Condiment

This recipe is an accompaniment for Stilton Tart with Cranberry Chutney .

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

No Thanksgiving dinner would be complete without cranberry relish. It can be made in large batches if you want to make enough for the winter.

A charming alchemy takes place when you "quick-pickle" red onions. They act very sweetly with a wide range of birds, meat, and fish, and I also use them in Papas a la Huancaina and Conch Salad.

This Middle Eastern spice mixture is so delicious we suggest doubling the recipe and using the extra for a snack: Dunk some bread (such as pita) in flavorful olive oil and then in the za'atar. Or sprinkle za'atar over plain yogurt and drizzle with olive oil, and you've got a terrific dip.

Salsa de Chile Serrano Frito Serrano chiles give this Mexican sauce its bite and light green color. Use it on warm tortillas or grilled meats.

"While in Vancouver, we had a wonderful meal at Diva at the Met. The star of the show was the Stilton cheesecake. Could you persuade the chef to part with the recipe?" asks Mark Horne of Laurel, Mississippi. Editors' note: Pairing Stilton and rhubarb may sound like a joke, but we had to try it. It turns out that the joke's on us — the combination is terrific. Chef Michael Noble caramelizes the top with a blowtorch, but we think the cheesecake is also delicious without the crackly crust.

Anne Rowland of Cohasset, Massachusetts, writes: "The Quincy Ships Brewing Company, south of Boston, is one of our favorite places. We especially love their citrus salsa, which they serve with chips." The restaurant has closed, but this spicy salsa is as good as ever.

I typically toast 1/4 cup peppercorns at a time (it's hard to grind much less) and use any extra powder in seasoning rubs, flatbreads, and stir-fries. However, once ground, this spice quickly loses its pungency—discard it once it is no longer vibrantly fragrant.

Purchased roasted sweet red peppers, available in jars, make this snappy relish very easy to prepare.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Serve this colorful salsa with grilled fish or chicken, or with black beans and rice.

Liven up chicken pibil with these pretty-in-pink, spicy-as heck pickled onions.