Believed to originate in Baja California, Mexico, circa 1950, fish tacos combine Indigenous, Asian, and European culinary traditions into one perfect bite. This extremely versatile version from Lourdes Castro is one of our favorite ways to make them on a weeknight. While Castro opts for corn tortillas, you can swap in flour tortillas if you prefer. Can’t find crema mexicana in your local market? Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice to sour cream (preferably a Mexican variety) and mix until it’s the right taco-drizzling consistency. (If you keep Greek yogurt on hand, you can swap it in, though you might want to thin it with a little water so things don’t get too tangy.)

Here’s the problem with homemade stock: It’s so good that it doesn’t last long. What’s needed is something you can produce more or less on the spot. Although water is a suitable proxy in small quantities, when it comes to making the bubbling, chest-warming soups that we rely on in winter, water needs some help. Fortunately, there are almost certainly flavorful ingredients sitting in your fridge or pantry that can transform water into a good stock in a matter of minutes. This recipe is meant to be fast, so by ‘‘simmer,’’ I mean as little as five minutes and no more than 15. You can season these stocks at the end with salt and pepper to taste, or wait until you’re ready to turn them into full-fledged soups.

Here’s the problem with homemade stock: It’s so good that it doesn’t last long. What’s needed is something you can produce more or less on the spot. Although water is a suitable proxy in small quantities, when it comes to making the bubbling, chest-warming soups that we rely on in winter, water needs some help. Fortunately, there are almost certainly flavorful ingredients sitting in your fridge or pantry that can transform water into a good stock in a matter of minutes.

Tart and vibrant, sumac is a common seasoning in Middle Eastern cooking. We use it here to balance the sweetness of tomatoes, mixing it into an oniony vinaigrette. The tomatoes, along with an abundance of herbs, get gently tossed in the vinaigrette while a final spoonful of sumac adds a finishing sprinkle of flavor. Note that this salad is best made with perfectly ripe, in-season tomatoes. For added color and flavor contrast, add diced or coarsely crumbled feta cheese.

Jeyuk bokkeum, also known as dwaeji bulgogi, is a popular Korean dish of thinly sliced pork, and oftentimes vegetables, in a vivid red sauce that’s spicy, salty-sweet and super-charged with garlic and umami. Seoul home cook Hakyung Han taught us her version—which, we were happy to learn, goes from skillet to table in a matter of minutes. Fatty, flavorful pork belly, cut into thin slices, is typical for jeyuk bokkeum, but Han used slightly leaner pork shoulder. Because shoulder often is sold only in large roast-size pieces in the U.S., we instead use boneless country-style spareribs, which are meaty fat-streaked slabs, usually ¾ to 1 inch thick, cut from the shoulder area of the animal. Thinly sliced then tossed with gochujang (Korean fermented chili paste), soy sauce, sugar, mirin (sweet rice wine) and gochugaru (Korean chili flakes; sweet paprika is a decent substitute), plus salt and pepper—the pork leaves flavorful drippings in the pan, which add complexity to the finished dish.

In Rome, home of cacio e pepe, six chefs and cooks each taught us their method for making the pasta classic, and once back in the Milk Street kitchen, we got to work devising our own formula. We quickly learned that the variety of pasta—as well as how you harness its starch—are key to achieving the subtly creamy sauce that’s really more a cheesy, clingy coating. Bronze-cut spaghetti is essential. This type of pasta is extruded through a bronze die that leave the noodles with a rough, floury appearance instead of the smooth, sleek sheen of less expensive pastas extruded through nonstick die. (Widely available DeCecco is “bronze drawn” and works in this recipe, as do premium brands such as Rustichella d’Abruzzo.) By using an unconventional method of starting bronze-cut pasta in a minimal amount of room temperature water in a skillet, then using that starchy water as the basis for the “sauce,” we were able to attain the perfect consistency. (Bonus: this technique requires only one pan.)

This bright, bold dish inspired by Senegalese mafe seasons boneless, skinless chicken thighs with the bold flavors of West African peanut stew. A single chili adds just enough spice and fruitiness. Try not to move the thighs until they've browned long enough to release easily from the pan; the browning contributes flavor. It is delicious with warm naan or pita bread.

Seafood and cheese sounds like an unorthodox combination; adding Mexican chocolate sounds like pure lunacy, but it works! I have adapted the recipe from one by Maria Edith Sánchez Sumano in an anthology of the best Oaxacan recipes collected by the Banco Rural (which has done a whole series on the cooking of all 31 Mexican states). Her recipe used the meat of a local spiny lobster, removed from the shell. I have had good results with rock lobster tails cooked in the shell, but if you prefer you could substitute the shelled uncooked meat of two 1½-pound Maine lobsters. The cheese in the original was queso menonita, a sort of cheddar from the northern state of Chihuahua.

Crushed shredded-wheat cereal perked up with spices creates a super-crunchy coating reminiscent of the "Shake 'n Bake" of countless childhoods. Here, it works so well on boneless, skinless chicken thighs that you won’t even miss the crispy skin. For a twist on the classic beloved side dish, buttered peas are showered with Parmesan cheese.

