Nothing is easier—when cooking for company or just another weeknight dinner—than a recipe that essentially makes itself. This savory, comforting pork dish spends three hours on the stove with no intervention from you aside from removing the lid of the Dutch oven. The meat itself becomes fork-tender and shreddy, while the soy-and-orange braising liquid thickens into a glossy sauce. Serve with rice, herbs, and crispy shallots to make it a meal (and opt for store-bought rather than homemade shallots for an even lighter lift).

For the most flavorful fish, gently poach the fillets in scallion oil, which is called pa gireum in Korean and is the star of this easy, foolproof preparation. Simmering scallions in olive oil over gentle heat removes moisture from the alliums, crisping them and concentrating their savoriness. In turn, the oil will be tinted green and perfumed with an umami-saturated scallion aroma like nothing else. Be sure to dip crusty bread into that glorious scallion oil to enjoy with the tender fish. This dish is great with rice, too.

Milk Street's Christopher Kimball shares his creamy tomato bisque without any cream (the secret is bread!) from his new cookbook, Milk Street: Cook What You Have. "In our grown-up twist on that childhood favorite—a bowl of creamy tomato soup with grilled cheese for dipping—we created a silky bisque and serve it topped with crisp Parmesan croutons in place of a sandwich. Rather than thicken the soup with heavy cream, we simmer pieces of torn bread in the tomato broth, then blend everything to produce a satisfying soup with a velvety texture. Canned crushed tomatoes keep prep time to a minimum." —Christopher

This dish of marinated, roasted paneer is inspired by the one served by the chef Chintan Pandya at Dhamaka in New York City, and is flavored intensely with ajwain, or carom seeds, and a paste of garlic and ginger. You could use the marinade on store-bought paneer, but fresh paneer is one of the simplest and most satisfying cheeses for a home cook to make, and doesn’t require any special ingredients. And unlike store-bought paneer, which is generally quite firm, a homemade version can be tender and delicate, and extremely creamy. Just be sure to stir the milk mixture very gently to keep the curds large and intact.

This is one of the easiest, most delicious ways to cook down a whole head of cabbage until it's falling-apart tender. If the spiced tomato paste has reduced and the pan starts getting dry and dark before the cabbage is ready, just add a splash of water to loosen and let it keep going.

The recipe starts with a shock at the top of the ingredient list: three whole onions. But, while that might seem like overkill, it's ultimately what makes the recipe so tasty. Don’t worry about taking a bite full of onions; unlike most recipes which throw raw onions right into the meat mixture, Garten's recipe cooks them down in “good olive oil” until they're soft, sweet, and rich in flavor. Caramelizing the onions mellows out the sharpness, allowing them to melt into the meat, almost smash-burger style. It also helps build real flavor in this recipe, rather than shortcutting things with a packet of French onion soup mix (as we're guilty of doing a time or two). There's not a whole garden of herbs in this dinner either—just one: fresh thyme. Its earthy aroma is the perfect complement to the sweet onion flavor. But, because thyme is the only herb in the spotlight here, using fresh instead of dried is really critical to the dish. In a recipe this simple, it makes all the difference.

Calling this ’10 minute honey garlic shrimp’ is not an exaggeration or clickbait. It’s a speedy recipe. In fact, it takes less than 10 minutes to make it! That is a feature with shrimp, which cooks incredibly quickly and adds a welcome layer of convenience to dinner prep. I find it helpful to keep a bag of frozen shrimp around for when a quick meal is needed. Because shrimp cook quickly, it is easy to overdo it and cause the shrimp to go a bit rubbery. If your pan is over medium heat, it should only take 1-2 minutes on each side for perfectly juicy shrimp. And although they aren’t essential, I love adding a sprinkling of green onions and red pepper flakes to build even more flavour into the dish. A little freshness and heat are perfect with the sweet honey garlic sauce.

