Meal Prep

Crispy fried shallots are an essential condiment in Vietnam. They turn up in soups and on salads, sprinkled onto dumplings as a garnish, and minced and added to meatballs. Crispy, sweet, and salty, they are indispensible. You may want to make double batches, as people have a hard time resisting the urge to snack on them. Strain the oil you used to fry the shallots and use it in other recipes or to fry more shallots. The strained oil, called shallot oil, will keep, refrigerated, for several weeks. The shallots should be used the same day they are fried.

Salting and pressing vegetables draws out moisture and makes them snappy. Sake and seasoned rice vinegar infuse these pickles with mild, cocktail-friendly flavors.

Inspired by a style of cake from California's Miette bakeries, we frost the top and middle layers of this stunner but leave the sides naked to showcase the almond cake. Don't have a pastry bag or star tip to frost the layers? Fill a resealable plastic bag with the frosting, snip off a corner, and pipe away.

Lentils and fresh and dried mushrooms give this vegetarian casserole its meaty character. You can prepare most of it in advance and bake it just before your guests arrive.

This spiced-up blend is perfect for dipping and also serves as the ultimate multipurpose sauce for chicken, beef, pork, and seafood.

These tiny gnocchi are tender, so place the cooked pasta in a bowl and spoon the porky sauce over top, instead of tossing the two together.

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.

One look at these meatball subs and you might be inclined to bypass an entire summer's worth of burgers and dogs. Heroes, hoagies, subs, grinders—regardless of what you call them, we guarantee this recipe will be an instant crowd favorite thanks to toasted garlic-butter buns piled high with tender meatballs and tangy tomato sauce. Although you may be tempted to head for the grill, opt for your oven broiler instead and avoid the need for skewers or special grill baskets. Editor's Note: This recipe is part of Gourmet's Modern Menu for Summer Fair Favorites. Menu also includes Fried Onion Dippers with Balsamic Ketchup and Frozen Chocolate-Dipped Bananas with Peanut Brittle.

You can easily adapt this recipe to vegetables you already have to make a quick, healthy dinner.

Pelaccio flips the kebab script by cubing luxurious cuts of steak and marinating them in coconut milk, garlic, and chiles. Try this with tri-tip, top sirloin cap steak, or rib eye; just make sure a strip of fat is still intact; you'll use it to thread onto the skewers.

This steak tastes best when marinated overnight, so try to start the recipe a day ahead.

Britton uses agave syrup to sweeten this nutty crust.

{sweet and toothsome} Roasting is a no-fuss way to put a lot of vegetables on the table. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness in fall root veggies and winter squash. Roast them in big batches to top Baked Risotto , and throw them into fall and winter salads.

Make the filling ahead of time and you'll need only a few minutes to go from shucking to eating.

Berries get a subtle herbal note from tea-infused whipped cream.

A mix of chopped aromatics, like the Italian blend soffritto, is the base for countless recipes because it lends character to simple dishes. That's why we always have soffritto on hand. Freeze the extra from this recipe, then thaw, and you'll have the foundation for soups and sauces ready to go—no chopping required.

These cinnamon-sugar dusted fritters are traditionally dunked in a cup of creamy hot chocolate—and who are we to argue with tradition?