Recipe Sifter

Roman pickles brine fresh lettuce leaves with vinegar, dill, fennel, and salt for an ancient pickling method straight from Columella's first-century cookbook. Crisp, briny, and unexpectedly fresh.

Hawaiian laulau with pork shoulder and salmon wrapped in luau leaves and ti leaves, steamed for 3 to 4 hours. A traditional island dish with just four ingredients.

Roast turkey with chestnut stuffing rubbed in a butter-flour paste for golden, crispy skin. A Pennsylvania heritage recipe roasted low and slow until tender.

Five-ingredient tofu burgers with grated carrot, leeks, and toasted sesame seeds. Pan-fried until crispy and golden. Inspired by Frances Moore Lappe's plant-based classics.

Giant cookie studded with dates, almonds, and orange zest, baked on a pizza pan and sliced into wedges. Fun 30-minute dessert.

Homemade garam masala from whole roasted cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and mace ground fresh. This essential Indian spice blend takes 20 minutes and blows store-bought versions out of the water.

Simple garlic butter spread with softened butter and crushed garlic. A 2-ingredient base for garlic bread, grilled meats, roasted vegetables, and savory fillings.

Slow-simmered Mexican pinto beans cooked with salt pork, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. A four-hour, from-scratch bean pot that gets thick and rich without any mashing.

Flourless raspberry truffle cake made with a full pound of melted chocolate, whipped egg whites, and butter. Topped with sweetened cream, fresh raspberries, and chocolate curls.

Homemade semolina pasta with just durum semolina flour, all-purpose flour, and water. No eggs needed. A simple, eggless fresh pasta dough with satisfying chew and golden color.

Chinese-style steamed stuffed clams with cherrystones, minced pork, ginger, scallion, and soy. A dim sum appetizer with delicate seafood layered over savory pork in the half shell.

Chicken scaloppine with oregano is a fast Italian classic: thin pounded chicken breasts dredged in flour, pan-seared golden in butter and oil, and finished with oregano and a quick white wine pan sauce.

Southwestern chicken salad: crisp lettuce, southwest veggies, and chicken tossed in a creamy chipotle-ranch and sweet-spicy BBQ dressing. A fast, no-fuss salad with a kick.

Grilled shrimp skewered on fresh rosemary branches, marinated in lemon, garlic, and chili, then served over a bright cherry tomato and black olive salsa. A showstopping Mediterranean appetizer or light main.

Checkerboard cookies, a visually striking shortbread-style cookie with alternating vanilla and chocolate squares. An impressive icebox cookie for holiday tins.

Master flank steak marinade method using only barbecue sauce. Layer, refrigerate, grill, and slice against the grain for juicy beef every time.