Orange

Chef Kramer cooks the chops medium-rare so they stay juicy; you can also use rib chops.

This meltingly tender pork belly is an impressive yet surprisingly easy hors d’oeuvre to make—all you need is patience. The pork belly, barbecue sauce, pickled onions and crostini can all be completed at least three days ahead of time, making day of prep a breeze.

The key to making even and distinct layers? Smoothing them out with an oiled offset spatula and letting the first layer cool completely before topping.

It can be hard to gauge what's happening under all that salt, but these times are accurate. If your fish is on the smaller side, take it out on the lower end of the range.

This autumnal dessert is prepped in advance and then completed at the table—a delicious time saver!

The classic combination of spinach, avocado, and grapefruit inspired this fresh, vitamin-packed smoothie. With green tea and protein powder, it’s all you need to get going in the morning.

This smoothie has all the familiar flavors of carrot cake: sweet coconut, buttery walnuts, fragrant cinnamon, and warm vanilla.

Steaming might seem a surprising way to start cooking a turkey, but the payoff is real: The extra step makes the bird extra-juicy, and cuts down on the overall cooking time.

Cinnamon and cherry give this tequila concoction a festive, wintry vibe.

Tart, sour, and just as refreshing as ye olde cranberry sauce.

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

Most butchers will remove the backbone for you; see left to learn how. Lots of guests? Roast two 12–14-pounders; spatchcocking anything larger will be harder and takes longer.

This recipe—a rhapsody for sweet, bitter, and salty—is based on one from Ruth Reichl, published in Gourmet Today.

One day when I was working at River Café in Brooklyn, I smelled an unfamiliar odor coming from the pastry kitchen. I opened the oven and saw charred pieces of orange wedges. Thinking something was wrong, I took them out of the oven and chucked them into the garbage. I recut fresh oranges and put them in the oven, saving the day. I was wrong—I got yelled at for the one-hour setback to the pastry chef's special that night. By roasting oranges and their peel at intense heat, you toast the essential oils, changing their flavor. It brings out the appealing natural bitter elements in an otherwise sweet fruit. This ice cream is amazing with almond, chocolate, vanilla, and other neutral-flavored desserts that could use something to jazz them up.

My criteria when it comes to recipes are these: Is it tasty enough that I will crave it over and over? Is it easy? And does it look pretty? This recipe hits those marks. It is moistest, richest, most flavorful pound cake I have ever made.