Traditional meatloaf was created as a tasty way to use up leftover vegetables and to stretch meat further during lean times. This easy meatloaf recipe is a classic version, blending ground beef, pork and veal with simple pantry seasonings, but you should feel free to use your preferred combination of meat, such as half pork and half beef. Milk-soaked bread ensures a tender meatloaf, and baking it freeform — on a baking sheet instead of a loaf pan — provides more surface area for the tangy-sweet tomato glaze to caramelize as it bakes. Leftover slices can be crisped in a skillet and served with a salad or tucked into a sandwich. Alternatively, freeze one uncooked loaf for the next time you need to put dinner on the table with ease; simply thaw the night before and bake as directed.

Bigoli is Venice’s signature pasta, a kind of thick spaghetti, sometimes made fresh and sometimes dry. To make bigoli in salsa, you dress these long stands with a simple sauce of onion, simmered low and slow in olive oil so as to coax out its inherent sweetness to the full, to which you add a good dose of anchovies. The onion and anchovy cook together until they meld into a creamy and intensely savory sauce. A sprinkling of fresh parsley can add a bit of color if you like. Don’t let the rather monotone look of the dish fool you. The sweetness of the onion and the intensely briny savor of the anchovies deliver a veritable explosion of favor in your mouth. Be aware, however, that this is definitely a dish where you will taste the anchovies. They’re not just there for their umami as in so many other dishes, but for their own unique assertive flavor that is admittedly not for everyone.

Arborio rice cooked with onion, saffron, wine, and clam juice is dressed up with buttery shrimp and crab. Mascarpone cheese elevates the dish's creaminess factor.

Making a batch of barbecued ribs in the Instant Pot is much faster than doing it on the grill, and you can make them any time of the year. The ribs cook to tenderness in the pot, then get brushed with barbecue sauce and take a quick trip to the oven until nicely browned and caramelized. From The Essential Instant Pot Cookbook: Fresh and Foolproof Recipes for Your Electric Pressure Cooker © 2017 by Coco Morante

Starting spiced skin-on chicken thighs in a cold pan gives the skin extra time to render and crisp. For an easy, one-pan weeknight dinner, the chicken goes on top of a pile of silky cabbage to finish in the oven. Thawing frozen peas under cold water and adding them just for the last five minutes of cooking keeps them tender, sweet, and bright green.

Anthony Bourdain called this super-garlicky spiced mayonnaise "the magical condiment." Rouille is a thick French sauce spiced with saffron, and often served with bouillabaisse or other French seafood soups. Anthony Bourdain created this version to serve with his Soupe de Poisson, a classic seafood soup from the South of France. You can also use it as a dip for shrimp cocktail, a topping for fried eggs, or as a spread on sandwiches. We especially love using leftover rouille in a grilled cheese sandwich.

My favorite method and the easiest way to cook beans because most of the time they aren’t cooking at all; they’re soaking. Incredibly, if you start a pot of dried beans from scratch without soaking and start a pot with this method, both will be ready at about the same time, with no difference in taste or texture. What changes is that you don’t have to check as much or add water as often if you soak them.

According to legend (and lots of reliable reporting), the salad was created by Cesare Cardini (whose name is sometimes misspelled as “Caesar Cardini”), an Italian American chef who moved his restaurant to Tijuana from San Diego after the start of Prohibition. The spot became popular both with locals and visiting Americans (who poured over the border regularly to wet their whistles); as such, the restaurant often ran out of ingredients. On one such night, when the restaurant’s usual salad was 86’d, Cardini threw together a combination of romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, eggs, and Worcestershire sauce. The result was so good, he added it to the menu.

From: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

A slightly lighter version of the all-American classic, this satisfying meatloaf uses chicken broth and soaked panko to stay moist, and a mix of fresh herbs for flavor. It’s the best turkey meatloaf you’ll find!

This is a simple and straightforward roasted chicken that makes a buttery, yet bright sauce from the juices. The fresh herbs and lemon halves that are tucked in the cavity don’t season the chicken per se, but they do contribute flavor and aroma to the juices that are the base of the sauce. And the acidity of the lemon mellows slightly with cooking, so the juice that’s squeezed into the sauce at the end doesn’t overwhelm with tanginess. Roasting on a flat wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet allows for improved heat circulation, resulting in better browning and more even cooking; a broiler pan with a slotted top works nicely, too.

Pan-frying fresh or frozen store-bought tortellini lets the pasta brown and crisp in spots before a splash of water finishes steam-cooking them to al dente perfection. This two-step method lends a deeper flavor and more interesting texture than simply cooking tortellini in a pot of boiling water. Perhaps the true win here is that you only need one skillet to prepare both the pasta and its sauce. Here, tender asparagus and smoky Spanish chorizo combine with the tortellini in a single pan for a simple and satisfying spring-inspired meal.

