Poultry

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 35 min

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 35 min

Most people are familiar with confit duck legs, but the French confit the gizzards, too. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Deviled is a southern term for a dish that is highly seasoned. To make life easier, have the butcher cut up the chicken, and use a small chicken — around three pounds — so that it will cook through quickly. If you're cutting it yourself, start by going along both sides of the backbone with kitchen shears or a large knife. Once the backbone has been removed, cut the chicken into eight pieces (two breasts, wings, legs and thighs); include the top third of each breast with the wings for a more generous serving. The chicken needs to marinate for at least a day, so plan accordingly. See how to joint a chicken.

The following recipe is our version of gai yang, the grilled or roasted marinated chicken for which there are many variations in Thailand. Although gai yang is traditionally served with only a sweet chili garlic sauce for dipping, we were so taken with the complex flavor of the marinade that we decided to make extra and turn it into a second dipping sauce. Both sauces offered here are simple and delicious, but the Cornish hens can easily stand on their own.

Using shrimp instead of chicken in this recipe makes for an equally delicious soup.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less, but requires additional unattended time.

This simple but sophisticated preparation is the star of the Thanksgiving table. Watch how to prepare and carve your bird with our streaming video demonstration.

Gingersnaps thicken the gravy and add nice sweetness and spice. Start the gravy while the turkey roasts, then add the pan juices when it's done and waiting to be carved.

Forget the usual chopped liver. This rustic appetizer is an Italian treat. Spiedini are skewers of any combination of foods — bread, cheeses, meatballs, fish — that can be grilled or roasted.

It's important to use large lettuce leaves (about 6 inches) for this salad, so you may need to buy 2 heads of lettuce in order to get 6 good leaves. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min

This chicken makes a flavorful meal when combined with the Jasmine Rice and Carrot and Radish Salad . Steamed green beans and carrots would also make good sides.