Recipe Sifter

Singapore-style rice stick noodles loaded with chicken, barbecued pork, and shrimp, tossed with curry powder, Chinese mushrooms, snow peas, and bell pepper. A one-wok feast worth the effort.

Texas caviar made from dried black beans slow-simmered with a smoky ham hock, then tossed with sauteed peppers, onions, and fresh tomatoes. A Lone Star classic side dish.

Onions slow-braised in butter for an hour until deeply caramelized, finished with Madeira wine, and tossed with pasta and Parmesan. Five ingredients, one knockout sauce.

Finnish summer vegetable soup with fresh garden vegetables, shrimp, and a silky cream-enriched broth. Keskeitto celebrates peak-season produce in a light, delicate one-pot soup.

Ryzi me araka is a classic Greek rice and peas dish cooked pilaf-style with olive oil and onion. Six ingredients, one pot, and naturally vegetarian.

Basic vegan cream soup: a flexible template using any vegetable, enriched with miso and tahini instead of dairy. Silky, dairy-free, and endlessly adaptable to what's in the fridge.

Grilled swordfish steaks brushed with a reduced orange juice and red wine vinegar glaze, topped with a fresh orange, tomato, and red onion relish with cilantro.

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.

Gateaux piments, Mauritian chilli cakes made from soaked chana dal, green chilies, turmeric, and fresh herbs. Deep-fried into crispy golden fritters.

Coconut Joys are no-bake coconut balls made with butter, powdered sugar, and shredded coconut, filled with melted dark chocolate. Four ingredients, no oven, dangerously addictive.

A milk-based sourdough starter jump-started with yeast: flour, water and yeast left to ferment, then enriched with milk, sugar and flour. Keep it in the fridge and feed it after each use for ongoing baking.

A festive bread machine loaf studded with maraschino cherries, candied fruit, dates, and walnuts in a rich buttery egg dough. Holiday baking made effortless. One loaf, zero fuss.

Rich chocolate cream pie with a hint of cinnamon, cooked slow in a double boiler and crowned with golden meringue. Old-fashioned diner-style pie from scratch.

Guisado rico, a Mexican pork stew with roasted loin simmered in green chiles, tomatoes, beer, and chicken broth. Served in bowls with cilantro, refried beans, and warm tortillas.

Orange cranberry bread: a festive holiday quick bread with cranberry-orange sauce, walnuts, and an apple jelly glaze. A fluted ring loaf that's stunning for gifting or brunch.

Master white bread recipe from 1941 with just six ingredients: flour, water, yeast, sugar, salt, and shortening. A classic two-loaf recipe with three rises and a hot oven bake.