Roast

Kosher Status: Poultry Cooking doesn't have to be difficult or complicated, and it doesn't need to use lots of ingredients to be perfect. The better cook you are, the quicker you learn that. Here's one recipe that proves it.

Kosher Status: Pareve I much prefer baking my gefilte fish as opposed to the traditional method of boiling. I just don't like how the words "boiled fish" sound, but that of course is neither here nor there. Boiled gefilte fish (blech, again!) can get really soggy and waterlogged, depending on how long you leave it in the pot and the level of your heat. I find baking always produces a firmer-textured, tastier gefilte.

Kosher Status: Pareve I created these spuds. Okay, that's an overstatement. God created the potatoes and Hasselback potato recipes probably go back to ancient Bolivia or something. I call them accordion potatoes because they remind me of that instrument that, by the way, is only played today at Bar/Bat Mitzvahs. They really should serve these potatoes at Bar Mitzvahs, too. It's such an elegant way to present a common potato. I make 'em with sliced garlic stuffed into each and every crevice, and then I top them with more garlic for the Transylvanians in the house (that's me). Those Yankees just get a little garlic sprinkle.

Brussels sprouts chips take a bit more work to prep than kale chips, but the result is crunchy and delicious and rivals potato chips any day of the week.

Coconut milk is one of my favourite ingredients and it makes a fantastic creamy base for all the other robust flavours in this Asian-style soup. Choose firm sweet potatoes with orange flesh for their vibrant colour.

You can roast a chicken in less time, but going low-and-slow yields a meltingly tender, shreddable texture.

Some parsnips can have a woody core, which you'll want to cut away before cooking.

We like to serve this main with couscous, rice, or grilled bread to sop up all of the shrimp's intensely flavored cooking liquid.

Rather than fussily cutting the grapefruit into neat segments, Mattos cuts them crosswise into disks; he likes the slightly bitter flavor of the membrane itself.

Cutting the vegetables into similarly sized pieces helps them cook at the same rate, so this entire dish—sauce included—can be made in one pan.

Cooking the potatoes on a wire rack lets hot air circulate around them, so they get extra crisp.

This is a perfect autumn salad: not so much cooked as wilted greens in a warm, savory-sweet vinaigrette. Here in the South, we are lucky to have so many different greens that grow remarkably well virtually all year round. From the traditional collards, spinach, mustard, and turnip greens to the international varieties that have recently made their way here, including bok choy, tatsoi, and komatsuna, there are a variety of tastes and textures to choose from. No matter where you live, experiment with seasonal greens until you find your favorites. If you're shopping at the farmers' market, most of the vendors will be happy to let you have a few nibbles for taste-testing. The same goes for the squash—you can use butternut, acorn, pumpkin, African, or any similar variety. At Summerland Farm, we are lucky to have American chestnut trees planted by my ancestors, and even luckier that those trees survived the chestnut blight that killed most American chestnuts in the first half of the twentieth century. Fresh chestnuts—often grown in California—are available in many natural foods stores in the cooler months. If you can't find chestnuts, hazelnuts or cashews would make a good substitute.

Fresh herbs, such as parsley and cilantro, can be subbed for the microgreens.

Rubbing the marinade onto only the flesh side puts it in direct contact with the meat and lets the skin get extra-crisp with no fear of burned bits.

As the pork cooks, the fat will gradually render, basting the roast.

This elegant salmon dish is perfect for a winter dinner party—just slide it into a low oven for 40 minutes and it’s ready to serve.

A spoonful of this sweet, earthy condiment perks up eggs, grain dishes, and simply prepared proteins.