24 poling recipes

Real-deal Tex-Mex fajitas with skirt steak rubbed in cumin and red chile, marinated in lime juice and pickled jalapenos, then seared screaming hot. Charred outside, pink inside, wrapped in warm tortillas.

Indian-style deep-fried whitefish marinated in a garlic, cumin, coriander, and star anise paste with lemon juice. Crispy, golden, and packed with warm spice.

Green lentil veggie burgers with grated carrots, breadcrumbs, garlic, and parsley, bound with egg and grilled. Served with a quick homemade tomato sauce over brown rice.

Fish fillets steamed in foil parcels with a fragrant Malaysian coconut paste of shredded coconut, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, and curry powder. A 30-minute Southeast Asian steamed fish recipe.

Peppered seafood sausage: fresh fish, shrimp, jalapeños, and cilantro ground together, stuffed into hog casings, and gently poached. A Southwestern take on fish sausage, bound with egg whites and brightened by cumin and lemon.

Authentic-tasting mole in under an hour using jarred paste, Mexican chocolate, and a simple trick. Smoky, rich sauce coats tender boiled chicken for a weeknight win.

Turkey mole empanadas wrapped in flaky puff pastry with cilantro and scallions. Baked golden in 10 minutes for an easy Mexican-inspired appetizer with rich, spiced filling.

Eat heartily, accompanied by much loud Italian conversation. In fact, I typed this accompanied by much loud Italian conversation. My parents were here, and both were shouting instructions over my shoulder. They disagreed about the arrangement of the lettuce - my mother said that the hole in the middle of the platter was necessary; my father insisted that it wasn't, saying you can just dump the tuna on top of the lettuce. I finally had to give up on this reply until they went home. So now, in the peace and quiet of the aftermath, I've finished it. Hope you had a wonderful holiday.