Recipe Sifter

A two-meat chili with cubed pork and beef, pinto beans, green chiles, jalapenos, cumin, and red wine. Simmered low and slow in a Dutch oven, thickened with tortilla flour for serious body.

Crispy flour-dredged soft-shell crabs served on a pool of creamy tomato sauce with creme fraiche, cumin seeds, celery seeds, garlic, and shallots. A restaurant-worthy crab dish with a make-ahead sauce.

Spanish empanadillas stuffed with wine-braised rabbit, fennel and olives, folded into a thyme-scented dough and baked golden. Savory little hand pies for tapas or a Mediterranean spread.

Mom's German meatballs: hearty egg-sized meatballs seasoned with celery seed, mustard seed, and garlic water, rolled in flour and pan-browned. Old-world German-American home cooking.

Onion and tomato tart with anchovies bakes caramelized onions, tomatoes, briny anchovies, and Nicoise olives on a thin yeasted crust. The Provençal pissaladière at home.

Hearty Russian beet soup (borscht) loaded with beef, bacon, kielbasa, cabbage, potatoes, and navy beans in a sweet-sour broth. A slow-simmered weekend project topped with sour cream.

Apple-cheese soup blends tart Granny Smith apples, sharp aged cheddar, and a splash of port into a silky strained bowl finished with crisp bacon. A savory-sweet starter with real depth.

Mustard chicken stir-fry: chicken marinated in a tangy Dijon, soy, ginger and garlic blend that doubles as a glossy pan sauce, stir-fried with snow peas, red pepper and green onion. A fast, East-meets-West weeknight dinner.

French seafood stew (matelote) with canned salmon, prawns, mussels, white fish, and mushrooms simmered in cider-stock broth with basil and lemon: hearty mixed seafood soup.

Simple curry-spiced yeast bread with garlic and parsley for aromatic flavor that pairs beautifully with Indian curries, soups, or as unique sandwich bread.

Artichoke tart in walnut pastry layers marinated artichokes and Gruyère in a custard set inside a buttery walnut crust. An elegant brunch or appetizer tart that serves eight.

Louisiana chicken gumbo with stewing hen, andouille sausage, oysters, and file powder built in a cast iron pot. Browned-hen fond, holy trinity, and oyster liquor give this gumbo serious depth.

Quick asparagus or spinach lasagne with ham, mozzarella, and a garlic-thyme white sauce, finished in the microwave. A versatile weeknight pasta bake ready in 35 minutes.

Grilled black bean and tofu burgers with Thai-inspired flavors like ginger, garlic, and soy, topped with a tangy peanut cilantro sauce and cucumber slices.

An easy main dish chicken recipe. Chicken breast browned and braised in beer, with ham and shrimp.

Beef and onion deep dish pie with ground beef, sweet peas, and sour cream filling under a flaky puff pastry crust. Weeknight comfort with bistro-style golden top.