Recipe Sifter

Red beans and rice with smoked sausage and ham shank, simmered low with thyme, sage, and cayenne. A New Orleans Monday tradition cooked from dried beans.

Four-layer maple walnut torte with a chocolate-coffee-toffee filling and whipped frosting. Vintage potluck cake that splits two layers into four for impressive presentation.

Chinese salad with Bibb and Boston lettuce, napa cabbage, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, and bean sprouts tossed in soy French dressing. Crisp and light.

Beef and stout casserole braises chunks of beef and bacon in a Guinness-thickened roux with shallots, garlic, and herbs. A traditional Irish slow-cooked dish served over boiled potatoes.

Italian tomato pasta salad with elbow macaroni, canned tomatoes, white wine vinegar, herbs, and parmesan. A no-mayo, oil-free cold pasta salad that chills for hours to blend flavors.

Mojan's Indian ice cream is a no-churn kulfi-style frozen dessert perfumed with saffron and dense with chopped almonds and pistachios. Blend, freeze, unmold, serve. No ice cream maker needed.

Barbecued Brisket of Beef: a two-stage brisket braised in apple cider, wine, honey, and soy, then mesquite-smoked on the grill with a reduced glaze. Sliced thin against the grain.

Spice-rubbed pork ribs finished with a sweet-tart currant jelly glaze spiked with orange juice, lemon, and Dijon mustard. Grilled low and slow until the meat pulls clean.

Salmon and shiitake mushrooms steamed in romaine lettuce leaves with fresh mint, ginger, and a teriyaki-lemon dipping sauce. Light, elegant, and full of flavor.

Thai-inspired sweet sticky rice with fresh mango and a vegan tofu cream sauce flavored with honey, vanilla, and cinnamon. A dairy-free twist on a classic dessert.

Hearty beef stew simmered with red wine, tomatoes, new potatoes, carrots, and green beans in a rich broth. No shortcuts, just a proper Dutch oven stew that fills the house with warmth on a cold day.

Eggnog truffles piped into homemade semi-sweet chocolate cups. Milk chocolate and eggnog ganache in a crisp dark shell, perfect for holiday candy boxes and gifts.

Grilled Thai shrimp marinated in spicy Thai dressing then barbecued in their shells. A 2-ingredient grilled shrimp recipe that lets the marinade do all the talking.

Big-batch beef and pork chili con carne with four kinds of beans, plantain (or banana), molasses, and a deep spice blend. An overnight-marinated chili built for slow simmering and serving a crowd.

Charcoal-grilled pork loin marinated in oyster sauce, soy, and whiskey, sliced thin and piled over steamed sticky rice with fresh cilantro and chilies. A Thai street food feast worth the wait.

Pork ribs roasted with lemon and onion slices, then basted every 15 minutes in a tangy ketchup-Worcestershire sauce until the meat turns mahogany. Dad's method delivers fork-tender ribs with layers of sweet, sour, and savory flavor.