Cheesy bean bakes, a molten staple of pantry cooking, get a fiery glow-up in this easy weeknight recipe. Because different brands of chile crisp and chile paste vary drastically in their heat levels, add your condiments slowly, tasting as you go. When your tongue just starts to tingle but isn’t yet on fire, it might be time to stop. Serve this with tortillas or tortilla chips for scooping, or over rice to catch the gooey mix of beans and melted cheese.

Artichoke hearts from the freezer aisle are the rare exception to the rule “fresh is best.” They save time—and the trouble of cleaning the prickly bits from the hearts. If you want to follow suit with frozen spinach, we won’t tell, but we do find that opting for fresh spinach and blanching it yourself leads to a fresher-tasting dip. Either way, squeeze out as much liquid from the greens as possible. Adding them while they’re still wet can upset the creamy harmony of the Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise. A note on serving: While this spinach artichoke dip recipe is intended to be served hot, not room temperature, make sure to let it cool for a few minutes before serving so it can set (and, let’s be honest, so no one burns the roof of their mouth). As for the ideal dipping vehicle, it’s highly subjective, but tortilla chips and pita chips offer a sturdy, crunchy base, while toast from a loaf of crusty bread offers a bread bowl vibe without the mess.

Unlike Mexican tamales, these Mississippi morsels are heavily spiced and stewed rather than steamed. Our winning spice mixture—a combination of chili powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne, sugar, salt, and pepper—goes into the cornmeal and butter dough (lightened with baking powder), as well as the ground beef filling. To keep the meat moist and tender when cooked, we add baking soda, as well as a portion of the cornmeal dough, which acts as a panade. After assembling the tamales with traditional corn husks, we stew them in water, seasoned with more of the spice rub. Finally, we thicken a portion of the flavorful stewing liquid to create a potent sauce for the finished tamales.

The classic approach to these cheese-filled eggplant rolls—breading and frying—is tedious, and it obscures the signature ingredient. We ditched both steps for a lighter, less fussy dish.

These are a family dinner favourite & packed with @brancourtsdairy High Protein Cottage Cheese adding a huge amount of flavour & nutrition. Perfect for leftovers and reheats so well! Seriously good food and an easy recipe to master!

Fresh ingredients and bold condiments do the heavy lifting here, creating a fragrant 20-minute meal that will lure people into the kitchen, wondering what smells so good. Inspired by elements of Indian and Thai curries, the shrimp are coated in ginger, garlic and turmeric, then seared and braised in a combination of coconut milk and soy sauce. Spinach is stirred in for a bit of green, but you can substitute your favorite quick-cooking greens like bok choy or kale and adjust cooking time as needed. Swap the shrimp for scallops or white fish, if you like. Serve with rice, rice vermicelli noodles or naan to soak up the flavorful liquid.

Tinned fish has an ardent fan base and for good reason: This flavorful and shelf-stable protein can easily anchor a speedy weeknight dinner (like this one, this one, or this one). But there is one member of the conservas family that even the most avid buyers of canned tuna, salmon, smoked trout, and mackerel don’t shower with nearly enough love. It’s time to give olive-oil-packed octopus its due. Though slightly more expensive than other tinned fish products, octopus shines in dishes that display its meaty texture and mild flavor. For this pantry pasta you’ll start by searing tentacle pieces for crispiness and char, then build a sauce in the same pan with briny capers, white wine, butter, and garlic. Reminiscent of linguine and clams but without all the effort, it’s a weeknight-friendly dinner packed with brightness and just enough seafood salinity. To note: We love Matiz tinned octopus because the pieces are kept large, but any style will work here.

German potato pancakes are a real treat and something Germans miss when they move away. Eating freshly made potato pancakes with applesauce in the out-of-doors at a weekly market or carnival is a wonderful way to do indulge. Now, you can also make them at home with this simple recipe for potato pancakes.

