Simmer

White rice (arroz blanco) is the quintessential Caribbean food and is always a sure choice for a simple side dish that will complement rather than outshine the main course. It’s especially excellent for sopping up the delicious juices from Crock-Pot Cuban Ropa Vieja (page 113).

I love to pull out my slow cooker and let these beans simmer all day, filling the whole house with their amazing aroma. The key to a good bean dish is carefully picking over the dried beans before you cook them, discarding any that are discolored or shriveled. Use any chunky tomato salsa you like; it adds color and heat, so choose accordingly. I usually save the fat that comes from frying the bacon for these beans and use it to make unbelievably good Refried Beans (page 130). Sofrito is a combination of aromatic ingredients that are cooked slowly to release their flavor. It is used as the base of many dishes in Latin American and Caribbean cooking. I usually buy prepared sofrito seasoning paste sold in individual packets and located in the spice or Latin food aisle at the grocery store.

Also known as Spanish rice, Mexican Rice is very difficult to make well. Once you add the tomato sauce and water, you can’t really touch it or you’ll ruin the texture. The hard part is knowing how much spice to add, because the rice won’t properly absorb any seasoning once the water is absorbed. This makes it nearly impossible to perfect, and once it is done, it is done. There’s a saying in my family: “When you perfect the rice, you are ready to get married. But not until then.” Follow my recipe and your Mexican Rice will be fabulous, too. Include the chicken to serve it as a main course.

Making broth at home is so easy, and there’s not all that sodium and other who-knows-what-else in broth you make yourself.

Ropa vieja translates literally to “old clothes,” which is what the shredded meat, visually, may bring to mind. The smell and taste of this dish, however, are nothing short of heavenly. Please don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients. There is only a little bit of chopping required; the whole point is to put a bunch of things together and forget about it for hours (although you’re welcome to taste along the way if you prefer—or can’t resist!). The shredded meat should stand for at least 15 minutes before serving, but if you have more time, let it stand longer, as it just gets better and better. This dish’s origins are Caribbean, so serve it with other foods from the same region, especially white rice, black beans, and plantains.

My fabulous hairdresser on the set of Desperate Housewives, Gabor, shared this recipe with me. In fact, he shared the very recipe his grandmother had used for decades—the card it was on must have been about eighty years old and was written in Hungarian! It took Gabor some time to decipher it, but I’m grateful for his efforts. It’s so delicious! It’s funny to think that almost every culture has some variation on the big pot of fragrant, nourishing stew. I’m glad to have been introduced to this one. The bell peppers add sweetness and color; the dish is really beautiful when made with green, red, yellow, and orange peppers, but feel free to use whatever you prefer or can get your hands on. The stew is amazing served over buttered egg noodles. And don’t worry about leftovers; this is even better after sitting in the fridge for a day or two.

This soup can be pulled together in minutes, and it’s one of the most soul-satisfying things I make. It should be very brothy so the orzo just floats in the rich, lemony broth. The pasta will absorb the broth as it sits, so serve as soon as it’s ready.

I love the refreshing flavor and heat of fresh ginger and this soup shows it off beautifully, especially if you use the full three tablespoons of ginger listed below. It even causes a pleasant burn in the back of your throat. If you prefer a little less assertiveness, use just two tablespoons. Either way, keep in mind that ginger becomes more pronounced over time, so although the soup stores very well, the ginger’s bite will become stronger. Many recipes for carrot and other pureed vegetable soups call for toppings of one kind or another, but I really prefer to let the natural flavors of the soup and veggies shine through, so I skip them. You can always top with a scattering of whatever fresh herb is in the soup, though, which is very pretty and highlights the flavors already in the soup. Be sure to cook the carrots until they are very tender so that they’ll puree to a silky smooth soup.

When I was a kid we grew all our own vegetables, especially calabasa, or squash. LOTS of squash. To be honest, I got a little sick of it (don’t worry—my mom already knows). Then I grew up and figured out a few surefire ways to show off the delicious earthiness and sweetness of summer squash. This soup is one of them; the lemon gives it great tang and the soup is unexpectedly creamy, even though there’s not a bit of cream or milk in it. Be sure to puree this soup in batches—don’t pour the soup over the level of the top of the food processor blade. This soup is brothy before it’s pureed, and it’ll seep out of the work bowl and all over the counter if you’re not careful.

My friends request this recipe more often than any other. I am often asked if it’s a family recipe. I take it as a compliment that people always seem so surprised to hear that I found it in a magazine when I was about twelve years old. I’ve made it so many times since then and it has evolved into what it is today. I think it’s so delicious—and popular!—because of its clear but very flavorful broth. So often tortilla soup is heavy, but this one is hearty without being unpleasantly thick. In fact, I make such a large batch because everyone always wants seconds and thirds. On the rare occasions that I’ve had leftovers, I’ve discovered that the soup keeps very well, and even gets better, stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. The garnishes keep well stored in zip-top bags; keep the fried tortilla strips at room temperature and everything else in the refrigerator. When serving the second day, just place all the garnishes at the bottom of the bowl and ladle the soup over. I use two kinds of dried chiles—ancho and pasilla—because they add more depth and smoky notes to the broth. Use more or fewer chiles depending on how strong you want their flavor to be. For more on dried chiles, see page 96.

This soup is as smooth as velvet and has the warm, orange hue of autumn that always looks beautiful in the soup bowl. The cream adds richness, but you can leave it out for a lighter soup that is nonetheless very satisfying.

Because I use whole soft-boiled eggs and not just the yolks, this simple recipe makes the thickest, best mayo that you can imagine. It keeps for up to a week in the fridge.

For all you chile heads looking for a knockout, eyewatering, tongue-tingling sauce, here it is; you may never buy commercially made hot sauce again. But a word to the wise: proceed with caution—this is not meant for wusses. Made from habañeros, one of the fieriest chiles around, this serious sauce achieves the perfect balance between flavor and heat. It’s best to protect your hands with a pair of latex gloves to keep the oils off your skin. Carrot is the secret weapon here; it not only adds amazing orange color but also gives the sauce another layer of flavor, with subtle sweetness and body. Use this hot sauce in Fried “Buffalo Style” Rabbit (page 152) or to fire up Bloody Marys or mayo. This sauce will keep practically forever!

This is my go-to sauce for ribs (see page 146) but it’s also great with wings.

Harissa is a fiery Moroccan condiment that is typically made with a variety of chiles packed with deep flavor. Incorporating tomato into store-bought harissa mellows out the heat, making this sauce even richer and more versatile. Keep it in your arsenal to boost the flavor of scrambled eggs or roasted potatoes, or stir it into your favorite vinaigrette—and it’s absolutely amazing on pizza.

Making cheese at home is super easy. I usually salt it if I am going to use it in savory foods, such as spreads, pasta stuffings, and casseroles. For sweet dishes I might salt it just a touch, and then taste as I go. You can drizzle ricotta with honey and pair with grilled peaches or spread it on Crostini with Apricot-Thyme Jam (page 24).

I’m a bourbon drinker, and this reinvented classic cocktail shows off my favorite whiskey in style. I replace the typically used sweet vermouth with the deep sweet-and-sour flavor of cherries, balanced by the spicy undertone of fresh rosemary and warmth of good bourbon.