602 water recipes

Old-fashioned rock cookies packed with raisins, chopped dates, and nuts in a spiced brown sugar dough with cinnamon and cloves. Dense, chewy, and fruit-studded, these hold up for days in a cookie tin.

Frosty low-calorie coffee yogurt shake blended with mineral water, a pinch of cinnamon, and ice. A light, creamy pick-me-up that's ready in under 5 minutes.

Potted chicken with bacon, butter, and warm spices baked in a water bath until silky. Old-world Irish preserve sealed under clarified butter for an old-school appetizer or sandwich spread.

Vegetable lasagna made the easy way with uncooked no-boil noodles, layered with sauteed zucchini, peppers, and onion in a creamy three-cheese ricotta filling. No giant pot of boiling water required.

Layered baked frittata with Dungeness crab, charred red peppers, blanched spinach, and Asiago cheese, cooked in a water bath for a silky, custard-like texture. Elegant brunch or light dinner.

Chestnut soup with roasted chestnuts, sauteed onion and celery, simmered in a blend of water and apple juice with soy sauce and nutmeg. A naturally creamy vegetarian soup with no dairy.

Cantonese fish filling for dim sum wontons made with tender flounder, sesame oil, cabbage, scallions, and mushrooms. Light, savory, and ready to wrap in 40 minutes.

Quick peanut butter cookies from a yellow cake mix, peanut butter, egg, and water. Four ingredients, no mixer needed, with that classic fork-pressed crosshatch pattern.

Two-ingredient biscuits using Missouri Mix and water. Kneaded, cut, and baked in just 20 minutes for a dozen fluffy, golden biscuits with almost no effort.

Stewed California figs cooked low and slow in water, with variations using orange, lemon, sherry, ginger, or cinnamon. Serve warm or chilled for breakfast or dessert.

Homemade coconut milk from fresh coconut and boiling water. A simple 2-ingredient method for thick or thin coconut milk used in curries, soups, and desserts.

Dairy-free pancake batter uses warm water instead of milk for tender, fluffy pancakes that work for lactose-free diets. Six ingredients, ready in 10 minutes.

Pate de Chateau Blanc transforms leftover hamburgers into a chilled meat loaf baked in a water bath and topped with cream cheese. A retro party appetizer.

Roasting is one of the best cooking methods for optimizing root vegetables' flavor. Unlike boiling, where water dilutes some of the vegetable's flavor, roasting intensifies it.

Wild duck soaked in lemon water, stuffed with celery, onion, orange, and apple, then slow-roasted under salt pork until tender. A hunter's classic done right.

Aromatic curry stock simmered with onions, ginger, garlic, ghee, cloves, and cardamom. The foundation every Indian curry, biryani, or dal deserves in place of plain water.