Simmer

Polenta can be made with any grind of cornmeal. We call for polenta cornmeal because it makes a particularly smooth and creamy polenta that also cooks quickly.

Monkfish is perfect for this recipe because it doesn’t fall apart. It has a wonderfully tender and succulent texture similar to lobster, but monkfish is less expensive. This dish is also good with other types of fish and other kinds of seafood, such as scallops, shrimp, or lobster.

This thick, flavorful Southwestern soup comes together easily using pantry items.

This creamy vegan soup is spicy and a little sweet.

Whole wheat and spelt pastas have a pleasant, nutty flavor that stands up to the flavors in this sauce, but any kind of pasta is fine for this recipe.

The drying of meats and fish is the oldest method of preservation. Salt cod (cod that has been both salted and dried) has been around for 500 to 1,000 years, since European fishing fleets discovered the rich cod supplies of the north Atlantic. The result was widespread use of salted cod, as in baccalà (Italian), bacalhau (Portuguese), klippfisk (Scandinavian), morue (French), and saltfiskur (Icelandic). Why go through the lengthy process of desalting a fish that you could buy fresh? Flavor, for starters; if cod were fresh ham, salt cod would be its prosciutto. And texture; salt cod is supple and chewier than fresh cod. A rare treat to eat, salt cod also happens to hold up well in a sandwich. We’ve opted for the traditional pairing of salt cod with roasted red peppers, whose sweetness is a natural fit with the cod.

Sure you can spoon this sauce over ice cream, but you can also make it to serve with waffles or pancakes. Or even as a dip for toasted Brioche (page 194).

I think aromatic kumquats walk a line between oranges and lemons, and they aren’t bitter at all when you cook them properly. You could chop these up and bake them in a sponge cake, or fold them into a mousse that could use a shot of acidity. Fill them with soft cheese or mousse and put them out after dinner as petits fours. Or just serve with ice cream.

Gregory Gourreau, my cooking partner when I was sous-chef at Daniel, worked on a dish where he froze citrus into something that resembled a mosaic. I loved the idea and played with it for a while, until I came up with this refreshing block of oranges. I like to use a 4-inch square plastic tube to form the citrus mixture, but you could just as easily use two 15-ounce cans. Remove the tops and bottoms and wash them well.

I candy Etrog citrons in the restaurant, but I’ve adapted the recipe for good old lemons. You could chop this up and fold it into whipped cream. Or serve over ice cream.

This brightly flavored jelly would make a delicious layer in a birthday cake. Pour it into the cake pan you’re using for the cake and let it set.

I developed this jam for Cherry-Chocolate Linzer Tarts (page 76), but it’s great on fresh Brioche (page 194) that’s been slathered with butter.

This compote is a perfect balance of opposite flavors: sweet, soft strawberries and bitter, astringent rhubarb. It fills the mochi on page 23, but it would also be very nice with Fromage Blanc Panna Cotta (page 37), mixed into thick plain yogurt, or as a bed for Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (page 220) and fresh berries.

Fresh sour cherries are best, but you can also make this recipe with frozen morello cherries. These cherries will keep in the refrigerator for several months and are fantastic spooned over ice cream or a simple cake or even dropped into a glass of champagne with a little of their syrup.

I love sangria in the summertime and always thought about turning it into a slushy. Here, I’ve taken it one step further and made granité. The acid from the raspberries both brightens and enhances the flavors of the wines.

The combination of bitter Campari and sweet tangerine couldn’t be more refreshing.

Tomatoes are technically a fruit, and that’s how I treat them. This sorbet, which should be made at the height of tomato season with the ripest fruits, showcases that characteristic sweet-acid tomato flavor in its coldest form. A scoop of this sorbet can be the start of a not-so-traditional Bloody Mary, and it could also find its way into a bowl of gazpacho. Try pairing it with the Raspberry-Rose Water Soup (page 62), too.