Onion

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Seduced by Bacon. To read more about the book, click here. These salmon fillets are a great main course when you want something special and don't have a lot of time. They are super-easy and quick to make as well as delicious. . . . There are some fine ready-made sauces, called Chinese barbecue sauce, in Asian markets and even on supermarket shelves.

Instead of pairing shrimp with sausage, we've taken this spicy gumbo in a more sophisticated direction by adding duck meat.

Cider made from fresh apples creates a full-bodied glaze for these tender chops.

Dried chipotle chiles become smoky-hot packages for a filling made from subtly sweet ripe plantains. Don'erestimate the heat of dried chiles—it's important to wear rubber gloves when working with them, since they can be just as potent as fresh ones.

(Deep-Fried Pastry Stuffed with Spicy Potatoes)

If you have never thought to boil a turkey, this 1623 recipe will make a believer out of you. While the original recipe calls for a whole bird, the modern recipe is adapted to use with prepackaged turkey pieces. If you would like use a small whole bird (10-12 pounds), cut it into ten pieces before boiling—it is really difficult and potentially dangerous to lift a whole steaming turkey from a pot of boiling broth. For this larger amount of turkey, you will need to double the other ingredients.

Chef-owner Shawn McClain of Custom House restaurant in Chicago created this recipe for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

The signature dish at Bouchée is similar to boeuf bourguignon except it uses short ribs, which create a more elegant presentation for individual servings. The addition of vinegar offsets their robust meatiness. Any remaining sauce would be great served over egg noodles.

This recipe is adapted from Argentine chef Francis Mallman. Mallman also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. This savory first course is Mallman's version of a traditional recipe from the painted-desert Argentine province of Salta. With their corn-husk wrapping humitas are somewhat similar to the spongier Central American tamal. This is one of the rare but significant Argentine dishes that reflects South America's Incan heritage. For the most part, Indian influences are muted in Argentine cooking, except for the country's enduring passion for grilling over an open fire. But Mallman is enraptured by the traditions of the Incas, with their mud ovens and, as he puts it, "the worship of peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, and tomatoes ... all that magic and mystery."

Layer upon layer of flavor infuses this stylish yet deeply comforting dish.

Soft 00 flour (available at Italian markets) produces a more tender pasta, but all purpose flour works well, too.

Look for chayote at supermarkets, Latin markets, and natural foods stores — it's a light-green pear-shaped squash that's mild and crisp.

Tender lima beans and fresh corn kernels straight off the cob team up to create a beautiful—and delicious—side dish that's perfect with almost any meal.