Make Ahead

Easier than burrito bowls—and even more delicious.

For an easy make-ahead dessert recipe that’s also a showstopper, look no further. Pouring the cream over at the table adds a dramatic touch.

Coating the herbs in oil and soaking the shallot in vinegar prevents oxidation, so you can keep these beans for days.

On the streets of Lisbon and outside any nightclub or bar in Johannesburg, you’ll find vendors grilling steak and slathering garlic butter on a soft bun—heaven. The key to this mouth-watering street food is finding a soft, airy roll to absorb the steak juices. If there is a Portuguese market near you, you’re in luck! If not, look for a soft roll dusted with flour at your local bakery.

Go hard on those potatoes and let them get good and browned before tossing them in the pan. That way they’ll keep their crunch after being doused with the spicy mayonnaise.

Get an extra jolt from your breakfast by putting espresso powder in the waffle batter.

You can serve these flatbreads as is or wrapped around a filling.

This lattice-topped, make-ahead casserole is almost too pretty for its own good.

This cheesecake-like dessert is based on the first-ever recorded pie recipe, written down by ancient Romans.

Studded with pistachios and white chocolate, these festive green cupcakes are better than finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Silkier, lighter, and more sinfully good than anything you've ever tasted before.

These tasty sandwiches are best after chilling for several hours, so they're the perfect make-ahead for camping trips.

Fresh and candied ginger team up to make an uplifting, zesty treat that can be prepared in any season. This quick yet impressive dessert lends itself to endless reincarnations, using various dried fruits and citrus zests, or even cocoa for chocolate lovers—see the recipes that follow for ideas!

I call this crowd-pleasing soup my magic recipe. It is so amazing that so few ingredients—and a soup made in a matter of minutes—can have so much depth of flavor. It really is a fine example of the miracles of infusion. The dried cèpe (porcini) mushroom powder packs a maximum of fragrance and flavor and takes well to many variations: Pair it with paper-thin slices of raw domestic mushrooms or seared domestic or wild mushrooms showered in the bowl at serving time; prepare with dried morel powder in place of cèpes; top with thin slices of raw black truffles; or add a dollop of mushroom-powder- infused whipped cream.

My love for Asian food is never-ending, and this easy, quick chicken meatball creation is a favorite. The secret here is to steam the meatballs so they remain tender and succulent. Searing briefly afterward adds a wonderfully caramelized crust without overcooking.

This dessert is a big hit at parties in the Hollywood Hills, especially in the cooler months. It’s probably one of my most deceptive desserts—everyone thinks it's complex to prepare, but it's one of the simplest desserts in my repertoire. When the bread pudding is firm to the touch, you know it's done.

Use any whole spices you like for this beets recipe; just make sure you sizzle them in oil first to bring out their flavor.

The fruit-to-sugar ratio in this marmalade recipe makes it not too sweet and you can really taste the grapefruit.

Mast, which translates to yogurt in Farsi, is a staple side dish on many Persian tables. The yogurt can be mixed with shallots, grated cooked beets, cooked spinach, or, most commonly, with Persian cucumbers, mint, and dried rose.

If the ingredient list didn’t tip you off, the seven-hour cooking time makes it official: This recipe is a project that you make for people you love. They’ll be thankful.