Shallot

Don’t let the veggies hang out in the vinegar for too long. You want them to stay crunchy!

You can use almost any type of plum in this salad recipe, even hybrid ones like Pluots and Peacotums. If it looks like a plum, it probably acts like a plum too.

Eggplant gets a big lift from buttery avocado and an irresistibly kicky, creamy sauce.

Green mangoes would be ideal, but slightly unripe mangoes are an imperfect but successful substitute.

This spicy, tangy, rich seafood dish may have several elements, but once they all come together it's absolute magic.

Grilled or sautéed, these Vietnamese ground beef–stuffed leaves make a fantastic summer hors d'oeuvre or can be served with rice noodles and grilled vegetables for dinner.

This gorgeous summer salad contains all the elements of a balanced meal—meat, starch, and veggies.

Wilt mustard greens in seconds by tossing with a warm dressing made from the pork’s pan drippings.

Spread it on toast, stir into pasta, or slather on grilled meats for the springiest meal ever.

Coating the herbs in oil and soaking the shallot in vinegar prevents oxidation, so you can keep these beans for days.

This rice dish is based on one of the most famous Persian polos (pilaf), known as sabzi polo.

Your takeout wishes it was as good as this quick-cooking pork chop dinner with saucy pineapple and sesame-coated broccoli.

Larb is hailed as the national dish of Laos. Traditionally the salad starts with extremely finely chopped lean meat or fish and is seasoned with lime juice, chiles, fish sauce, and toasted ground rice. This recipe calls for ground lamb, a fattier protein than what’s usually used, and subs ground peanuts as a nod to the texture of the rice.

To make this recipe ahead, let the tart cool in pan, then reheat over medium to soften glaze before inverting.

One simple master recipe, based on a classic French pain de mie, proves endlessly changeable—feel free to think of the five suggestions that accompany it here as merely a start, and let your imagination take it from there.

From here grow all other vinaigrettes. Use your instincts to vary the basic recipe. My everyday dressing almost always includes a bit of mustard which helps emulsify the dressing while adding tang.

The combination of salty water and salty Parmesan puts this pasta at risk of becoming oversalted. If that happens, throw in a knob of unsalted butter at the end to mellow it and add a smooth finish.

Make any modifications that suit you and the preferences of your eaters: Onions in place of shallots; carrots for fennel; add garlic; omit the cayenne; a splash of cream instead of butter, as you wish.

An unbeatable basic dressing that's equally delicious on a rice bowl, a pile of wings, or a crunchy carrot salad.

A heavy-hitting marinade and a vibrant plum and herb salad transform pork rib chops into a memorable summer meal.