Dairy Free

Granola is easy to make, and will keep for weeks. Toasting the oats, wheat germ, and walnuts before combining with the other ingredients deepens their flavor and ensures a satisfying crunch.

THIS RECIPE WAS CREATED TO GO WITH the Red, White, and Green Vegetable “Lasagne” (page 163), but it can be used just as you would any pesto—in omelets, tossed with pasta, or as a savory dip.

HOMEMADE CROUTONS ARE IN A CATEGORY all their own—boxed croutons just can’t compete and are usually full of additives. Given leftover artisanal bread and a few herbs, nothing could be easier. Thrown in a salad or topping a soup, herbed croutons add a satisfying crunch to every dish. Even the most finicky kid will grab a handful to snack on.

THIS IS OUR BASIC RED SAUCE and a recipe you will turn to again and again. It’s one of the most versatile marinara sauces around, topping pasta, homemade pizza, or fresh seafood.

EVERYONE HAS A FAVORITE cranberry sauce recipe, made once a year for Thanksgiving, but cranberry sauce is so versatile it really should be a year-round condiment. This is a longtime Pasta & Co favorite, where dried sour cherries add sweetness and depth to the tart cranberries. You can find sour cherries at specialty stores, often in the bulk food section.

THIS RECIPE BEGAN AS A MARINADE for poached chicken, but it was so delicious we now sell it as a dip. Poured over a wedge of soft Brie cheese or served in a flat-bottomed bowl alongside bread, it makes an easy starter to any meal. A mix of golden and Thompson seedless raisins provides a sweet contrast. See photograph on page 237.

Wasabi mayonnaise adds a kick to any sandwich. It tastes great with seafood, especially when it’s mixed in a shrimp salad.

MAKING MAYONNAISE FROM SCRATCH is easy and worth the effort; the flavors are much more intense than in store-bought mayonnaise. If you don’t have time to make your own, look for a brand that is free of hydrogenated oils. Mayonnaise easily takes on new flavors, and adding ingredients, such as pesto and wasabi, makes unusual and savory sandwich spreads and vegetable dips.

CREATED TWENTY YEARS AGO by Pasta & Co founder Marcella Rosene, this unique blend of dried herbs is exceptionally versatile.

YOU CAN’T BUY THIS INTENSELY FLAVORED STOCK anywhere; you have to make it yourself from fresh crab shells. In the Pacific Northwest there are two types of crab available, Dungeness and Alaska king crabs. We use Dungeness for its sweet crab flavor, but king crab can be substituted. We don’t recommend using Atlantic blue crabs, as they have a completely different flavor. In my house, making the stock always comes the day after a crab feast. Crab stock is a wonderful base for any fish stew, but it plays the starring role in the Crab Mac and Cheese (page 74). Without it, the cheese overwhelms the flavorful crab.

A far cry from anything in a bottle, this intensely flavored syrup tastes great over waffles, pancakes, and even ice cream. You can use one type of berry or a combination of berries.

FRUIT SALADS ARE BEST when based on what’s in season. While the fruit may change, I always use a delicious vanilla syrup that works wonders with any combination. Below is a list of what fruits you’ll find in season that pair well in this salad.

Using the oven to toast nuts is best. You get more uniformly toasted nuts than in a skillet on the stove, and there’s less chance of burning them (if you set a timer, that is). Let toasted nuts cool completely before using them in a recipe or storing in an airtight container.

ANYONE WHO’S COOKED WITH ME KNOWS I LOVE CAPERS. (If I had my way, I’d write a caper cookbook.) Here’s a dish I’ve made at home for years that we now sell at Pasta & Co. The rich flavor of cauliflower balances perfectly with the lemon and capers, while the red onion gives the dish a hint of color and a little crunch.

This confit is truly versatile. It can be used as a thickener in a soup or sauce, a flavor and texture boost to potato salad, or a filling for pork or beef sandwiches.

THE MUCH-MALIGNED BRUSSELS SPROUT can be the hit of the dinner table with just a few added ingredients. A sprinkling of garlic bread crumbs on top gives a nice crunch.