Rosemary

This pasta might sound unsubstantial, but I promise you won’t leave the table wishing you’d made a roast instead. The caramelized cauliflower, rich cavolo nero, and chewy pasta, sautéed with rosemary, chile, garlic, anchovy, and onion, meld together into a filling, savory whole. Although sautéing the pasta isn’t traditional, I love the integration of flavors and the slightly crisped noodles.

Look in any Sicilian cookbook and you’ll find a recipe for the popular side dish, or contorno, of cooked greens with currants and pine nuts. I make Swiss chard the main attraction of this dish, layering it onto a savory tart with rich and tangy goat cheese, then topping it with sweet currants and toasted pine nuts. Use a crumbly, slightly aged goat cheese, such as Bûcheron, Rodin Affiné, or the domestically produced Laura chanel aged chèvre. Feel free to substitute any other tender greens, such as the tops of beets or turnips, or a bunch of young mustard greens for the Swiss chard.

This will delight vegetarians—and carnivores, too. The warm, meaty mushrooms are so satisfying, especially when topped with pickled chiles, arugula, and Parmesan shavings. Fragrant fresh rosemary, which too often overpowers, adds a subtle depth of flavor to homemade mayonnaise, which is key here.

There are few snacks I enjoy more than popcorn. Maybe it’s because I like watching movies to relax on the weekends. But also, there’s something about its light crispness that’s so appealing—it goes well with just about any cocktail. When I don’t have fresh rosemary on hand—or when I’m craving a little heat—I toss popcorn with a pinch of piment d’Espelette, smoked paprika, or Korean chile powder.

You can almost build a meal around this simple, delicious side dish. Once you’ve got the potatoes in the oven you have plenty of time to make a bountiful salad. You can also put Teriyaki Tofu Steaks (page 62) or store-bought veggie burgers in the oven at the same time for a no-fuss “meat and potatoes” kind of meal.

This flavorful warm salad can be made any time of year, its seasonal personality lent by either rosemary (for cooler months) or basil (for warmer weather). It’s a fairly substantial salad, so it’s good served with a straightforward protein dish like Tempeh Fries (page 78), Cornmeal-Crusted Seitan (page 63), or BBQ-Flavored Skillet Tofu (page 62).

A savory short crust flavored with manchego envelops Spanish-inspired hand pies filled with oven-roasted cauliflower, toasted hazelnut paste, chopped rosemary, and more of the grated cheese. Serve them as an appetizer, with slices of membrillo (Spanish quince paste often served alongside cheese, for tapas) and a glass of fine sherry.

These are dead easy to make and have endless applications in the kitchen. Use them to baste or brown ingredients and they will add pizzazz and excitement to stews and roasts. Likewise, they will jazz up a panful of onions or other vegetables for a soup or sauce and impart character to fish dishes. Herb oils come into their own when drizzled over summer or winter salads; they are also excellent used in mayonnaises and dressings. The basic principle is to choose robust flavorings and leave them for long enough to impart their mighty characters to the oil. Always use a good-quality oil as your base (see pp. 30–31). In all cases, to prevent the oil from becoming rancid, store in a cool place and use within 6 months.

These were originally developed as favors in Martha Stewart Weddings magazine. Rosemary, which denotes remembrance, love, loyalty, and friendship, has long held a place of honor in wedding ceremonies.

This quick grill dish makes it easy to come home after work and eat well. The secret is in the simple sauce all seasoned up with the classic flavor partners that lamb loves the most—rosemary and Dijon mustard.

Here is another great dish from the repertoire of Nicolas Jongleux. We used to scoff at people who said they knew how to make a great dessert that wasn’t too sweet. But as you get older and the espresso and the social cigarillos have started to erode your taste buds, you find yourself liking bourbon, lemon, and dandelion. This is a perfect little dessert in that fashion. It’s zingy and alive. We burn it with a blowtorch. If you don’t have one, just use your broiler. Heat it to the max and put whatever is holding the grapefruit right under it. Don’t forget dry rags or oven mitts and an ovenproof vessel.

Montreal institutions like Gibbys and Moishes have been selling their own classic steak spice for decades. Here’s our take on the Montreal steak spice. This is an all-purpose seasoning used in many Montreal-style beef, pork, and steaky fish dishes.

Tie 3 rosemary sprigs together with kitchen twine and use as a brush to slather this fragrant honey over everything from biscuits to chicken.

A porterhouse is the perfect steak for two to share because it contains good-sized portions of two of the most prized muscles in a steer, each located on either side of the center bone. The top loin, the larger of the two, is the same piece of gorgeous meat as that steakhouse staple, the New York strip. The tenderloin, attached to the other side of the bone, may be smaller, but it's a much larger portion (technically, it has to be 1 1/4-inches in diameter) than you get in a T-bone steak. If you can find dry aged, try it. It's a bit more expensive but yields more tender and flavorful meat. We pan-roast the steak with the Tuscan stalwarts of garlic, rosemary, and thyme, then serve it with a velvety red wine reduction.

New potatoes are really just young potatoes of any variety. They are crisp, waxy, and hold their shape when boiled or roasted, as in the recipes that follow. Try any of these rustic potato dishes with roast chicken, pork, or beef (see page 284).

Panko bread crumbs give these beef-and-pork meatballs a lighter texture than those made with regular bread crumbs. Serve over spaghetti, if you wish, or in a small loaf of soft Italian bread for meatball sandwiches.

CREATED TWENTY YEARS AGO by Pasta & Co founder Marcella Rosene, this unique blend of dried herbs is exceptionally versatile.