24 finest recipes

"Prime rib is one of the most delectable dinners there is. We order it in our favorite upscale restaurant on special occasions, but few consider they have the skill to make it at home. Yes, you do and here's how. It will compare to the finest you've ever eaten and you'll be be amazed at how easy it is to do. It's not a budget dinner, so go to a reputable butcher and buy the best quality 'Prime' Rib roast available.

Golden-fried baby potatoes simmered in a tangy tamarind sauce with cardamom, fennel, turmeric, and cinnamon. This vegetarian dum aloo is Indian comfort food at its finest.

Rainbow trout with lemon, capers, and brown butter is a restaurant classic you can make in 10 minutes. Crisp skin, nutty butter, bright lemon, briny capers. Pan-seared fish at its finest.

Tender boiled cabbage and onion folded into a from-scratch cheddar cheese sauce, topped with buttered breadcrumbs, and baked until bubbly and golden. Old-school comfort at its finest.

Cuspajs is a traditional Hungarian cabbage and potato soup finished with zafrig, a browned flour roux. Simple, hearty peasant cooking at its finest.

Cheesy scalloped potatoes with hash browns, cream of mushroom soup, peppers, and pimentos, topped with crunchy cheese cracker crumbs. One-dish comfort at its finest.

Santa Maria-style grilled tri-tip marinated 24 hours in red wine, olive oil, Worcestershire, soy sauce, and garlic. Central California barbecue at its finest.

Tender pork medallions braised with fennel, mushrooms, and wine in a rich tomato ragout. This Italian-inspired one-pan dinner is comfort food at its finest.

A paprika-rubbed whole roasted chicken stuffed with garlic, orange peel, bay leaves, and rosemary, finished with a reduced pan sauce. Sunday dinner at its finest.

Whole chickens stuffed with sausage dressing and smoked over charcoal for 5 hours with a wine-herb water pan. Louisiana-style backyard smoking at its finest. Serves 8.

Maple-roasted acorn squash, creamy Gorgonzola, and melty mozzarella on a crispy crust, topped with peppery arugula. This vegetarian fall pizza is seasonal eating at its finest.

A hot dog split open, stuffed with American cheese, wrapped in bacon, and deep-fried until it floats. Three ingredients. Zero restraint. State fair eating at its finest.

Norwegian roast venison (dyresteg) seared in butter, roasted to pink perfection, and served with a velvety brown goat cheese, currant jelly, and sour cream sauce. Scandinavian comfort at its finest.

Whole red snapper stuffed with a savory bread, celery, and tomato filling, basted with a tangy lemon-Worcestershire sauce spiked with hot sauce. Gulf Coast flavor at its finest.

Rolled sole fillets stuffed with spinach-nutmeg mousse and a whole shrimp, baked in white wine, then draped in a mushroom cream sauce. Dinner party elegance at its finest.

Callos a la Madrileña is a classic Madrid tripe stew slow-simmered with chorizo, ham, pig's foot, white wine, and smoky paprika. Rustic Spanish comfort food at its finest.