Herbs & Spices

This caramel recipe has the right amount of butter and cream to make it nice and chewy but not too sticky. The honey and corn syrup, which also help to give it a chewy quality, are interchangeable in this recipe. If you don’t have any corn syrup, you can use all honey. Likewise, if you prefer the caramel to taste less like honey, substitute more corn syrup for the honey. Be diligent in watching the candy thermometer: If you overcook caramel by just a few degrees, it will become stiff and hard to bite. Likewise, if you take it off too soon, the caramel won’t be firm enough to stand on its own.

This is one of the best cookie doughs to keep on hand in your freezer, especially if you have kids. Whether you are in need of a rainy day activity or a last-minute gift, pulling this dough out of the refrigerator or freezer, prerolled, gives you a solution at your fingertips. The only effort you will need to make depends on how you choose to decorate the cookies. Because this is such a simple cookie, imperfections in the dough will be hard to hide. For that reason, it is especially important to beat the butter and brown sugar until they are completely smooth. Any lumps of either ingredient will cause noticeable imperfections in the baked cookie and make the cookie more difficult to decorate.

This cookie is a simple variation of Chocolate Chip Cookies (page 24). By switching out the chocolate chips for white chocolate and coconut, you get something a little more exotic. Play around with this base cookie dough and change up the flavor with a variety of different mix-ins. This particular recipe goes well with tropical themes or summery occasions.

Broiling the apricots with a touch of brown sugar draws out their sweetness. Look for apricots that are deep orange, fairly plump, and soft enough to yield to gentle pressure (avoid any that are bruised, mushy, or shriveled).

Mint-steeped simple syrup gives whipped cream surprisingly bright flavor (but no color). Use any leftover syrup to sweeten iced tea or lemonade.

The dark hues of these two fruits complement one another, but you can certainly swap in other berries, such as raspberries, or slices of stone fruit, like nectarines or peaches (all are delicious with ginger). Biscuits are best served the same day they are baked.

New potatoes are really just young potatoes of any variety. They are crisp, waxy, and hold their shape when boiled or roasted, as in the recipes that follow. Try any of these rustic potato dishes with roast chicken, pork, or beef (see page 284).

New potatoes are really just young potatoes of any variety. They are crisp, waxy, and hold their shape when boiled or roasted, as in the recipes that follow. Try any of these rustic potato dishes with roast chicken, pork, or beef (see page 284).

Although traditionally made with rice (riso in Italian), risotto can also be made with pearl barley (and other grains, such as farro) to provide a slightly chewy dish with a nutty flavor.

Dried beans are an inexpensive alternative to canned—once cooked, they also have a better texture and far less sodium. Here the beans are simmered with beets, which infuses them with color and flavor.

Although you could certainly substitute one-quarter cup bottled teriyaki sauce for the homemade version in this recipe, the resulting dish won’t taste nearly as fresh and vibrant.

Made famous in the port city of Veracruz, Mexico, this spicy dish combines jalapeños, olives, tomatoes, and oregano in a pan sauce that surrounds the firm-fleshed snapper as it cooks. Serve with lime wedges and white rice or a simple green salad.