as good as the turkey that it graces. If you are lucky enough to have acquired some chanterelles or other wild mushrooms to sauté, they make the crowning touch. Their color is like the caramelized crust of the chicken. I butterfly my turkeys differently than most butchers: I split them through the breastbone instead of the back, leaving the backbone in instead of discarding it. I think you get a juicier turkey this way, and an extra fun bone to pick.

To learn how to cut endive into long, layered spears for an elegant look.

A platter of raw vegetables to share is the perfect way to warm up to the Thanksgiving meal. They're impossible to fill up on, and a great way to show off seasonal produce. Just pick the vegetables that look fresh and enticing, and you'll create a guest-worthy platter.

Parmesan crisps turn this simple fall salad into something extra-special.

We're now obsessed with this snail-shaped pasta (which is made from scratch at Tosca).

"Don't try this with iceberg," advises Roberta's chef Carlo Mirarchi. Flavorful, robust lettuces work best, allowing you to get grill marks on one side while the rest wilts.

Grilling radicchio and fennel tames their intense flavors, bringing out their natural sweetness.

Spicy arugula, slightly bitter endive, and sweet fennel come together in a salad with the briny help of coarsely chopped olives in the lemony dressing.