Basil

Bursting with the big, brash flavors of green olives, anchovies, and capers, this herbaceous pasta sauce isn't afraid to bite back.

The colorcoded salad is one of Babylonstoren's signature dishes and always features a mix of fruits and vegetables on the same plate. Engelbrecht says produce that looks good together tastes great together, too, and she's developed specific vinaigrettes to complement the red, yellow, and green options.

The marinade is ridiculously delicious; you'll also want to use it on ribs or chicken.

Skip expensive store-bought stock: you can extract cleaner, stronger broth from water and a few pantry items you probably already have on hand (think bacon, tomato paste, herbs, peppercorns, a Parm rind, and, of course, kosher salt).

These vibrant, savory, and slightly spicy deviled eggs are perfect for parties, but easy enough to make as a snack, too.

Herbaceous and packed with fiber and protein, this grain salad is a keeper.

You'll never be tempted to buy packaged again.

Loaded with fresh herbs and sturdy kale and then set off by a bright and spicy dressing, this is an ideal counterpoint to the more decadent dishes on the table.

We know, this combo sounds nuts. It's meant to be mixed together so you get some garlicky pork, floral lychees, sweet coconut, sharp onions, and crisp salty accents in each bite.

A version of this recipe helped Danny Bowien win the Pesto World Championship in Italy in 2008. He was kind enough to let us adapt it a bit.

Use very ripe—even overripe—tomatoes; they'll give up even more juice.

You can also make this dish with littleneck or cherrystone clams instead of mussels.

Making the eggplant spread ahead of time has a double upside: The flavors of the mixture will deepen as it sits, and you get to cross something off the list.

The peppers will go from softened to mushy if they sit too long; you want to serve them with some bite left.

If you love dipping bread into tomato soup, you’ll love this rustic Italian dish, known as pappa al pomodoro.