Rosemary

Though delicious in its simple, unadulterated state, shortbread is also ripe for innovation. This slightly savory version features rosemary and a touch of of-the-moment caraway, but the possibilities are endless. If you've got the time, make a double batch and keep the second pan uncut in the freezer for last-minute visitors.

This recipe calls for a quartered chicken, but you can use three pounds of thighs, breasts, or drumsticks if you prefer.

Editor's note: Use this pastry cream to make Francois Payard's Soufflé of Puff Pastry with Orange-Scented Pastry Cream, Candied Pecans, and Caramel Butter Sauce . A classic filling for fruit tarts and éclairs, pastry cream is also used as a component in desserts, from napoleons to panini.

Cornish game hens are just the right size to serve two people and nestle into the slow cooker with ease. Port wine is an excellent ingredient for slow cookers, as it always provides a little richer color for the ingredients. Preserves, jams, and jellies are handy ingredients to create easy sauces for poultry and meats. For a darker skin, baste the hen during cooking with sauce from the bottom of the slow cooker.

Kierin Baldwin's pie dough method is special in a couple of ways. First, she uses a combination of butter, which lends rich flavor, and shortening, which makes the flakiest crusts. The best of both worlds. Her technique of repeatedly flattening and stacking the dough coats the flour with fat, which helps make the crust tender.

This is an insanely easy cake to make. It goes together in just minutes and tastes awesome: a touch ducky—more so if you use wild duck fat—sweet, but not overly so, with a little hit of rosemary to even things out. I originally made this as a sort of stunt, but it's so good I've put it into the regular rotation. If you like a sweeter cake, up the sugar to a full cup, and if you hate rosemary, skip it or sub in lemon verbena, sage, or winter savory. Serve the cake with fruit and maybe a little whipped cream. A sweet dessert white wine, like a vin santo or a Sauternes, is a perfect choice.

Applying the rub to the chicken ahead of time infuses it with flavor.

This version of pasta e ceci (pasta with chickpeas) thickens the sauce with puréed chickpeas, and it's finished with a fresh garlic-and-rosemary oil, which adds great flavor and an even better aroma.

Pancetta is the secret ingredient that makes this moist stuffing really flavorful. If you don’t have pancetta on hand, bacon works great too!

Be sure to start one day ahead; the tapenade-coated roast needs to chill overnight for the seasonings to penetrate the meat. Serve this showstopper with a no-fuss seasonal side, like <epi:recipelink id="51134530">glazed carrots</epi:recipelink>.

The fried olives used to garnish this colorful salad just might become your new favorite. Try scattered over crostini or salads.

These peel 'n' eat chestnuts are truly finger-licking delicious. Make sure to score the nuts deeply so that the peels will open as they roast.

Rosemary and garlic are often used to season lamb, but rarely are they part of such a complex taste arrangement as this recipe produces. The powerful duo is sprinkled on lamb chops that are quickly broiled. Garlic also flavors a hearty side of sautéed chard, while additional rosemary is simmered in balsamic vinegar, creating a beautiful, aromatic syrup to drizzle over the chops and greens. With only 35 minutes of prep time, this recipe is perfect any night of the week.

This creamy soup, served in tiny cups and bright with chive oil, is easy to make and serve. Kids will like the little cups and the crazy green swirl. Adults will appreciate the healthfulness and the flavor.

This is a good option for cold-weather Thanksgivings eaten under threatening skies, since the combination of herbs and citrus provides a house-filling aroma that speaks to sunniness. Garnish with some remaining sprigs of sage and thyme, but be careful with the rosemary, as a little goes a long way.

This recipe is part of the Epicurious Online Cooking School, in partnership with the Culinary Institute of America. To watch it being made, and to learn how to make other Italian classics, check out the videos.

Once I have grilled a piece of meat, I want to capture the flavors of the delicious juices that emerge on the cutting board when I slice it and then build upon them, so I make what I call a board dressing. I often add some olive oil, or some of the rendered fat trimmings from the baste, or perhaps a little balsamic vinegar, to the juices.

With the neo-eco-bio-cool. We'll pick our own apricots, cut some rosemary from the garden, a little organic honey…