Simple Cooking

In defense of Velveeta: Its texture is supreme.

Make this dish ahead of time: It's great at room temperature.

Most braises start by browning the meat. Not this one. The cooked meat is sliced, floured, and seared at the end, which lends a pro touch to this dish.

Kabocha squash is made for purées.

Adding cream thins lemon curd and makes it extra spoonable—delicious in more than just this dish.

Rather than fussily cutting the grapefruit into neat segments, Mattos cuts them crosswise into disks; he likes the slightly bitter flavor of the membrane itself.

Fresh celery lightens this guacamole and adds some serious crunch.

Soaking the onion mellows its sharpness. If you can't find fresh horseradish, add 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish to the crème fraîche mixture.

Whether you pile this spicy, marinated grilled steak and cabbage into warm tortillas or over a bowl of rice, the only thing you’ll wish is that you had made more.

It might seem fussy to separate the vegetables when pickling, but if they're combined, the colors will bleed and they won't be as vibrant.

When making the candied almonds, stir them until the caramel transforms into a dry, crystallized coating.

Cutting the vegetables into similarly sized pieces helps them cook at the same rate, so this entire dish—sauce included—can be made in one pan.

This stew calls for water instead of stock to be added. The pork shoulder will create a rich cooking liquid on its own.

A mix of fragrant spices, garlic, and fresh ginger turn this stewed chicken into the most perfectly warming dinner for an October Sunday.

Cooking the potatoes on a wire rack lets hot air circulate around them, so they get extra crisp.

Mattos says to get both the walnuts and the breadcrumbs very toasty and dark brown; he loves the contrast between the rich, crunchy bits and the bright, juicy endive on top.

Make this salad without plating anxiety: Treat the daikon rounds like a deck of cards and let them fall where they may.

A virtuous, herby grain salad with a heart of indulgent butterfat. We love the white-on-white effect of using barley, but it's delicious with basically any whole grain; try wheat berries or spelt.

Think of the crunchy, granolaish sesame clusters as seedy croutons for this juicy and bracing salad.

Tex-Mex ingredients like Monterey Jack, cilantro, corn and lime combine with rice to create an awesome salad. Wrap it in lettuce for a cool, crunchy and fun meal.