Dairy Free

These pears may be refrigerated in their cooking liquid overnight.

If you cannot find pluots, a plum-apricot hybrid, you can substitute more plums.

The lemon slices can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 day.

This recipe is versatile. You can use any firm-flesh pears or apples—or a combination; just be sure the size of the fruits you use is uniform. You can also try another dry whole spice (such as cinnamon or cloves) in place of the star anise.

When put directly on the grill, potatoes will burn before they are cooked through. Parboiling potatoes and wrapping them in a foil packet with seasonings allows for perfectly grilled potatoes with lots of golden, flavorful bits. See page 619 for more spice-mix suggestions.

If making this in advance, wait to add the cucumber until just before serving.

Romesco sauce, from the Catalonian region of Spain, is traditionally served with shellfish. We serve our version with roasted potatoes. It’s even better the next day, when the flavors have had a chance to blend: Refrigerate it overnight in a covered container, and bring to room temperature before serving.

Halving the yams before roasting greatly reduces the cooking time and allows them to develop a nice golden crust.

A copper gratin dish or cast-iron skillet is ideal for roasting potatoes, but a rimmed baking sheet works equally well. To ensure the potatoes cook evenly, slice larger ones in half lengthwise and leave smaller ones whole.

Make sure to use at least a 5-quart saucepan so the oil won’t bubble over.

Because the potatoes are cooked and served whole, be sure to select those that are similar in size to ensure they cook evenly.

A Japanese or French mandoline is great for slicing vegetables uniformly—anywhere from very thin to thick—and takes much less time than slicing by hand with a knife.