10,000 bitter recipes

Skillet garlic croutons toasted in butter with thyme. Homemade croutons with real garlic flavor in 15 minutes, far better than anything from a box.

Kratzet, the Swiss-German shredded pancake (cousin of Austrian kaiserschmarrn). Eggy crepe batter cooked, torn into pieces, and crisped in butter. Serve with stewed fruit.

Buttered Belgian endive: sliced endive braised in butter, lemon juice, and water until tender-crisp. A classic French bistro side for roasted meats, fish, or eggs.

Musmehlmus is a Swiss whole wheat mush simmered in milk until creamy, finished with browned butter and rye bread cubes. Traditional Alpine comfort with a crisp bottom crust.

Rustic corn soup thickened with hard-boiled egg yolks from a 1936 Pennsylvania Dutch cookbook. Half the corn is grated for creamy base, half left whole for sweet bursts of texture.

Savory cheese snack crackers with butter, grated cheese, and a kick of cayenne. Slice-and-bake dough that keeps in the fridge for fresh crackers anytime you need them.

Fried bananas almandine sautes split bananas with sliced almonds in clarified butter, served over warm chocolate sauce spiked with Grand Marnier. A classic French-leaning dessert that comes together in under 20 minutes.

Easy dill biscuits made from refrigerated buttermilk biscuits split, tossed in dill butter, and baked until golden. A four-ingredient side ready in under 20 minutes.

Sauteed salmon steaks with mustard, butter, and apple cider. A simple 4-ingredient pan-seared fish dinner ready in 25 minutes. Works with any large fish steak.

Kottopoula Me Mpamiez is a traditional Greek chicken and okra stew braised in tomatoes and butter. A vinegar sun-dry on the okra is the secret to a sauce without slime.

Chutney cheese toasts topped with sauteed bacon, onion, and fresh tomato then grilled until the cheese melts golden. A savory open-faced snack ready in 30 minutes.

Curried parsnip fritters pan-fried in butter until golden brown. Boiled parsnips pureed with eggs, flour, and curry powder, then served with rice and gravy. A parsnip-hater's conversion recipe.

Flaky whole wheat paratha made with ghee-layered dough, rolled, folded, and griddle-fried until crisp and golden. Just 3 ingredients for authentic Indian flatbread at home.

Creamed cucumbers boil cucumbers tender, then toss in a paprika-spiked béchamel of butter, flour, and milk. A vintage Scandinavian-leaning side dish for fish and roast pork.

Pan-fried asparagus spears wrapped in prosciutto, dredged in flour, and dipped in egg for a golden, crispy coating. An elegant Italian appetizer that turns simple asparagus into something special.

New Zealand salmon steaks poached in foil with lemon and butter, chilled until the natural juices set into jelly, then served cold with warm Hollandaise sauce.