Leek

When I worked in Gray Kunz's kitchens at Lespinasse, there was an honest-to-God Swiss princess living at the St. Regis Hotel. Her name was Princess Doria, and every night, she would phone down to the kitchen and tell us what she wanted to eat for dinner. In the beginning, Gray would cook for her himself: he was Swiss, she was Swiss, it was a whole Swiss thing going on. But after a while, he got tired of taking her calls, and the job devolved to me and the sous chefs. Every night, that phone would ring, and I would say, "Good evening, Princess," and she would tell me what she wanted to eat that night. Princess Doria wasn't into super-fancy creative cooking: her thing was refined-but-homey. Some- times, for example, it would be a roast pintade for two: I would plate the breast for her, and the thighs for her cat. So I developed some dishes that were just for her. I named them after her: Salad Doria, Chicken Doria. And sometimes on cold winter nights, she would call down and say, "Andrew, I would like some Soup Doria tonight, please." Time passed. I left Lespinasse to travel and cook in France. When I got back to New York, I helped open Le Cirque 2000 in the Palace Hotel. We'd been up and running about two weeks when the kitchen phone rang by my station one night, right in the middle of the busiest part of service. I heard a familiar voice say, in French-accented tones, "Andrew?" Princess Doria on the line. She'd moved on to the Palace right behind me, and she would be pleased, she said, if I would send up some Soup Doria for her. This soup is just Princess Doria's style. It's really a potage—a French minestrone, a chunky winter vegetable soup. I like to sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and serve it with some crusty, crunchy French bread.

People often think of turnip soup as bitter and thin, but this one, made with young delicate turnips, is creamy and sweet. Blanching the turnips first removes any bitterness, and the sharpness of the greens makes a delicious counterpoint to the sweetness of the turnips.

Start breakfast by making a potato pancake, then cover it with sausage, eggs, and cheese and bake until puffed and golden.

A high-in-folate parsnip looks like a funky carrot, but this root veggie is sweeter and slightly nutty.

Celery root, also known as celeriac, has a knobby exterior that is best peeled (carefully!) with a paring knife.

If you’re only going to make one pot pie from scratch in your life, this is the recipe to use.

Braising leeks brings out their buttery texture. Serve them alongside broiled fish or roast chicken.

Serve this terrine as an elegant starter to a summer meal.

Leeks are easy to cultivate, but they do require a long growing season. This soup is one of the easiest to prepare, and it gets a colorful boost with the addition of fresh spinach leaves.

Before the success of Animal restaurant, the glowing New Yorker profile, and their new fish spot, Son of a Gun, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo Were upstart caterers to the stars. Bummer, they can't cater your Oscar party (they're already booked), but they've shared the recipe for one of their most popular dishes: melted petit basque cheese and chorizo dip with grilled bread. animalrestaurant.com

Chef Cathal Armstrong of Restaurant Eve in Alexandria, Virginia, shared this recipe as part of a St. Patrick's Day feast he created exclusively for Epicurious. He recommends pairing the soup's complex flavors with a Riesling, but says you also can't go wrong with a pint of Guinness.

In this luxurious risotto, leeks take the place of the chopped onions that are traditionally used in the beloved Italian rice dish.

The technique: Parboil sliced potatoes in whipping cream, then layer them with mushrooms and top with Gruyère.
The payoff: Great texture and flavor through and through—the cheese gets browned and toasty in the oven, and the layers of creamy potatoes and mushrooms are rich and satisfying.

This single recipe is a complete Thanksgiving dinner.