Simmer

I love a dinner of make-it-yourself sushi. I put a large bowl of sushi rice on the table with squares of toasted nori, thinly sliced fish and vegetables, and some pickled ginger and wasabi. Everyone rolls his own and eats them out of hand.

Bucatini is the classic pasta for this sauce.

This is a soup for the height of summer, when tomatoes are abundant and perfectly ripe.

Yellow bell peppers also work very well in this soup, but green peppers are not sweet enough. You can even make two batches of soup, one red, one yellow, and ladle them into bowls for a yin-and-yang effect.

This is one of the soups that I think are best made with water rather than broth, so nothing interferes with the sweet, delicate flavor of the peas.

This is an unusually spicy and full-flavored soup; if necessary, adjust the pungent spices to your comfort level.

This is a good soup to make the day after Thanksgiving.

Young turnips with their greens are in the markets in spring and fall. The two together make a delicious soup or side dish.

This is a classic Mexican soup that is brought to the table with a variety of serve-yourself garnishes.

This soup is what I want to eat when I’m feeling under the weather. It is light, clean, and full of flavor.

This is a simple beef broth that’s good for moistening beef braises and stews and soups.

Semolina, coarsely ground durum wheat, turns simple, homemade chicken broth into a more substantial, silky textured soup.

This bright-tasting sauce is a great accompaniment to grilled foods of all descriptions—steak, chicken, shrimp, or vegetables—and it is also wonderful as a dip for tortilla chips or as a sauce for tamales.

This is the basic white sauce used in lasagna, vegetable gratins, and savory soufflés.

This is a very simple approach to a classic deviled egg, but I like them without a lot of spices and things that cover up the good egg flavor. I sprinkle them with chopped fresh herbs just before serving.