Bon Appétit

Pork and beans never had it so good. This Spanish riff on French cassoulet pairs large, meaty beans with fresh sausages under a breadcrumb crust. Save time by quick-soaking the beans.

Crunchy edges and soft centers make Lahey's cookies a classic.

When gooseberries are in season, Redzepi juices them to flavor this dish. Verjus (a tart bottled juice made from unripe grapes) or a combination of white grape juice and cider vinegar make great substitutes.

In this recipe, a creamy parsnip purée stands in for a traditional béchamel.

In several of the finest of Rome’s gastronomie (prepared food shops) and rosticcerie, one finds a reading of this coarse sort of country pâté, prepared by the Romans with the prowess of French charcutiers. Sometimes, its middle will hide the Cognac-steeped livers of game, while others are studded with hazelnuts or truffles or wild mushrooms. This one, though, has become one of our “house” terrines. Some evenings, we like to make a supper of it and a good bread and wine. We have been known, more than once, to use it to build little panini, sandwiches, which we wrap in yellow napkins and hide inside my purse with a small silver flask of red wine to take with us over the mountain to Chianciano when we go to see a film. It tastes so good in the dark.

Arnold's chef Kahlil Arnold brines catfish before dredging it in seasoned cornmeal to keep it super moist.

Consider making a double batch of Ed Lee's orange-honey butter to serve the next morning with toast or warm biscuits.

Chef Justin Devillier purées bread into this soup to achieve a silky texture. For the best results, caramelize the onions over low heat.

Pounding beef into thin "Milanese"-style cutlets makes portions look even bigger than they are. This recipe also works well with veal, pork, or chicken.

Iceburg and watercress get stir-fried with just a little bit of flavorful sausage in this lightning-fast weeknight dinner.

Baking wings yields crisp skin without the mess and constant tending of frying. Divide the wings between our two sauces, or double one sauce recipe and use it on all 60 wings.

Skip the bacon if you like and substitute 2 tablespoons melted butter instead.

Don't let the good looks of this eight-layer beauty fool you; it's easy to make. Bake 4 cakes (we used 9" round metal cake pans, but disposable ones work fine), then slice each in half. Finish with toasted coconut, a knockout garnish that's also forgiving— it'll mask a less-than-perfect frosting job.

The foundation of this elegant soup? Peanut butter. Make your own by grinding dry-roasted peanuts in a food processor while you roast the garlic. You can use any mild-flavored honey to sweeten the whipped cream garnish, or go Southern with a spoonful of tupelo honey.

To easily roll out chilled store-bought dough, soften it first on a baking sheet set over a bowl of hot water.

Chef Vivian Howard uses toasted farro and chicken livers to boost the flavor and texture of this traditional Cajun side. Howard suggests serving the dish with braised pork shoulder or shanks.

Lots of oozy cheese and garlic make these vegetarian heros hearty enough to satisfy the most ardent carnivore.

Chef Kevin Roberts transforms humble cauliflower into a dead ringer for shrimp cocktail with a brief poach in cleverly seasoned water and a dunk in cocktail sauce. "It's something my mom used to make for us," he explains. "As kids, we went to the lake a lot, and she would throw this down as a snack. It's also a great party option for vegetarians and people with shellfish allergies."

Pickled red onion adds crunch and punch. Serve with crudités.

Transform sweet potatoes into caramelized beauties by cooking them with rice wine and honey. Serve them alongside roast duck or pork chops.