Bon Appétit

A twist on ratatouille, this beautifully constructed casserole swaps out tomatoes for sweet potatoes.

The great thing about making chef Chang's fiery cuisine at home is that you control the heat with the chili oil and Sichuan peppercorns. They give this dish its distinctive color, flavor, and heat.

Blanch brussels sprouts and then shock them in an ice-water bath to keep them bright green and crisp-tender.

This one's got it all: bright fall colors and sweet-savory appeal.

These ethereal, savory puffs are easily frozen and reheated. Serve half the yield from this recipe at the party, and save the rest for another time. Feel free to mix and match any semisoft melting cheese such as Gruyère, cheddar, or Fontina with any hard cheese such as Asiago, Parmesan, or Manchego.

For the crispiest results, dry the chickpeas before frying.

It's best to make and assemble this stunning layer cake at least one day in advance to let the chocolate, nut, and brandy flavors meld.

Four ingredients never tasted so good! Vanilla ice cream makes a great fifth.

To speed up this classic soup without sacrificing its soulful flavor, simply caramelize the onions in a dry nonstick skillet (be sure to use one with a silicone surface designed for use over high heat, not Teflon), and use good-quality beef stock, preferably one that is low in salt.

This dessert playfully layers complex textures, from crisp and airy to sticky, creamy, and smooth.

Braising leeks brings out their buttery texture. Serve them alongside broiled fish or roast chicken.

Rye whiskey, oranges, and Sherry mingle in this incomparably smooth drink. Squeezing an orange peel over the top adds an extra boost of flavor.

Sweet flavors, in moderation, balance acidity and tame bitterness. Make sure to have simple syrup on hand since many recipes call for it.

Stuff, roll, and wrap the butterflied pork loin one day ahead. Then, two hours before the party, roast the pork on a bed of apples, which serves as a natural rack and adds sweetness to the cider jus. Don't sweat the technique: Ask your butcher to trim and butterfly a pork loin for you, or go to bonappetit.com/go/porkloin for step-by-step photographs to learn how to butterfly and roll this beauty yourself.

Use a whipped-cream dispenser to portion the mousse à la minute, or double the ingredients and whip to stiff peaks in a bowl with an electric mixer.

If you’re only going to make one pot pie from scratch in your life, this is the recipe to use.

I especially enjoy the food blog www.deliciousdays.com. Recently I saw a recipe for a wheat-based muesli bread on that site and used it as inspiration for this nutty, sweet fruit loaf. When I want a healthy treat for dinner, I toast a slice and spread it with goat cheese.

Bengali Dahi Maach Tender pieces of tilapia are marinated with caraway seeds, turmeric, and cayenne pepper and then pan-fried until crisp and golden brown. The dish is finished with a yogurt curry enhanced by the spicy flavor of mustard seeds. The result is a great mixture of flavors and textures, and a simple way to prepare versatile tilapia.

"The mark of a great pancake is that it can be eaten without syrup," says chef Travis Lett, who serves this dish at Gjelina, his Venice, CA, eatery. His version delivers: It's nutty, lemony, and ever so moist. Be sure to fold the ricotta into the batter very gently: "That way, when you bite into the pancake, you get these pockets of pillowy ricotta."

You can make these custards and their grape garnish up to 2 days in advance.