Oven Bake

Humble cauliflower and brussels sprouts become luxurious in this decadent gratin.

Brandade is a salt cod puree from Provence. In this all-American take on the dish, an heirloom bean puree is mixed with Dungeness crab and two kinds of cheese.

This classic stuffing (or any of the stuffings here) is also good made with six cups of cubed cornbread in place of six cups of the pain rustique.

Literally "ranch-style eggs," huevos rancheros is a Mexican dish that consists of fried eggs in a red chile sauce served with tortillas. Here, the tortillas hold the baked eggs and beans. Serve them as soon as they come out of the oven so that the yolks don’t overcook.

Neal Fraser, Executive Chef and co-owner of Grace and BLD in Los Angeles, shared this recipe with Epicurious. The dish is perfect for entertaining, since the endive and celery root flans can be made ahead and reheated. The garlic nage should be made shortly before serving and kept warm while you quickly sear the turbot. A shaving of earthy black truffles finishes the dish. "Grating them on top makes them soft and allows their perfume to stand out," says Fraser.

If possible, use flat no-cook lasagna noodles: They look and taste more like homemade than the curly kind.

Until quite recently, Italian restaurants in the U.S. served just one version of gnocchi: the potato kind. But gnocchi made from semolina (such as this one from the James Beard Award-nominated, industrial-chic Osteria in Philadelphia) is equally authentic.

A Sicilian combination—artichokes and beans—becomes another creative variation on crostini at Cinghiale.

Most burrata—cream-filled fresh mozzarella—is made in just two places: Puglia and Southern California. But this addictive cheese is catching on. Chef Nancy Silverton combines it with leeks and breadcrumbs at her (and Mario Batali's) Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles. Look for burrata at Italian delis and cheese stores.

A delicious balance of tangy, sweet, and spicy.

Editor's note: The recipe is from Tracey Medeiros' book Dishing Up Vermont.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text are from Brooke Dojny's book The New England Clam Shack Cookbook, 2nd Edition. At Shaw's [Fish and Lobster Wharf], their lobster pot pie is something like a lobster gratin — a rich and luxurious dish in itself — made more so with its buttery crumb topping. Because it can be made ahead and reheated just before serving, this lobster pot pie makes an ideal meal for a special dinner party.

The Seaman and Steel families are addicted to this homemade granola with dried blueberries and sweet dates. Serve it with a splash of milk or a spoonful of yogurt or ice cream, sprinkled on pancakes, or in a smoothie.

This homey dish made everyone in the test kitchen swoon. Roma tomatoes become even more intense when roasted, and this comforting, custardy bread pudding proves the perfect match for their bright flavor. Take it to a potluck, serve it with something grilled, or make it a vegetarian main dish with a green salad.

Garlic Herb Bread When buttering the bread, gently spread the slices without pulling them apart.

Anne Whiteman was the mother of Michael Whiteman, a Brooklyn native and the business and creative partner of the legendary Joe Baum in designing and operating many restaurant projects, among them the food services of the World Trade Center, including Windows on the World, and the restoration and operation of the Rainbow Room. If this is the kind of food Michael grew up eating, then it's no wonder his palate is so finely tuned. This recipe is typical of highly evolved dairy noodle kugels, in that it is dessert-sweet and topped with corn flakes, although it doesn't call for the canned crushed pineapple that so many less refined recipes do. Here, the cottage cheese is pureed with the sour cream, milk, and eggs to form a silken custard to hold the noodles. Michael and I are not certain how his mother arrived at the odd amount of sour cream, but I have decided not to change it. It is called "birthday kugel" because his mother made it mainly for those celebratory occasions.

The faint sweetness and low acidity of balsamic vinegar is a perfect foil for the earthy taste of beets. For the recipe, there's no need to invest in an expensive real balsamic vinegar (labeled "tradizionale"); a decent mass-produced commercial brand works just fine. Baking, rather than boiling, the beets brings out their robust flavor. Vividly colored beets "bleed," so to keep the juices in while they cook, leave on the skins, the "tails" or rootlike wisps on the bottom, and at least an inch of the green stems. After they're cooked, peel the beets over a bowl or a thick layer of paper towels, since beet juice stains are nearly impossible to remove from wood or plastic surfaces. Karen loves beets and is happy to make a meal of this dish, with the main course there "just as an excuse." Two of the good "excuses" to serve alongside are David's Famous Fried Chicken or Herbed Pinwheel Pork Loin.

Cauliflower is a nice surprise and crème fraîche adds some tanginess to this inventive version of macaroni and cheese.