This shockingly simple dish achieves success thanks to a small yet mighty powerhouse: Salty, umami-rich anchovies melt into the cooking oil, giving the dish subtle complexity and oomph. This pasta uses only a few ingredients and just one pot, and the method is smart and streamlined: As you boil your pasta, you set your spinach in a colander then drain the cooked pasta directly on top. You’ll dissolve the anchovies in olive oil in the empty pot, then return the cooked pasta and wilted spinach to the pot, along with cheese and red-pepper flakes, stirring to form a glossy sauce that is aided by the moisture released by the spinach. A great back-pocket recipe for nights when prep work seems impossible, this recipe is a satisfying meal all on its own, but feel free to stir in some white beans if you’d like to bulk it up.

HOW TO MAKE GLAZED SALMON I know some people, myself included, worry about pan-searing a salmon filet, going to flip it over, and…. well now your beautiful filet is mangled and in several pieces. For that reason, I kept this recipe simple… so simple in fact, that there is NO pan-searing. No flipping required. Pat salmon filets dry and season with spices on all sides. Heat butter and oil, then add garlic, water, soy sauce, sriracha, honey and lemon juice. When hot, add salmon filets (skin side down if your filets have skin), and cook 3 minutes. While salmon cooks, use a spoon to baste the filets. Broil for 5-6 minutes, until salmon is sticky sweet, slightly charred, and cooked to desired doneness.

Really lean poultry like chicken and turkey tends to dry out when it cooks. That’s why a chicken thigh is more flavorful and juicy then say a chicken breast. Them’s just the facts. But for this turkey meatloaf we’re adding some ingredients like diced tomatoes, shredded cheese and eggs to keep this meatloaf juicy. And to make this meatloaf recipe a taco flavored meatloaf, we’re going to be adding in some taco seasoning too! I really prefer making meatloaf free form on a baking sheet. That way any excess grease can drain away form the meat and onto the sheet pan. And the edges get crispier – AND the glaze caramelizes more. So those are my answers. There are reasons that you might want to put your meatloaf into a loaf pan though.

This Cordon Bleu Chicken Meatloaf has layers of ham and Swiss cheese tucked inside a juicy meatloaf recipe that you’re going to love! Cordon bleu is basically a meat wrapped around some type of cheese, that’s breaded and fried. You can make cordon bleu with chicken, pork or veal. Ham seem to be optional in traditional definitions, but we typically see cordon bleu recipes with ham as well. This extra juicy chicken meatloaf (not dried out by using a secret ingredient) is basically two layers of chicken meatloaf with a middle layer of ham and Swiss cheese.

Crispy, no-fry chicken wings coated in a sweet and spicy glaze made with Thai chili and — yup — Dr. Pepper. Being bar food, most chicken wings are deep-fried. I would argue, however, that deep-frying is not the best way to cook chicken wings because they already contain enough fat to...wait for it...fry themselves! The secret to achieving crispy skin without filling your kitchen with the smoke that comes from roasting fat at a high temperature is to steam them first. Sure, it's an extra step, but you'll be rewarded with crisp skin, perfectly done meat and a smoke-free kitchen. For the glaze, I tend to prefer Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce. It’s pretty much the standard, plus it’s really made in Thailand.

Layering the chips and fillings is key for an optimal cheese-to-crunch ratio.

This homemade jalapeño poppers recipe was made by taking the best features of three or four other popper recipes and combining them to make something that tastes wonderful. A frequent request at my house, and at others. I usually make 100 and put them in the fridge. They don't last long so increase the recipe as necessary. Adjust the amount of bacon bits and type of shredded cheese to taste. Lots of tests will help you figure out the best way you like your jalapeño poppers.

These pickled jalapeño peppers are stuffed with chunky peanut butter, dipped in flour, egg and bread crumbs, then fried. Carlos Jacott, El Parador’s owner and maître d’hôtel, is said to have created the dish when, as a college student, he only had jalapeños and peanut butter in his refrigerator. —Alex Witchel

The most tender, juicy, flavorful, crispy caramelized edges chicken carnitas recipe of your dreams!

