110 first recipes

Mexican-style red rice with tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, and vegetable broth, finished with green peas and pimiento. Toast the rice in oil first for fluffy, flavorful grains.

I LOVE THIS RECIPE:) Asparagus salad is typical of many Chinese vegetable salads, in that the vegetable is first steamed, then cooled, before slicing and dressing.

Authentic tandoori marinade with drained yogurt, fresh ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, and hot chilies. Draining the yogurt first is the step most recipes skip.

Avocado banana baby food mashes equal parts ripe avocado and banana into a smooth, naturally creamy first food for babies. Two ingredients, no cooking, packed with healthy fats and potassium for growing little ones.

Spicy lamb braised in a fresh paste of chilli, lemongrass, galangal, and turmeric with coconut milk, the meat first tenderized with papaya skin. Served with a sharp green papaya salad dressed in lime and fish sauce.

This is one of my favorites. Deep fried tofu with a peanut sauce for dipping. This one calls for pressing the tofu first. It makes it denser.

This is a great bread to serve with a soup or salad meal.After the first day, it is wonderful toasted. Try it, too, as a sandwich bread.

Old-fashioned boiled fruitcake with raisins and warm spices. Simple one-bowl method where you boil fruit first then fold into spiced flour for incredibly moist cake.

Fresh asparagus and earthy morel mushrooms dressed in a wild mushroom vinaigrette celebrating the best of spring. Elegant first course that showcases seasonal ingredients with refined simplicity.

Master method for cooking duck: first steam to render fat and tenderize, then roast at moderate heat for crisp skin. The two-stage technique pros use for perfectly rendered, crackling-skinned duck.

Classic French leek and potato soup made with just leeks, potatoes, butter, and stock. A 5-ingredient gluten-free soup that turns pantry basics into a creamy first course or light supper.

Apple-filled acorn squash with brown sugar, chopped walnuts, and orange zest. Baked cut-side down first for tender flesh, then filled and finished in the oven. A vegan fall side.

Slow cooker veggie chili layers black beans, corn, peppers and crushed tomatoes with spices bloomed in oil first, then simmers all day. A hearty, high-fiber vegetarian chili that's nearly hands-off.

Chocolate raisin snacking cake with cocoa, cinnamon, and chopped nuts, made in one saucepan. Raisins get simmered first to plump them up, and the warm cooking liquid goes right into the batter.

Hummus bi tahini is the traditional Middle Eastern chickpea dip, blended creamy with tahini, lemon, olive oil, and garlic. The tahini-first technique gives it that authentic silky texture.

Honey roasted almonds with a sweet sugar-salt coating made from scratch. Oven-roasted first, then glazed with honey and oil on the stovetop for a crunchy snack.