Food Processor

This traditional Indian dish is usually served with basmati rice or Indian bread.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 9 1/2 hr (includes cooling and chilling)

Top this with dollops of chilled whipped cream or scoops of vanilla ice cream.

To make the toasted coconut for the meringue, spread flaked coconut on a baking sheet and bake on the center rack of a 350°F oven, stirring often around the edges, until light golden, about ten minutes.

A leek puree adds rich flavor. This side dish is especially good with the Brisket with Dried Apricots, Prunes, and Aromatic Spices recipe.

"Lidia's in Kansas City, Missouri, serves a rustic white bean and potato soup that would make a perfect meatless entrée for a winter evening," writes Deborah Johnson of Columbia, Missouri. "I order it every time I go there. Do you think chef Dan Swinney would part with his recipe?" Start this recipe a day ahead so that there's time for the beans to soak overnight.

Apples sautéed with brown sugar and cinnamon top this almond-flavored cheesecake. Bake it at least one day in advance. For best results, use Philadelphia-brand cream cheese.

This recipe is among those that reach a new level when made with sea salt and high-quality, European-style butter (like Plugrá). Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 hr

"My boyfriend just introduced me to Ledbetters', a breakfast restaurant in nearby New Milford," writes Lawren Hubal of Monroe, Connecticut. "Every morning, owners Julie and David Ledbetter make scones, and the lemon-poppy seed ones are out of this world. I'd love to make those scones at home."

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 9 hr

This is our salsa closest to the classic home-style Mexican salsa de molcajete that's made from roasted garlic and chiles pounded in a lava-rock mortar (molcajete) with roasted tomatoes. Even though we've updated the equipment for the modern American kitchen, that perfect blend of sweetness (roasted garlic and tomatoes) and raciness (roasted jalapeños) is what you'll spoon out. The final addition of fresh cilantro and a drizzle of vinegar focuses the whole experience: This is just what most Americans wish they were getting when they open a jar with that ubiquitous "salsa" label. Made with plum tomatoes, your salsa will have a more homogenous texture — just right for using the salsa as an ingredient in other dishes. Because round tomatoes give a looser texture, choose them when you want a condiment to set on the table.

The fine bulgur in this recipe might seem like a specialty ingredient, but it is actually in most supermarkets, near the rice, under the name Near East Taboule Wheat Salad Mix (you won't need the seasoning packet). Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 2 hr

A decadent, impressive dessert that appeals to everyone's inner Boy Scout or Girl Scout. Begin preparing this a day ahead.

This is used in four of the dishes in the menu; the recipe makes enough for them all.