Mushroom

A whole side of salmon makes for a light, delicious—and impressive—main course.

Don't be afraid of oxtail. Just knowing that it comes from the tail of a cow (it used to be the ox, but most oxtail sold in butcher's shops is from cow now) puts some people off. Have a sense of adventure and try it. Don't just stick with the same old foods. This recipe may sound intimidating, but this is really just great peasant food. There's not a lot of meat on oxtail bones, so you might think it's not worth your time to make it. However, oxtail has a lot of muscle on it, which gets broken down when you braise it. The meat that is there falls apart and becomes gelatinous. That makes this oxtail so damned good. You only need a small amount to feel satisfied, so it's a dish rich in taste for not much price. Plus, when you braise the oxtail, you can braise it in water or chicken stock and have a flavorful stock left over for other dishes. At Papillon, our wild mushroom raviolis bobbed in oxtail broth. Making this recipe will take time, but that's where flavor is born. It's worth your time.

It's hearty and health-helping: Eating mushrooms regularly may help lessen women's breast cancer risk.

The technique: Parboil sliced potatoes in whipping cream, then layer them with mushrooms and top with Gruyère.
The payoff: Great texture and flavor through and through—the cheese gets browned and toasty in the oven, and the layers of creamy potatoes and mushrooms are rich and satisfying.

The technique: On Thanksgiving, do-aheads are key. This super-savory gravy can be made a day ahead. All you have to do before serving is heat it up and stir in some tarragon.
The payoff: No last-minute pan-scraping and reducing required.

Because the mushrooms aren't cooked, it's important to use very fresh cèpes in this salad. When shopping, look for firm mushrooms with no dark brown spots.

Cèpes (also known as porcini) are perfect with roast duck. Pair this dinner-partyworthy dish with a New Zealand Pinot Noir.

This is one of our favorite ways to plank meat, especially boneless steaks and chops. We grill one side of the meat to give it the direct flame and char that tastes and looks so good, then we slide the uncooked side of the steak directly onto the plank. The result is a great contrast in textures, with the seared crisp char on one side and the tender woodsiness on the other side. We also add smoke flavor to this recipe, but you can omit the smoke if you want. The porcini slather makes a little more than 3/4 cup, and it will keep refrigerated for up to 1 week. You will need only half of it for this recipe, so save the rest to use another time on pork chops or chicken. It's also great as a dipping sauce for bread. Suggested plank: 1 cedar or oak grilling plank, soaked in water for at least 1 hour
Suggested wood: Apple, oak, or pecan chips

This recipe purposely gives you more chicken than you'll need for one sitting. Reserve the leftover, plus a cup of the Mango-Sesame Dressing, to make quick work of Noodle Salad With Chicken and Snap Peas a few days later.

This beautiful side dish is perfect not only because it looks gorgeous but also because it's totally consumable! This creation was inspired by a dish I had in Puerto Rico, where I enjoyed a typical mofongo (mashed plantain dish) served in a pilón—which is a kind of mortar. I thought then, "Wouldn't this be great in a tomato?" Since then, I've been dreaming up all kinds of tomato stuffers! My first choice—as far as mushroom fillers—is domestic oyster, shiitake, or portobellos, which you can easily grill (or sauté!) ahead of time. Also, Manchego is another delicious option for the cheese.

The earliest Mexican cuisine was vegetable-based, so in times past, before Spanish beef, chicken, and pork worked their way into every taco, there were no doubt plenty of satisfying vegetable taco recipes. Today most vegetables are consumed as salsas, in soups, or stuffed into quesadillas and empanadas, but there's no reason why a vegetable taco shouldn't be every bit as tasty and unusual as any other. This sumptuous vegetarian feast is based on the classic combination of roasted poblano chiles and mushrooms, with the addition of corn and mild-flavored, soft queso fresco. This taco is often favored by even the most committed carnivores. In other seasons, bits of diced cooked sweet potato, zucchini, chayote, squash blossoms, or golden winter squash would be welcome additions. Fresh epazote, used as a flavoring in this taco, has a minty-oregano taste and is often available at Mexican markets. (It is also hardy and easy to grow.) Fresh or dried mint or Mexican oregano may be substituted, but do not substitute dried epazote.

For chicken and turkey cutlets, boneless pork chops and tenderloin, steaks, and burgers. You can't offer a series of pan sauces without a mushroom one. I have chosen shiitakes, since they sauté more quickly than other mushrooms. Rather than using cream or butter, enrich this sauce with fresh goat cheese.

Mushrooms are one of those foods for which proper technique makes all the difference. Cooked correctly—browned well, juices evaporated, and amply salted—they're full of flavor. Cooked badly—underseasoned and steamed instead of seared—they're slimy and insipid. The trick is to resist moving the mushrooms around in the pan. Cook them until they have colored on one side, then cook them on the other side, until their juices are almost completely gone, which concentrates their flavor. Seasoned well with coarse salt, they're irresistible.

This was my grandfather's recipe, which my mother learned by watching him make it many times. When I asked her how it was done so I could put it in my book, Cherries in Winter: My Family's Recipe for Hope in Hard Times, Mom said, "I don't know—you'll have to watch me!" So I did, and I took notes as she cooked this comforting, economical meal; these loaves served Mom, Dad, my husband Nathan, and me for at least two very satisfying dinners. And because they're cooked on top of the stove in sauce instead of baked in the oven, these meatloaves are always moist and delicious.

If you have mushroom fans in your family, this contemporary take on a classic pasta dish is bound to please. High-calorie sour cream is replaced with a healthy dose of soy.