Garlic

A few years ago, the editors of Bon Appétit magazine declared braised short ribs the recipe of the year, and they asked me to create the ultimate version. Combining elements from different short rib dishes I had enjoyed at restaurants, this is the result. I have since received an amazing amount of mail from cooks who have told me that this is the most awesome meat dish they have ever encountered.

This is enough sauce for two pounds of pasta; it's good with fusilli, orecchiette or linguine.

This frittata makes a perfect brunch or lunch — it works especially well for a picnic. And on a steamy summer night, it may be all you need for dinner. Adding a green salad and a nice piece of bread is an easy way to round out the plate.

"I developed this recipe last winter and think it makes excellent cold-weather fare," says Lora Anderson of Cincinnati, Ohio.

This Cambodian curry is traditionally made with beef, but Mao Sokhen says his American friends prefer the chicken variation. Though you can use any brand of Thai red curry paste and Asian fish sauce for this recipe, Mao likes the brands recommended below because he finds they produce a dish that is closer to classic Cambodian flavor.

Serve with: Steamed new potatoes and mixed green salad with a citrus vinaigrette. Dessert: A lemon tart from the bakery.

The secret to garlic bread that's neither too greasy nor too dry is having the correct proportion of butter to bread, so we give specific dimensions for the Italian loaf. If yours is a different size, you'll need to adjust the amount of garlic butter accordingly.

Green chilies and cilantro add some zip to this main course.

We recommend using the freshest watercress possible — if not at its best, it can give the sauce a slightly bitter taste. (Try hydroponic watercress; it's generally better than conventionally grown supermarket cress.) Tanis suggests skimming all the fat from the cooking liquid and serving the broth as a first-course soup, garnished with toasted slices of French bread.

Few foods metamorphose as dramatically or alluringly as garlic when it is roasted. Hardly a savory recipe exists in which one could not imagine this substance. I always have these garlic preparations on hand. This recipe is a component of Fish in Foil with Sweet Onions, Tomatoes, and Mojo Verde and Grill-Roasted Rack of Lamb in Red Mole .

This fluffy puree makes a sumptuous side dish, as well as a creamy base on which to serve pan-seared salmon or scallops.

This version of a tagine, the classic Moroccan stew, calls for dark meat because it stays moist when braised. If you prefer white meat, reduce the cooking time by 15 minutes.

In a classic confit, meat cooks (and is then preserved) in its own fat. Here, lemons cook in their own juices to become the basis for an overnight marinade.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Steam sugar snap peas and pour a Chardonnay to go with this dinner.

Serve the kebabs with some rice to round out the meal.