Side

To learn how to cut endive into long, layered spears for an elegant look.

A colorful and spicy (but not fiery!) side breaks up all the heavy, rich dishes on the table.

These knobby-looking tubers (a.k.a. sunchokes) are sweet and nutty when browned. Balsamic vinegar smacks some sass into them.

A Spanish twist on brussels and bacon done in the style of a stir-fry. Wait till the last minute to pull this dish together, but have everything prepped and ready to go ahead of time.

Flip the script on a winter vegetable that's usually stewed: Collards are great when briefly sautéed.

Massaging the dressing into the kale with your hands helps break down some of the fibers so the greens are more tender.

You will fight your own relatives for the bits of cheesy goodness stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Want the most classic, rich, thick, turkey gravy to serve with your bird? Look no further than this recipe.

Parsnip, a vegetable usually roasted or pureed, is crunchy, sweet, and delicious raw. Who knew?

Store-bought cornbreads can be very sweet; taste before using, or omit the sugar from your favorite recipe.

This savory cake is packed with Parmesan and basil. Serve it in slices for brunch alongside a salad of fresh fruit or bitter greens.

I rarely rave about my own recipes, but this is one I can just go on and on about. It is the definition of freshness with its sweet-and-sour late-summer flavors, and it is also an utter delight to look at. But the most incredible thing about it is that it uses a few ingredients that I have been lovingly cooking with for many years, and believed I knew everything there was to know about, yet had never thought of mixing them in such a way. That is, until I traveled to Istanbul and came across a similar combination of fresh tomatoes and pomegranate seeds in a famous local kebab restaurant called Hamdi, right by the Spice Bazaar. It was a proper light-bulb moment when I realized how the two types of sweetness-the sharp, almost bitter sweetness of pomegranate and the savory, sunny sweetness of tomato-can complement each other so gloriously. I use four types of tomato here to make the salad more interesting visually and in flavor. You can easily use fewer, just as long as they are ripe and sweet.

The inspiration for this was Sarah's grandmother ("nan") Dulcie in Tasmania, who always used to add some honey to the pan before roasting her carrots. I'm not sure what Dulcie would have thought about a tahini yogurt sauce served alongside, but the sweetness of the carrots certainly welcomes it. Make this extra vibrant by using different-colored carrots.

This recipe—a rhapsody for sweet, bitter, and salty—is based on one from Ruth Reichl, published in Gourmet Today.

These small turnips are perfect with duck or roast chicken.

You'll have extra butternut squash left over after making the ribbons; cut into cubes, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast for an easy side dish.

There is no USDA data for water bath canning artichokes. I developed this recipe, which has a pH of 3.5, well within the safety limits for water bath canning. The processing time is based on the recommended time for marinated peppers, which contain similar quantities of olive oil—an important consideration when water bath processing foods. Rather than discard the outer leaves, boil them for about 10 minutes. Chill and serve with mayonnaise; or serve hot, with melted butter for dipping. The marinade left over after you've finished the jar of artichokes is delicious and can be used to flavor other dishes.

Any kind of firm, sweet pumpkin or squash can be used for this recipe. If you want a shortcut, you can buy pre-cubed butternut squash. Just make sure the surface of the squash looks fresh and moist.