Homemade salad dressing seems difficult to make, but it’s actually easy — and much tastier than anything you can buy at a store, Ina Garten says. The “Barefoot Contessa” says it’s the one recipe everyone should know how to make. Here’s how to make her favorite creamy mustard vinaigrette. (video)

There are recipes that are arguably better left to restaurant chefs, but pasta alla vodka isn’t one of them. The dish is easy, requires little prep time, and is deeply satisfying. Instead of canned tomatoes or tomato sauce, our version of this iconic Italian pasta dish relies on an entire tube of double-concentrate tomato paste, which according to Molly, contains 27 tomatoes per tube. Texture is key here; you want a glossy sauce. When you smash the garlic to remove the peels, be sure to give the cloves a good hard whack with the back of the knife so they melt into the sauté. A dash of chile flakes adds warmth without making things too spicy, but feel free to add more if you like it hot. Combining the cream with boiling water—and switching the stove to low heat before mixing it in—ensures the pasta sauce doesn’t break. Meanwhile, grating Parmesan on the smallest side of a box grater helps the cheese become one with the tomato-based sauce.

Reprinted with permission from Rodney Scott's World of BBQ: Every Day is a Good Day by Rodney Scott and Lolis Eric Elie Copyright © 2021 by Rodney Scott’s BBQ, LLC, a South Carolina limited liability company. Photographs copyright © 2021 by Jerrelle Guy. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

For bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs with crackly skin and juicy meat, start them in a cold pan, skin-side down, then leave them mostly undisturbed. For more even browning, you could press them down and rotate the skillet, but either way, if you’re off doing something else, the gradual, moderate heat will slowly render the skin golden-crisp. Finish cooking the chicken on the second side, let the chicken rest, then consider how you’ll use all that flavorful fat that’s accumulated in the skillet: Sauté any vegetables, crisp beans, make toast or stir the liquid left in the skillet into a pan sauce.

This side dish, adapted from “Xi’an Famous Foods” by Jason Wang, is a departure from what most of us consider a potato salad. Yukon Golds are julienned (that is, cut into matchsticks), boiled until tender but with a hint of bite, dressed in vinegar, tossed with a sizzling spice-infused oil and finished with scallions and cilantro. The sourness of the vinegar along with the heat of the chilies and tongue-tingling quality of the Sichuan peppercorns brings bold flavor to earthy, mild potatoes. A mandoline fitted with the julienne blade is the fastest, easiest way to prep the potatoes; the matchsticks should measure about ⅛ inch on four sides, but their length isn’t so important. Or, if you’re up for honing your knife skills, use a chef’s knife instead. Either way, make sure to purchase medium-sized potatoes, not small ones, so prep is easier. Sweet paprika lends color and earthy notes to the oil, but if you don’t have any on hand, simply omit it. The salad will still be delicious.

Fry up pork for this classic, crunchy schnitzel, and serve with German potato salad for a simple, satisfying meal.

Here is a fresh and simple way to prepare salmon that is ready in about 20 minutes. Most of that time will be spent preparing the vegetables. You do have to blanch, core and chop the tomatoes, but that is quick work. (We won't tell if you use the canned, diced sort instead. Just drain them first.) Once that's done, sauté the fish and set aside. Throw tomatoes, leeks, lemon juice and freshly ground pepper into the pan and sauté for a quick minute. Spoon over the fish and serve.

The best method for cooking pork tenderloin, one that has a golden crust with a truly juicy interior, is to first pan-sear it and then finish it in the oven. A lean cut like this can become very dry if overcooked, so the move is to go hot and fast—which also means dinner is ready in about half an hour if you’ve marinated the pork earlier in the day. A big batch of a tangy-sweet mixture of honey, mustard, and apple cider vinegar gets split in half to serve as both marinade and sauce in this simple recipe. The honey helps create a nice crust on the meat in a shorter amount of time. Grab an instant-read thermometer—it’s a great tool to take the guesswork out of cooking perfectly done pork. This pork tenderloin recipe serves six; it’s ideal for a dinner party, served alongside a big green salad and some roasted potatoes. But it can also easily be halved for a weeknight dinner for two or three.

Some days you just don’t have time to make chicken pot pie. I wish this weren’t the case, but it is. On those days, to enjoy the classic flavors of a pot pie—buttery puff pastry, shredded meat, tender vegetables, and a wine-and-cream-spiked sauce—you have to conceive of a simpler, time-saving workaround. Enter this soup, which is a spoonable take on pot pie filling, served with torn pieces of crispy puff pastry alongside. Start with store-bought rotisserie chicken or a couple cooked breasts from the grocery store hot bar, and roll out a sheet of frozen puff pastry to bake while the soup simmers away. The shortcuts are worth it when the result is big flavor and cozy vibes that hit your table in under an hour.

This chicken is all about contrasts: Not only is it sweet and spicy, but it’s also savory and sour. And the stickiness of the dish is offset by the crispy skin and tender, juicy meat. Your tongue is hit with a little something different every time you take a bite — sharp ginger, honeyed apricots, aromatic garlic, earthy soy sauce — and yet all these various sensations and flavors mingle together in perfect harmony in one weeknight-friendly skillet dinner.