5 Ingredients or Fewer

This fast-cooking frittata has a lighter texture than most.

In a clever switch, a zucchini blossom stands in for the traditional sage-leaf topping. A terrific dinner-party dish.

Filets de Rouget et Haricots Verts Sauté aux Fruits Secs Highly prized for its firm, mild flesh, red mullet is a darling of French and Mediterranean chefs. Here, it sits on a splendid textural bed of haricots verts, dried apricots, and pine nuts.

The Japanese flavors at work here are a great way to add stylishness and exoticism to an inexpensive cut. And the whole thing really sings when you pair it with the <epi recipelink="" id="350696">Napa cabbage slaw</epi>.

Under the weight of a second skillet, the "pressed" chicken releases its fat and juices into the pan and ends up cooking in all that sumptuousness. The result is almost unbelievably moist meat. Adding the quick-cooked vegetables and the spicy perfume of marjoram completes what is sure to become a go-to recipe in your dinner arsenal.

You might run across purslane, with its glossy, plump leaves, at a farmers market—and you might even find it growing in the cracks of your sidewalk or in your yard. Luckily, this incredibly nutritious and juicy green is a weed, which means it pops up wild nearly everywhere. Lots of chopped parsley and a simple vinaigrette flatter its herbal, lemony crunch.

As a wake-up call to his taste buds, food editor Ian Knauer adds a dollop of this vibrant, garlicky hot sauce to his egg sandwich (it often finds its way onto his lunch and dinner plates, too). Its versatility is the key—any variety or combination of chiles will produce a different yet full-flavored, lip-tingling sauce.

This pretty salad gets its name from the long slices of zucchini, which resemble tagliatelle pasta. I like to mix in some fresh mint and lemon for a nice zip, cucumber and sweet onion for crunch, and pistachio oil for fabulous depth of flavor.

Editor's note: This recipe is reprinted with permission from Brown Celebrates: Simple and Spectacular Parties All Year Round. This recipe originally appeared with Brown's <epi:recipelink id="“350623”">Warm Blackberry Chutney</epi:recipelink>. __ Don't be intimidated by crostini: it's just toast in a tuxedo! This recipe is quick, portable, and requires only a few ingredients. __

To intensify the flavor of the compote, Jeanne cooks the plums with their pits. Any leftover compote would be delicious spooned over vanilla ice cream.

You thought chocolate was good? Try chocolate with cherries and pistachios. Heaven!

<p>Who knew that making your own fruit spread could be so easy and so delicious? I promise this recipe will not disappoint. And it's a perfect complement to the <epi:recipeLink ="350666">Perfect Crostini</epi:recipeLink.</p>

With chocolate mousse this good and this easy, you can give your guests a delicious start to the new year!

With a little planning, this addictive treat can be easily thrown together at the last minute. Infuse the honey up to 24 hours in advance and arrange the blue cheese on crackers several hours ahead of time. Then, just before serving, drizzle with honey and sprinkle with scallions. Blue cheese can be tricky to cut into slices. Freezing will make it firmer and much easier to slice.

Food editor Shelley Wiseman thinks sweet potatoes are naturally sweet enough when caramelized in the oven, so she eschewed brown sugar and "savorized" them instead with garlic oil. Sage leaves—too potent and fuzzy to eat fresh but mellow when fried—serve as a lovely garnish for this autumnal side dish.

Drawing her inspiration from the Caribbean, food editor Lillian Chou stirred lightly sweetened coconut milk into roasted sweet potatoes.

For an elegant change of pace from store-bought tortilla chips, fry thin slices of plantain at home. When slipped into hot oil, the plantains curve into beautiful, long strips. Delicately flavored and impossibly crisp, these chips are great for dipping in guacamole.