Simmer

The addition of an anise-flavored liqueur turns this hot cocoa into the liquid version of chocolate-covered licorice.

Matcha, made by grinding up dried green tea leaves to a powdery consistency, has a distinct earthy, sweet flavor that carries through in this creamy panna cotta. And since you consume the leaf directly in this dessert, instead of brewing it, the antioxidant levels are even higher.

No offense to traditional risotto lovers, but risotto made with amaranth is so much easier because it doesn't require 20 minutes of near-constant stirring. Just leave your amaranth to bubble slowly on the back of the stove, while you sauté our mushrooms for the buttery topping. Dried porcini mushrooms bump up the woodsy flavor of the topping, while their soaking liquid becomes a deep, mushroomy stock in which to cook the amaranth. This risotto is ideal for Meatless Mondays and will please all your vegan friends to boot, but if you are craving some cheese, 1/4 to 1/3 cup of Parmesan stirred into the risotto at the end will give it that extra boost that only Parmesan can deliver. Or keep it vegan and pass a bowl of grated cheese separately for those who want it.

Adding cream thins lemon curd and makes it extra spoonable—delicious in more than just this dish.

The spicy and perfectly tart shrub (flavored drinking vinegar) gives this pitcher-friendly cocktail a refreshing quality.

Spoon gingery, slow-cooked beef and vegetables over wide rice noodles for a warming, soul-satisfying dinner.

A mix of fragrant spices, garlic, and fresh ginger turn this stewed chicken into the most perfectly warming dinner for an October Sunday.

Hard liquor, served hot. In times past, hot toddies were often prescribed as a head-cold remedy. Today, liquor as medication is generally frowned upon because of its dehydrating effects. However, if you're one of those people who can't tolerate over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, this beverage may offer the relief you need—just drink an extra glass of water to replenish your body.

Rompope is served chilled, often over ice, but it can be served warm, which is how I prefer it when cold weather sets in. Either way, it's rich, velvety, fragrant, and certainly full of cheer.

In every good restaurant kitchen, there's a combination of thrift and innovation. We always have a dish like this chowder on the menu because when we portion fish for main courses, there are inevitably some pieces of our excellent, sushi-quality fish too small to serve on their own. And that is another great reason to buy your fish whole: not only can you save the bones and head for fish stock, but you'll be generating two meals from one shopping trip. We call it chowder to give the idea of a hearty, chunky fish soup (sea bass, shrimp, mussels) with a lot of texture from vegetables. Our version shows off kabocha squash and ají dulce peppers. These are specific varieties of squash and pepper that I search for at the Greenmarket for their deep flavor and beautiful aroma. If you can't find these, use another variety of squash and mild pepper.

A refreshing homemade soda that can quench a thirst as well as feed a chocolate fix. Refrigerate the leftover chocolate syrup for another use.

You can have almost no money and still have enough to live off this stuff for weeks, months, years. Eat enough and you'll start to look for ways to make it different: add a little more sauce, a little less sauce, cook the noodles less, cook them more, add more water, less water, add an egg, scramble the egg, etc. Me, I've become a freak when it comes to my instant ramen. Don't fuck wit it, don't fuck wit me, let me do my thing. This is how I do my own thing.

This dish was inspired by pasta e fagiole, the classic Italian pasta and bean stew. Unlike macaroni, the grains stay nice and chewy, even when reheated days later.

The salmon absorbs more teriyaki flavor as it sits, making it even better (and breakfast that much quicker) if done in advance.

When cooked with aromatics and rich tomato sauce, lentils are anything but bland.

It might look like a lot when the greens are raw, but add them all anyway. They'll quickly wilt down to a silky texture.

Breakfast is just the beginning. Use this in stir-fries, to marinate tofu, or to glaze chicken as it roasts.

Editor's note: Use this recipe to make Chef John Besh's Basic Fond de Veau. I never make a strong beef stock, preferring instead the viscosity, collagen, and more delicate flavor that comes from using veal bones. This Veal Stock is based on veal shanks.