Orange

The delicate nutty argan oil is particularly good in this spicy Moroccan salad. It is made from the nut in the fruit of the argan tree, which grows exclusively in southwestern Morocco.

These orange slices can be served with coffee or tea, or as an improvised sweet at the end of a meal, accompanied by crème fraîche or thick heavy cream. They keep for weeks in the refrigerator so you can bring them out on different occasions. Choose oranges with thick skins, which must be unwaxed.

The most famous of Moroccan pastries are best known abroad by their French name, cornes de gazelle, or gazelle’s horns. They are stuffed with ground almond paste and curved into horn-shaped crescents. They are ubiquitous wedding party fare.

This is the most common Moroccan dessert; it is always appealing and perfect to serve after a rich meal.

Bitter oranges—Seville oranges—are commonly used in Morocco, but this salad is also good with sweet ones. Argan oil (see page 31) gives it a nutty flavor.

I remember buying creamsicles from the ice cream truck as a child. The combination of the orange and vanilla flavors was wonderfully refreshing. Here’s a healthy, natural re-creation of those flavors in an invigorating beverage.

This recipe will perk up your taste buds during winter’s long fruit drought.

This is a variation on the classic recipe more often referred to as “candied yams.” Did you know that calling sweet potatoes “yams” is actually a misnomer? Yams are rarely sold in this country, so quite often, what you see sold as yams are actually sweet potatoes. I make this dish for nearly every Thanksgiving dinner.

This is the color of autumn.

Great for holidays. Even good as a dessert.

This tart treat is welcome on any Thanksgiving table.

These are my girlfriend’s favorite. I make them in batches to have in the fridge to snack on.

This hors d’oeuvre is straight from the tapas bars of southern Spain. A few of these with a glass of sangría and I’m in heaven. It’s important to have your local fish guy fillet the sardines for you and save yourself the hassle. Spanish paprika is truly an underrated spice—it has a very satisfying smoky flavor that intensifies the taste of the roasted peppers. I have been experimenting with it in everything lately because I love its depth.

This dish takes a little planning ahead but is well worth it. Don’t be scared—it’s a show-off dish. You may, however, have to shop around for some of the makings. A trip to your local Asian market or a surf on the Internet should do it. Start by marinating the duck the night before you plan to serve it. A smoker isn’t required, but you will need a wok with a domed lid and wire rack insert (sorry, an electric wok won’t work). Serve with steamed Asian greens like bok choy or Chinese broccoli. Round out the meal with Perfect Steamed Jasmine Rice (page 240).

Long, slow baking in the convection oven produces a beautiful cake, one that has a silky texture. A bit of flour in the mixture makes the cake easier to cut. This makes a large cheesecake, ideal for a party. Top it with fresh berries in season or use one of the variations below.

This old-fashioned cake is bathed in an orange syrup when it is still hot from the oven.

Dried cranberries, widely available today, fleck the texture of this bread. If you use fresh berries that were frozen, be sure they are at room temperature because frozen berries affect the baking time. Toast the walnuts while preheating the oven.