Recipe Sifter

Pasta with zucchini and roasted garlic tossed with thyme and rosemary. The garlic roasts in a foil packet while the pasta cooks, then gets mashed into a creamy sauce. Simple and vegan.

Grilled swordfish plates over herbed couscous ringed with a quick vegetable minestrone broth of garlic, basil, and fresh herbs. Light Mediterranean dinner with three textures.

Northern white beans slow-simmered with pancetta, bratwurst, and chicken in chicken stock with thyme and bay leaves. A hearty one-pot bean stew with real depth.

Finnish fish chowder layered with salmon, clams, shrimp, bacon, potatoes, and red cabbage in a milk broth. A hearty Nordic soup that freezes beautifully.

Open-faced grilled vegetable sandwich on walnut bread with hummus-tahini spread, shallot-Dijon vinaigrette, portobello, fennel, zucchini, and bell peppers. Vegetarian Mediterranean.

Slow cooker beef daube braised in white wine and brandy with shallots, ham, orange peel, and Provencal herbs. A French stew made effortless in a crockpot.

Vegan oatburgers with mushrooms, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and herbs. Baked until firm with a savory, meaty flavor. Makes a big batch of 20 to 25 patties.

Potato-tomato bisque with rehydrated sun-dried tomatoes, corn, celery, and thyme in a half-pureed base thickened naturally with blended potatoes and low-fat milk. A creamy, low-fat soup with concentrated tomato flavor.

Pork Collioure stew braises pork shoulder in white wine and tarragon vinegar, then finishes with horseradish, mustard, cream, and parsnips. A French Catalan Mediterranean stew with a sharp, mustardy-creamy final pour.

Homemade turkey sausage gets its juiciness from a little pureed bacon worked into lean ground turkey, then seasoned with brandy, thyme, and clove. Shape into patties or stuff into casings for a leaner sausage with real backbone.

No-fat oven fried chicken breasts coated in Parmesan breadcrumbs with rosemary, thyme, and a buttermilk dip. Baked at high heat until golden and crispy without any oil.

Friday night pot roast marinated overnight in red wine, apple juice, and aromatics, then braised low and slow for 4 hours. A make-ahead roast with a reduced wine sauce, served chilled and reheated.

French chicken Normande with boneless breasts sauteed in butter with shallots, simmered in wine with Granny Smith apples, and finished with cream and broiled mozzarella.

Homemade Jamaican jerk seasoning paste with allspice, scallions, thyme, scotch bonnet pepper, and fresh lime juice. Blend and rub on any meat for authentic island heat.

Honey and lemon marinated leg of lamb roasted with potatoes, fresh rosemary, thyme, and oregano. One pan, up to a 24-hour marinade, and a beautifully gilded finish.

French-style cream cheese spread with garlic, herbs, white wine vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. A make-ahead no-cook appetizer that develops deep flavor overnight in the fridge.