Herbs & Spices

In this herby make-ahead brunch dish, French onion dip meets savory bread pudding. Put the strata together the night before, then bake at breakfast time.

This blend gives my French Onion Breakfast Strata its distinctive flavor profile. Chives are my herb of choice, but oregano or thyme is also nice.

Halloumi and mint are a classic Cypriot flavor combination and they meld so perfectly together. This recipe is inspired by my hosts at the Bougainvillea Guesthouse in North Nicosia, who greeted me with a plate of these when I checked in, tired and weary, after an international flight.

You can store this all-purpose sweet-and-spicy vinegar in clean mason jars, but it is easier to keep it in repurposed glass bottles. Note that this recipe can be adjusted as you like—try using different chiles or other spices like bay leaf.

Add these seasoned peanuts to your som tum.

Originally from Yemen, this fiery condiment has a dense, round flavor that comes from a variety of fresh chiles, herbs, and spices.

Flavored with citrus, maple syrup, and cilantro, this slaw makes an excellent topper for tacos or huaraches.

Layered with a rich coconut filling, soaked in velvety custard, and topped with a raspberry and rhubarb compote, this French toast is perfect for any celebration.

This easy recipe skips the yeast in favor of baking powder and baking soda to create soft, pillowy, flawlessly sweet wheels that get topped with a tangy buttermilk glaze.

This masala chai recipe highlights the bright, citrusy and fiery notes of fresh ginger.

This milky black tea mixes the sweet spiciness of dried ginger with piney-fruity-minty green cardamom and the brash, earthy heat of black pepper.

This is a great last-minute dinner.

This Jalapeño Ranch is gonna kick up all kinds of taco creations and take veggies and dip to a new level in your life.

For an easy, one-pan weeknight dinner, crispy chicken goes on top of a pile of silky cabbage to finish in the oven, then gets topped with sweet peas and fresh herbs.

This makes a simple and hearty one-pot meal. The meat becomes fork tender and the stock simmers down to a rich sauce. Leftovers are terrific served over corn cakes.

Béchamel, a cream sauce bound by a roux of flour and butter, holds up well in the freezer, maintaining the same gooey, melty texture that the freezer too often destroys in other dairy. It’s pivotal for casseroles, such as lasagna (page 126) or the green bean dish (page 125) that falls on so many Thanksgiving menus. It’s the halfway point to sausage gravy (page 122) or cheese sauce. Long story short, béchamel helps bridge the gap when thinking about foods that freeze well. Just like duct tape, you should never be without it.