54 steeped recipes

Quick couscous bowl: pearl couscous steeped in chicken broth, topped with sauteed zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and a can of minestrone. 20-minute pantry dinner that feels homemade.

Homemade licorice liqueur made by steeping real licorice root in vodka for a week, then sweetening with sugar syrup. Three ingredients, two weeks, and a bold anise-flavored spirit.

Brine for roasted chicken steeps a whole bird overnight in salt, brown sugar, lemon, garlic, bay, peppercorns, jalapeno, and Mediterranean herbs. The result: juicier, deeper-seasoned roast chicken from skin to bone.

Peaches with white wine: ripe peeled peaches steeped in dry white wine for an hour, then served in wine glasses topped with sweetened mascarpone-yogurt cream. The Italian summer dessert that cooks itself.

Orange and coffee bean cordial: a whole orange studded with coffee beans, sugar cubes, and vanilla, steeped in cognac for two months. Classic French-style homemade digestif, no special equipment needed.

Traditional Russian tea steeped with whole cloves and sweet apple cider. Strain, sweeten with honey or strawberry jam, and serve hot for a spiced, warming drink.

Roasted garlic whole grain mustard steeps yellow and black mustard seeds in apple cider vinegar overnight, then blends with a head of mellow roasted garlic and maple syrup. A homemade condiment worth jarring as a gift.

Homemade peach liqueur infused with fresh peaches, vodka, lemon peel, and cinnamon. A DIY fruit liqueur that steeps for 8 weeks into a smooth, fragrant sipping cordial or cocktail mixer.

Homemade cinnamon liqueur steeped with cloves, coriander, vodka, and brandy. Three weeks from jar to glass, and it makes a gorgeous homemade gift.

Homemade coffee liqueur with vodka, instant coffee, sugar, and real vanilla bean. A DIY Kahlua-style drink that steeps for two weeks in the bottle.

Homemade peppermint liqueur with just vodka, mint extract, and sugar syrup. Steep for two weeks for a smooth, minty after-dinner drink or cocktail mixer.

Homemade cranberry cordial steeped with vodka and brandy for one month. A gorgeous ruby-red holiday liqueur that makes a stunning handmade gift. Keeps for up to 3 months.

Homemade vanilla bean extract with just two ingredients: chopped vanilla beans steeped in brandy for two weeks. Richer than store-bought and endlessly refillable.

Chicken and rosemary dumplings made from scratch with a rosemary-steeped tea mixed into the biscuit batter. Tender poached chicken in a hearty vegetable broth topped with fluffy herb dumplings.

Steep fresh grated ginger with cinnamon, cloves, and citrus juices to create a spiced concentrate that's refreshing served over ice or mixed with soda water.

Iced lemongrass tea steeped from fresh or dried lemongrass and sweetened to taste. A caffeine-free Vietnamese herbal iced tea with a bright citrus flavor.