Dairy Free

This sauce is the cook's best friend and the building block of many great French dishes. The powdered stuff sold in stores is not even in the same ballpark. This fond, or foundation sauce, takes my Basic Veal Stock then flavors and reduces it to intensify its power. Fond de Veau does require a bit of preparation and is probably the most expensive sauce I use, but it is so worth it for the potent, authentic flavor it confers to something like sautéed porcini mushrooms or as literally the secret sauce in the Ragout of Lamb Shoulder with Cavatelli.

Oh lentils, what can't you do? Here they join forces with miso to create a flavorful, silky gravy that you'll want to pour over everything. You have my permission to do so, but let's start here: with quinoa, sautéed seitan, and broccoli that's steamed perfectly, still crispy and bright. For a more organic feel, tear the seitan into bite-size pieces with your hands instead of slicing it with a knife. You'll have more gravy than you need, but reserve the rest for sopping up with toast or biscuits for breakfast.

Gravy is pure comfort for me, and if I can make a gravy into a meal, so much the better. This is one of my favorite ways to have a rich, comforting, and filling dinner in less than half an hour. It also contains one of my favorite methods to get a toasty gravy base with lots of depth—toasting bread crumbs. After caramelizing the onions, you sprinkle in the bread crumbs and toss them around a bit until golden brown. Then, when you add the liquid ingredients, the bread crumbs thicken and flavor the gravy. It's wonderful served with grilled or sautéed kale, and over mashed potatoes.

If you have a fetish for dark chocolate, this will fuel your flame. It will also energize your body with antioxidants that boost blood flow to the brain (and a few other vital organs). Cocoa, kale, and cherries, three beloved and sexy superfoods, contain flavonoids and antioxidants that fight heart disease and diabetes and even promote brain growth.

Like most recipes in this book, this salad can be altered endlessly and tweaked to your liking. Have a cup of kale left over from dinner? Dice it and mix into your fish salad for an added boost of flavor, fiber, and vitamin K. Or try adding some of your favorite hot sauce to this recipe and serve it on whole grain crackers as a snack or hors d'oeuvre. The options are endless.

Kosher Status: Meat
Prep: 10 Minutes
Cook: 4 Hours
Rest: 15 Minutes
Total: 4 Hours, 25 Minutes

This version of pad thai, developed by cookbook author and teacher Nancie McDermott, is for those who may not have a wok at home. Instead, the recipe calls for a 12-inch heavy skillet. Note that the skillet can hold only enough ingredients for two people (of course, if you have a wok, you should use it). McDermott's pad thai recipe to serve four , which does require a wok, is reason enough to invest in one (look for a 14-inch carbon-steel model with a flat bottom). 

**Editor's note:**Use this recipe to make Ali Larter's Winter Lettuces with Pomegranate Seeds . This is an everyday dressing that is wonderful on all variations of lettuces and vegetables. It's a welcome change from bottled dressing and so easy to make.

In Thailand, pad thai is hugely popular, but it's not a dish that's cooked at home. Instead, it is commonly purchased from street vendors, who cook it to order in individual portions. For home cooks on this side of the Pacific, cookbook author Nancie McDermott figured out a way to successfully make a big portion of pad thai, enough to serve four people at once, but it does require a wok (they are inexpensive and last forever; look for a 14-inch flat-bottom carbon-steel wok). If you don't have one, consider making her Pad Thai for Two , which works in a 12-inch heavy, deep skillet. For more on Pad Thai, including ingredient information and McDermott's tips, see Takeout at Home: Pad Thai

Kosher Status: Pareve
Prep: 35 Minutes
Rise: 2 Hours, 15 Minutes
Bake: 45 to 55 Minutes
Cool: 15 Minutes
Total: About 4 Hours

Kosher Status: Meat
Prep: 10 Minutes
Cook: 2 Hours, 20 Minutes
Total: 2 1/2 Hours

Watch out: These crispy, spicy avocado fries are addictive! Especially when dunked in a yogurty dipping sauce.

These are made with sweet potatoes, a superfood that helps you slim and energize. The sticks have kick, so dunk 'em in our cooling dip to put out the fire.

Crunch-crunch-crunch will end up as munch-munch-munch when this salad is served. Flavor is obviously crucial in food, and certainly this salad has flavor, but tactile sensation is also a very important factor in our food perception and appreciation. We want pasta al dente, celery crunchy, bread grilled. This salad has a lot of texture to enjoy.

This glaze also makes for an addictive tray of chicken wings. Use the same weight and method as for the ribs, but reduce final cooking time by 10 minutes.

White soy sauce is sweeter than regular soy sauce, a good counterbalance to the earthy brussels sprouts.