Oven Bake

Though traditionalists may insist that making cassoulet is an all-day affair, this hearty version-cooked with country-style spareribs, the meaty ones located closest to the pork shoulder-can be made in under 3 hours.

Cooking the curry powder with the vegetables mellows its flavor.

The Italian answer to a French gratin: a dish baked with a crispy cheese (as in this recipe) or breadcrumb topping.

The mustard coating on the potatoes gets crunchy and dark while the insides stay creamy and sweet.

Salting the beef 24 to 36 hours in advance enhances flavor and texture. For more on this technique, see the test-kitchen tip below.

Served with a green salad, this would be a great quick supper.

A savory crust and simple sauce lift this roast into the special-occasion realm.

This new way with latkes is a delicious main course for brunch, too.

This intense base is the secret to the full-bodied richness of the stew. Roasting emphasizes the vegetables' best qualities, and they're simmered with red wine and plenty of herbs and aromatics.

Vegetarians deserve a showstopping centerpiece for their main course, too, and this burnished pumpkin, filled with a fragrant stew, will have even meat eaters saying, "Who needs a turkey?" Root vegetables, mushrooms, and seitan—a firm, meatlike wheat protein that soaks up all the flavors of the sauce—mingle with roasted vegetables inside the pumpkin, whose flesh you scoop out along with servings of the stew. (Don't be intimidated at the thought of assembling such a masterpiece—if you've ever made a jack-o'-lantern, you have the skills to prepare this dish.)

In the world of stuffing, this one is relatively light, though no less satisfying than a more traditional mix. And it tastes like a gift from the forest, with hearty cremini mushrooms, fresh sage, and the crunch of toasted hazelnuts.

You've encountered a million potato-bacon-cheese combos in your lifetime, but in retrospect they all seem to be rehearsals for this one, a classic of Miraglia Eriquez's Calabrian grandmother Mary Pacella, who immigrated to Brooklyn in 1934. Crispness abounds, from the bacon to the slight crust on the roasted potatoes, yielding to creamy, very potatoey interiors.

We typically think of pickling as involving mainly vinegar or, as is the case with kimchi, a fermenting process. In India, however, oil is the secret ingredient, employed to carry the flavor of spices. Here, mustard seeds and ground turmeric bring brightness to the mix.

This recipe was created by chef Traci Des Jardins of San Francisco's Jardinière. It's part of a special menu she created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

This dense and savory stuffing resembles the filling inside a tamale. This recipe makes enough to stuff the Mole-Roasted Turkey with Masa Stuffing and Chile Gravy, or to serve eight people when baked as a side dish.

This particularly enticing version of the holiday favorite includes fresh rosemary and thyme along with the spices. The nuts can be made several days in advance and stored in resealable plastic bags in a cool, dry place.

Rouille is a Provençal sauce that's traditionally made with peppers and served with fish. Here, it's the spread for an easy, flavorful appetizer.

Egg whites replace the usual oil or butter. This recipe makes a lot of granola, but that's just fine because there are so many things you can do with it. 1. For a breakfast parfait
Layer thawed frozen berries, vanilla yogurt, and granola in a tall glass. Drizzle with honey.
2. As a topping for apple pie
Instead of streusel, sprinkle granola over the apples during the last five minutes of the pie's baking time.
3. For trail mix
Just add M&Ms or white-chocolate chips, and you're ready for a hike.

Squash is often sold already peeled and seeded, making this recipe even easier.