Gourmet

Tender veal shanks get great depth of flavor from lecsó, a kind of Hungarian sofrito of sautéed onions, frying peppers, and tomatoes, to which paprika and, in this case, stock are added. (Grimes found that Cubanelle peppers are the best substitute for the long, yellowish-green peppers found throughout Hungary.) Finished with sour cream, the sauce yields more than you need, but you'll be happy to have leftovers to serve over noodles, chicken, or pork.

Juicy pineapple meets creamy avocado, crisp jicama, and red onion in a refreshing salad that goes especially well with the cilantro-chipotle tilapia .

This soup has many layers in its complexity, but the overall effect is of cleanness and freshness. An optional addition of jasmine rice makes a heartier meal.

Latin-food authority Maricel Presilla describes sofrito—the sautéed mix of aromatic vegetables that is the bedrock of this vegetarian soup—as the DNA of the Latin kitchen because it carries a basic flavor code. There's onion and garlic, to be sure, but also tomatoes and various herbs, spices, and chiles, depending on the region. For this red-bean soup, we were inspired specifically by Puerto Rico, as evidenced by recao (an herb similar to cilantro) and by chiles that are fruity rather than hot. Just for fun, we included a last-minute sprinkling of Italian gremolata for brightness.

These rolls have a lot in common with brioche—both are rich and tender, and they bake up with a gorgeous browned crust. However, these are much easier to make than that time-intensive bread, and they have the added advantage of aromatic Parmigiano-Reggiano. We guarantee they’ll fly out of the bread basket.

Braised dishes are often served with a creamy side like mashed potatoes, polenta, or grits. Black beans offer an earthy change of pace and complement the chile purée.

Inspired by Vietnamese pho (pronounced "fuh"), this soup creates its own broth as meaty short ribs and beef shank simmer with ginger, garlic, chile, and the sweet spice of star anise and cinnamon—supermarket ingredients that come together with slippery rice noodles to produce a wonderfully fragrant and authentic-tasting dish. It’s a great choice for a party, because everyone gets to customize their bowl to their own taste with a spritz of lime, some fiery Sriracha sauce and sweet hoisin, and a scattering of mint and cucumber.

In this simple, fresh-tasting dish, a crisp coconut coating keeps the fish moist and gives it real island flair. Chef Roxanne Russell grates and dries her own fresh coconut to get long, beautiful strands, but any grated dried coconut will do.

Mild tilapia takes beautifully to a robust, smoky cilantro-chipotle sauce.

Increasingly available in supermarkets, the firm wheat protein known as seitan is mild in flavor and versatile in the kitchen. In this casserole, it takes on the earthy flavor of mushrooms, adding heartiness and heft.

We added nuggets of steak to a restorative soup of egg noodles and vegetables, turning it into hot, hearty magic that would warm up Old Man Winter himself.

There really isn't a lot of work involved in making chicken stock—you pretty much drop everything into a pot of water and let it simmer. What you do need, though, is time and patience to let the chicken, vegetables, and herbs transform the water into a golden, savory liquid that will make all the difference in soups and sauces.

For dessert, Grimes was inspired by something from Vienna, a little farther along the Danube: linzertorte. It's traditionally made with hazelnuts and raspberry jam, but this version, with its warmly spiced almond pastry and vivid apricot filling, spoke to Grimes of the highly polished coffeehouses in that part of the world. Cooking dried apricots with brandy and sugar allows you to control the sweetness quotient, and the result is all about the magically musky, tangy fruit.

While on a research trip to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, food editor Ian Knauer met restaurateur and fellow traveling cook Alexandro Garcia, who made a special point of sharing his family's recipe for goat. This dish combines the subtle perfume of bay leaves and cloves with the depth and spice of dried chiles. It's a combination so compelling we found ourselves going back for more even after we were full.

Lean turkey cutlets benefit from a slightly sweet Marsala wine sauce and the twofold richness of prosciutto and Italian Fontina.

Despite her pride in her cultural heritage, Miraglia Eriquez says: "I gotta be honest, some Italians are known for cooking vegetables to death, and I like to keep my greens green." So she boils chicory for only a few minutes to tame its bitterness, then sautés it briefly, keeping the leaves fresh and slightly crisp. This simple, light side dish is great with the hearty ragù -coated pasta.

This small, round pasta is named for its resemblance to peppercorns, so why not pair it with black pepper, which, along with lemon, adds brightness to the parmesan?

This is a true Italian feast: Little meatballs served with the antipasti come just before big meatballs in the ragù. Miraglia Eriquez's grandmother used to fry these snacks while her sauce simmered. As the meatballs spattered in the pan, the family would crowd into the kitchen to eat them hot. Your guests will do the same, whetting their appetites for the food to come.