Vegetable

Roman cauliflower (also known as Romanesco) grows as a peculiar spiky, conical head, and instead of florets as in regular cauliflower, it projects cones with tiny cones upon cones—a kind of fractal of nature's making. It comes in various hues of white, purple, and green and has a nutty, more intense flavor compared with regular cauliflower. Unfortunately it's not always easy to find in many stores in the US, though sources like farmers' markets often carry it, as do Italian specialty shops. You can substitute standard cauliflower for this if you can't find the Roman variety. It breaks into florets and cooks the same way.

Store-bought puff pastry makes these savory "elephant ears" an easy bite-sized appetizer for your next party.

This Flintstonian cut is impressive, and the bone lends flavor as the meat braises. But if you prefer, a boneless tied leg of lamb is a little more manageable and cooks more quickly.

A zesty lobster salad instantly turns avocado toast into an elegant and cocktail party–worthy hors d'oeuvre.

This fresh take on tabbouleh eliminates the bulgur entirely and uses the golden seeds of millet instead, which give a nutty, cornlike taste to the salad. (Here's how to master millet). But it's really all about the green herbs: Feel free to add too many!

We combined the rich and indulgent cheesiness of Pommes Aligot and the beautifully swirled rosettes of Pommes Duchesse into one super-luxe casserole that looks fancy but is surprisingly simple to make.

I get a lot of inspiration from staring at the supermarket shelves, and seeing what items are grouped together. I made this recipe because I found the smoked oysters next to the anchovies in the canned fish section and decided to try them out instead in my Caesar dressing. Once I did that, I decided to riff on the croutons a bit too. In this recipe, the smoky oysters complement the rich egg yolks, which in turn get cut by a healthy dose of lemon juice. Do you like other canned fishies? All are good Caesar salad material, providing they are packed in oil, which amps up their flavor almost to a condiment level of oomph. If you want to get real crazy, find the canned seafood section in an ethnic market.

Hanger steak is the king of what I call weeknight steaks, casual cuts of leanish meat that deliver delicious flavor without a lot of expense or fuss. The skinny strip of flesh tastes best cooked hard and fast, for a crispy char on the outside, and left nice and pink inside. Slice it with a significant slant across the grain for the best eating texture. If you can find a grass-finished hanger steak, you’ll get leaner meat and a higher proportion of healthy lipids, such as omega-3s and CLAs. The bad news: hanger steak—or onglet, as it is sometimes known—can be hard to find. Even my regular butcher runs out somewhat frequently. Don’t fret—just substitute flank steak.

Pumpkin and oil keep this cake fresh even in high, dry mountain air. Topped with a white icing glaze and walnuts, it makes a gala presentation, and at every altitude it won high praise from taste-testers of all ages.

Both the tart shell and the filling for this luscious quiche can be prepped ahead, making it a great dish for brunch entertaining.

When it comes to a special-occasion main course, it doesn't get more timeless or show-stopping than porchetta.

You'll make more dressing than you need for one batch of salad with this recipe, but that's a good thing.

You know you love Brussels sprouts and bacon, but have you ever tried Brussels sprouts and bacon jam? You (and your hungry party guests) are in for a surprising treat.

Pickled okra brine, where have you been all our lives!?