This recipe dresses up the humble acorn squash for a dinner that’s a hearty and comforting celebration of fall flavors. Feel free to tweak the recipe to use what you have on hand: Any leftover rice or cooked grains will work, along with spinach or other sturdy greens in place of the kale. Though this is not a recipe for rushed weeknights, the squash can be assembled completely in advance and finished in the oven just before serving. For best results, use medium squash, and remove the stem for easier cutting.

Why this recipe works: Our goal was to formulate a pot pie recipe for a delicious but quick pie. For the chicken, we found that poaching boneless, skinless chicken breasts streamlined the process. It also made for tender chicken that could be shredded into irregularly shaped pieces to which the sauce clung well. As for the sauce for our chicken pot pie recipe, we preferred a milk-enriched sauce thickened with flour, which made a sauce creamy in both color and flavor.

Squeamish about raw egg yolks and anchovies? Sorry! Yolks are what give richness to a classic Caesar salad dressing recipe, while umami anchovies are the primary reason it tastes so good—that, and a good garlicky kick. (If you just cannot, substitute mayo for a lazy Caesar, replacing the anchovy with a splash of Worcestershire sauce.) Homemade croutons are a must—but don’t dice any old bread into perfect cubes. Tear a rustic country sourdough or other sturdy loaf into bite-size pieces. The shaggy edges will hold onto the creamy dressing and make the salad more dynamic to eat. Pre-shredded cheese is also a no-go. Pick up a hunk of real Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano if you can get your hands on some) and shave it into thin planks with a vegetable peeler. Use your hands to toss the cold romaine lettuce leaves—whole, not chopped—in your largest bowl. Distributing Caesar dressing evenly requires feeling, so leave the tongs aside, give your hands a good wash, and dive right in.

This recipe, from Alan Ashkinaze of the now-closed Millesime in Manhattan, came to The Times in 2012. In his version of the classic Caesar salad, a light grilling enhances the flavor of the romaine lettuce, which is then brushed with a dressing brightened by lime juice. The whole thing is finished with Parmesan, toasted on the grill. It comes together quickly, and it’s a perfect pairing for a rib-eye, served along with a deep red. —Sam Sifton

Double, triple, or quadruple the recipe and freeze for feeding crowds down the road. These beans are great with Ropa Vieja, or as a basic side for dinner (think rice and beans!), as well as an eggy breakfast.

This deep-fried Sicilian snack is all about textural contrast. You want a crispy-crunchy exterior wrapped around a gooey filling that’s never dry or mushy. To nail that balance, pull your chicken-broth-enriched rice from the stove when it’s al dente. Adding a few tablespoons of heavy cream to the finished risotto offers an additional level of protection. For the exterior, a three-part dredge is key. Designate one hand as your wet hand for dipping into the egg and the other as your dry one for the breadcrumbs and flour. When you fry the risotto balls, let them sizzle in the hot oil until they are truly golden brown. For dipping, try Molly’s bright and spicy Calabrian chile sauce. For those who don’t like heat, marinara sauce is a good alternative. Or if you’d like to turn the appetizer into a meal, serve the arancini oven a meaty pork ragù.

Leftover sauce? Bring a pot of water to boil: It’s pasta night.

Know this about puff pastry: Letting it thaw overnight in the fridge is nonnegotiable. It’ll crack and become a huge mess if it’s still partially frozen. This slightest bit of planning is the key to flaky pot pie perfection. You can make the cooked chicken mixture up to three days ahead—transfer it to an airtight container and chill. When you’re ready to serve, assemble as instructed below, then slide the skillet into the oven to brown the crust and reheat the pot pie filling. We like to brush the top of the dough with cream for this recipe, not egg wash, for a golden brown crust with a rustic sheen (and because it saves us from using an extra ingredient). Cooking the pie on a tray makes it easier to slide into the oven and catches any drippings. If your oven runs hot and the crust starts to singe, very loosely cover it with foil for the last few minutes.