Pilaf

Coating the rice with butter and oil keeps the grains from sticking together while they cook.

Bulgur is an earthy, nutty grain that becomes fluffy once cooked. It's an ideal canvas for aromatic and sweet flavors.

Since sautéing orzo in butter gives it a nutty taste and toasting almonds makes them buttery, it should be no surprise that the two ingredients are perfectly complementary in this pilaf.

This lamb-rich, Uzbek-style pilaf is typical of the fare served by northern Afghans to mark festive occasions. Despite the absence of spices and herbs, it is a surprisingly complex dish.

Anne Marie Gaspard of Gros Islet, St. Lucia, writes: "I've always enjoyed cooking — for my family and for myself. My children are grown, so when they visit on Sundays, I spoil them with good home-cooked meals. During the week I like to make dishes that are different but still easy."

Cracked wheat, or bulgur, has a nutty, sweet taste that I love. In India, it's eaten with milk and sugar for dessert, but I like to serve it as a savory pilaf. I use chicken stock for added richness and flavor, but you can substitute vegetable stock if you want to. And, depending on what else you are serving with the pilaf, feel free to embellish with chopped fresh chiles, cilantro, and/or mint.

This bay-leaf- and garlic-infused pilaf is versatile, going well with both the Cajun shrimp stew and the coconut red-lentil curry.

Sausage and rice — really nice!

Coarsely chopped coriander seeds add a lovely floral note to this nutty Middle Eastern grain.

Top with pan juices from the Chicken with Olives, Caramelized Onions, and Sage .

This dish, combining crunchy almonds and sweet apricots, tastes great with lamb or chicken.

Here, you only boil the rice briefly before combining it with the dried fruit and cooking it without water. We adapted this rice from a Persian method that yields a buttery crust (called tah-dig) on the bottom of the pan — later the crust is served with the rice. Usually you have to dip the pot in cold water at the end of cooking to release the crust, but a happy kitchen accident occurred when we tested this recipe. Food editor Ruth Cousineau let the rice stand for almost an hour (things can get hectic when you're preparing a holiday meal), and the crust came right out without the dipping. Using a heavy pot helps keep the rice hot, too.