Make Ahead

This is the dish that first got me into cooking. Talking about it got me my first job in a kitchen, and together with the help of friends, local restaurants, and family it’s the recipe we have worked on the most for this book, because we all know how good it should be. If I could only eat one thing in the world it would probably be my grandma’s jollof. She would regularly cook a big pot with care and patience and insist that everyone took home a small container of it. Cooking the rice and storing it for the following day or to give to friends to take away is part of a sharing culture that surrounds jollof—just remember to return the Tupperware!

This salty-sweet “snack cake” is made with a simple honey–peanut butter base, plus all your favorite snacks.

These superfood-filled, protein-packed, chocolate-and-espresso–covered bites are perfect for a pre-workout boost or mid-day recharge.

Made with fresh herbs, garlic, lemon, and warm spices, this Moroccan sauce makes a great marinade or finishing sauce for meat and seafood.

A fragrant, herbaceous sauce acts as both a marinade and a dressing for this pretty, Moroccan-inspired salad.

These bibimbap-inspired grain bowls are brimming with bright vegetables and spicy marinated steak.

Just the right mix of crisp, creamy, and slightly sweet, this frozen treat is exactly what we want to snack on all summer long.

We love the citrusy sour flavor of hibiscus, not to mention its amazing color.

A warm, spicy peanut sauce makes even bean sprouts feel indulgent in this crispy, crunchy bowl.

Our new favorite grain salad is packed with crunchy raw veggies, salty Pecorino, lively mint, and fresh chile peppers.

The easiest and most refreshing summer dessert? Water and sugar, frozen and scraped into fluffy “shaved ice.” Sweetened blackberries tossed with lime juice make an excellent topping.

A pistachio-oat crumble, perfumed with fragrant, floral cardamom adds interest to this juicy fruit pie.

One of those dreamy cookies elicits a silent reverence in every chocolate lover who tastes it.

XO sauce can be used as an all-purpose condiment. It’s great over rice, steamed or roasted veggies, or roast chicken.

We’re just obsessed with using asparagus as a condiment! Try sprinkling this crunchy mix over eggs or tossing it into pasta.

Chefs do crazy things with nuts. In this otherwise straightforward chicken dish, cashews are transformed into a creamy sauce, and candied spiced walnuts are used as a crunchy topper.

A combination of pork belly and pork shoulder, slow-cooked to tenderness and then crisped in a pan, yields carnitas with unparalleled texture and richness.

With a few fresh leeks, a hint of citrus, and a dash of cayenne, this all-in-one brunch dish is both luxurious to eat and easy to make.

Chef Renee Erickson has access to the best seafood anywhere; when it comes to sardines, she goes with Matiz sardines in olive oil.

This cumin and paprika-spiced number gets added punch from a tangy green sauce and an avocado and cucumber salad.