Parisian flan is not the quivering, caramel-doused custard of Spanish origin. Rather, it’s a tart with a cheesecake-like stature. Some versions are crustless while others, like this, include a sturdy but buttery pastry. But the focal point always is a thick, smooth layer of pastry cream-like filling that forms a burnished “skin” in the oven. With just the right amount of richness and sweetness and a “set,” sliceable texture, flan pâtissier can be enjoyed as a snack or served as dessert. At Amazonia restaurant in Paris, Stéphane Jimenez made his version using equipment common in professional French kitchens, but we achieved great results using a standard 9-inch springform pan. Note that dark nonstick pans and light-colored pans require slightly different baking times, as indicated in the recipe. Jimenez said the filling could be flavored any number of ways, but we kept things simple with a double dose of vanilla in the form of bean (or powder or paste) plus extract.

Don't worry if the onions caramelize unevenly. A handful of pale slices won't affect the dish's final flavor, but the bulk should be deep, dark brown—almost mahogany—in color. Underbrowned onions won't lend the dish the proper depth of flavor because they lack complex bittersweet notes.

Kibbeh, a popular dish throughout the Levant, is a spiced mixture of bulgur and ground meat. It may be layered with stuffing in a baking dish and baked or shaped into small portions, filled and fried, with the goal of getting a toasty, browned crust that brings out the nuttiness of the bulgur. In this version, we skip the stuffing and form the mixture into patties, then pan-fry them, rather than deep-fry, for ease. We use ground beef, but you could sub in 12 ounces of ground lamb. Pine nuts add their distinct, slightly resinous flavor to the mix. Toast them in a small skillet over medium-low, shaking the pan frequently, until light golden brown and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Serve the kibbeh, yogurt-tahini sauce and lemon wedges for squeezing with warmed flatbread.

This is a quick way to turn leftover refried black beans into a satisfying soup. We like to serve it with sour cream, lime wedges, tortilla chips or toasted pepitas, and hot sauce.

In Oaxaca, black beans are a part of almost every meal. Though they sometimes are served whole, we especially liked the balanced, complex flavor and smooth, velvety consistency of refried black beans. We got a lesson in the importance of the daily basic from Rodolfo Castellanos, Oaxaca native and winner of Top Chef Mexico, and his mother. Lard gives these beans a rich meatiness, but coconut oil is a good vegetarian substitute. For a quicker version, see our pressure cooker variation. The beans can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. We liked this topped with cotija and fresh cilantro.

The lessons we learned in Italy on how to make classic basil pesto also apply to nontraditional pestos such as this one. Grind the cheese, don’t grate it. Roughly chop the herbs before processing. Add the ingredients to the processor in stages rather than dump them all in all at once. Use pasta-cooking water to marry the pesto and noodles. In this recipe, Parmesan and walnuts add rich, meaty flavor; sage brings woodsy, earthy notes; parsley brightens with its fresh flavor; and a small amount of ricotta ties everything together with its creaminess.

Carrots roasted in a moderately hot oven for almost an hour become super-sweet and almost meltingly tender. We start them coated with olive oil but drizzle them with melted butter partway through roasting. The milk solids in the butter caramelize in the oven, adding a rich, nutty fragrance and flavor. Za’atar, a Middle Eastern seed and spice blend, and orange zest and juice bring complexity to the dish. Pistachios and sweet-tart pomegranate molasses are finishing touches that make this dish special. Bunch carrots—the type sold with their greens attached—are especially good here because they’re slender and fresh. If using carrots with especially thick upper portions, after halving them lengthwise, halve them again to create more uniform pieces.

We like to serve this sauce over ice cream, but it can also be drizzled over fresh fruit. We prefer to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder here (our favorite is from Droste), but other cocoa powders will work. Our favorite unsweetened chocolate is Hershey's Unsweetened Chocolate Baking Bar.