Kwanzaa

This classic Somali stew is great for a crowd and packs a big flavor punch, thanks to the xawaash spice mix, a classic Somali spice blend, which lends a warm, peppery flavor.

If you can’t find coconut vinegar for this collard greens recipe, use 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar instead.

You can do the first fry ahead of time, then soak the plantains in garlic water, dry, and hold at room temperature until closer to mealtime.

This Jamaican classic gets richness from coconut milk, heartiness from kidney beans, and an intoxifying aroma from fresh herbs and garlic.

The longer you can let this chicken rest in the marinade (up to 24 hours), the better the warm, aromatic, fiery spices will penetrate the meat.

File under: Breakfast for dinner.

Our fried chicken thighs begin with a brown-sugar brine, make a pit stop in buttermilk marinade, and end their journey garnished with honey and sea salt.

A true Southerner wouldn’t dare add sugar to this cornbread recipe, but a Yankee might miss it. Do what you will; we don’t judge.

The egg-enriched buttermilk mixture makes for an especially crunchy and craggy coating. This recipe is from Buxton Hall, one of Bon Appétit's Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

This decadent, main course–worthy version of the classic side dish is packed with corn, green chiles, and two kinds of oozing, melty cheese.

This is the dish that first got me into cooking. Talking about it got me my first job in a kitchen, and together with the help of friends, local restaurants, and family it’s the recipe we have worked on the most for this book, because we all know how good it should be. If I could only eat one thing in the world it would probably be my grandma’s jollof. She would regularly cook a big pot with care and patience and insist that everyone took home a small container of it. Cooking the rice and storing it for the following day or to give to friends to take away is part of a sharing culture that surrounds jollof—just remember to return the Tupperware!

A fragrant, herbaceous sauce acts as both a marinade and a dressing for this pretty, Moroccan-inspired salad.

This hand-rolled biscuit recipe produces a fluffy (rather than flaky) biscuit, ready to be split and spread with flavorful honey butter.

Here, we make flaky biscuits with just 3 ingredients.

Winter’s answer to the grain bowl, this feels super hearty and satisfying.

Sweet honey butter, seasoned with a kiss of flaky sea salt, is the ultimate topping for these light-as-air biscuits.

Light and fluffy, these peppery biscuits are as good alongside a hearty dinner as they are with jam for breakfast.

Collards really cook down a lot, so don't be fooled into buying some puny little bunch. I like my collards on the smaller, younger side of life. (The younger the collards, the shorter the cooking time.) The addition of kimchi gives the classic creamed greens an umami bite that I adore.

Flip the script on a winter vegetable that's usually stewed: Collards are great when briefly sautéed.

Homemade stock made from a whole bird has two upsides: You get a rich, balanced liquid for the gumbo, and plenty of tender poached chicken meat.