Herbs & Spices

Sweet caramelized onions and pungent blue cheese make a good pair in this simply elegant appetizer.

Who says a gratin has to arrive on the table in a baking dish? In this version, the potatoes, spices, and cheese are layered and baked in a springform pan, giving the dish a cake-like look.

This stuffing pairs perfectly with roast turkey.

Leaving the skins on small red-skinned potatoes adds wonderful color and texture and makes this dish even easier to prepare.

This one-skillet meal is an instant classic — and a perfect Hanukkah dish.

With today's leaner pork, the traditional crown roast technique (which requires cutting between each rib chop to form the "crown") tends to produce overcooked meat before the bone end is done. So instead, ask the butcher to french the bones of two rib racks and present them back-to-back.

Looking for an elegant entrée to serve on Christmas Eve? You just found it.

To save a step, rather than making the Balsamic Pan Sauce , drizzle an aged artisanal balsamic vinegar (12-year-old "vecchio" or 25-year-old "extra vecchio") over the carved portions of the goose. This recipe must be started at least a day ahead.

What to drink: Roberto Santibañez recommends a Petite Sirah (a full-bodied, peppery red wine varietal) from L.A. Cetto in Mexico's Guadelupe Valley. Or try the Guenoc Petite Sirah from California's North Coast.

This drink was featured as a Cocktail of the Month.

This recipe for turkey gravy is part of the Thanksgiving menu Chef Kent Rathbun created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program. He serves it with Rosemary-Roasted Turkey .

Chef Rathbun's method of roasting a turkey involves brushing the skin and packing the cavity with butter, then starting the roasting at a relatively high temperature — 450°F. As the turkey browns, the butter and turkey fat melt and pool under the grate, eliminating the need to add water to the pan juices. After 40 minutes, the oven is turned down to 350°F and the buttery drippings are used as a basting liquid. This technique seals in the bird's natural juices, producing crisp, golden skin and moist meat.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from The Practical Guide to the New American Kitchen by Charlie Palmer.

Caramelized sugar laces this classic with a sensuous richness, extraordinary in the context of this unbelievably light and delicately spiced pie. And since it's cooked in a deep quiche pan, a single pie will serve 12 guests.

This simple sauce is delicious drizzled over the poppy-seed sweet bread or the rum raisin apple pie.