Gourmet

Caraway seeds are often baked into and on top of rye bread, their nutty, spicy fragrance accenting rye’s earthiness. Here, the natural duo crisps in a pan of melted butter before topping steamed cauliflower. In this elegant, simple side dish, crunchy rye crumbs give way to succulent florets and bring out their natural sweetness

This one-pot dinner has lots of things kids love—chicken, peas, and rice—while saffron gives the medley adult appeal.

A salad of oranges and slightly bitter endive and escarole rounds out the buffet of fried latkes and rich toppings.

Let's just say that finding yourself alone in a room with a plate of these cookies and a tall glass of milk would be very, very dangerous. The trifecta of chocolate, hazelnuts, and rum is irresistible. Decorating the cutouts with royal icing adds a festive touch.

Add a little color to the Festival of Lights with zucchini pancakes that shine green. Lighter than potato latkes, they're the Mediterranean cousins who've traveled north to visit family in eastern Europe.

Hold the marinara! For a change of pace, dress ravioli with a quick and creamy sauce that gets added taste and texture from tiny pieces of string beans and prosciutto.

Sprightly bits of lemon zest and garlic punctuate this creamy mayonnaise-based egg salad. In place of the usual celery and onion, fennel lends an aromatic crunch.

There’s nothing quite like making your own granola. You can toss in as many nuts and fruits as you want and sweeten it to your taste. While the possibilities are endless, we love this honey-sweetened variation with sesame seeds. The cardamom clings to the almonds, dried apricots and pears, and oats, adding an exotic touch.

Lemon-tahini dressing unexpectedly emboldens kale and cheesy potatoes with its creaminess and tart richness. We went back for seconds and thirds.

Test kitchen director Ruth Cousineau, who developed these recipes, says, "For a big dinner, you must include soup. Just don’t make it heavy." Here, she's created a chicken broth infused with the aroma of ginger and cardamom. Petite savory flans, studded with tender chives, lend a light creaminess to each mouthful.

Our love of lemon grows exponentially at the sight of these delightful melt-in-your-mouth sandwich cookies. It perfumes the tiny treats, which are put together with an easy icing that zings with zest and fresh lemon juice. Rolling them in brightly colored sanding sugar makes them sparkle like vintage Christmas ornaments.

Egg dishes always make a great centerpiece, especially when they’re this easy. As it bakes, Gruyère melts into the nutmeg-scented egg and milk mixture, which takes on a light, quiche-like creaminess.

These Mexican treats taste best when they are freshly fried (though we have given you some prep-ahead options), so make them when friends and family are gathered around for the holidays. Once the churros are made, everyone can get in on the action, dipping them in a choice of sugars and/or an easy warm chocolate sauce.

To balance the red-wine vinegar and capers in this blend of smoky eggplant and red peppers, anchovies perfume the relish with a deep, savory note. Though this is a natural accompaniment to the zucchini latkes, it also makes a lively option for the potato ones.

Don't let a cloudless sky stop you from enjoying a white Christmas. Create your own by whirring hot milk in a blender until it's as light as freshly fallen snow. The creamy froth blankets strong, dark coffee for a special morning brew.

Crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside, this pork tenderloin gets sultry flavor from smoked paprika, almonds, and Madeira.

Food editor Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez's grandmother used to serve tender green beans tossed with mashed potatoes—so this is straight from Nonna's kitchen.

Like Jell-O, but all grown up, these tart little puddings have a bracing fruitiness that is just what's needed after a sumptuous holiday spread. The scarlet juices of pomegranates, lingonberries, and raspberries are bound into a very soft gelée.

Shake up your casserole rotation with a Greek pastitsio. Layers of ziti, meaty tomato sauce fragrant with spices, and silky béchamel come together in this deeply satisfying yet simple meal.