Bon Appétit

Poaching boneless, skinless chicken breasts in well-salted water yields juicy, flavorful meat that won’t dry out. Crunchy veggies and a punchy Dijon vinaigrette make this hearty salad complete.

We skipped the milk, butter, and cheese in this polenta; a spoonful of savory miso adds tons of depth while still keeping the texture light

Here’s a Sichuan-inspired stir-fry of snappy, blistered asparagus and crispy pork. Can’t find asparagus? Green beans or snap peas work just as well. (One thing that’s non-negotiable: a side of chile crisp.)

A slight twist on scallion noodles: the same savory, lip-smacking flavor but now with a lot of texture from the crunchy, spicy garlic topping.

The combination of garlic and ramps may seem like overkill, but we promise it’s not. The garlic will mellow as it cooks while the ramps stay pungent.

This buttery roast chicken gets rubbed with green garlic and cooked low and slow in the oven for juicy, shreddable meat underneath crispy, crackly skin.

These pancakes get their light texture from a batter made with club soda. Pressing hard on them when frying makes them crisp.

The secret to the fudgiest, most chocolaty brownies is cocoa powder—not melted chocolate. We borrowed chocolate expert Alice Medrich’s technique, then added a cream cheese topping for tangy balance. 

Sour cream isn’t just a gimmick. Used in place of the more typical cream or buttermilk, it adds a rich, tangy flavor, and its acidity helps make the biscuits incredibly tender.

If you want to bake these cookies now and don’t have buckwheat flour on hand, whole wheat flour is an acceptable substitute. Your cookies won’t have the same depth of flavor, but they will still be delicious.

These fluffy buttermilk rolls are filled with a cinnamon-scented date purée to capture all that sticky bun glory without being overly sweet.

The key to this flaky galette crust is to move fast! Rolling and folding the dough before the butter has a chance to warm up creates distinct layers of butter and dough that will steam apart during baking, becoming light and flaky.

Letting the dough do its first rise in the fridge overnight means improved flavor and ease of handling, but if you don’t feel like waiting that long, leave it out at room temperature until doubled in size—three to four hours.

We took millionaire bars—shortbread plus caramel plus chocolate—and gave them an upgrade (hence, billions) with sesame seeds and tahini. The shortbread is tender, the filling is gooey, and the chocolate ties it all together.

Don’t be afraid to take the leeks to the point where they almost look burnt. A well-charred exterior means the interiors will be creamy, soft, silky, and delightfully sweet.

Take your time when streaming the butter into the egg and sugar mixture—you want to create an emulsion, as when making a vinaigrette. If you go too quickly, you’ll end up with a greasy batter.

Because you don’t have to chill the dough, this cookie cuts your kitchen time in half. And when it comes time to decorate, no need to panic if your first attempts don’t work out. Simply wipe off the failed glaze and let the cookie dry for about five minutes, then try again.

Hold these sesame-coated chocolate-and-nut cookies up to the light to appreciate the stained-glass effect of the dried fruit.

If butter pecan ice cream were a cookie, it would be this all-levels skillet shortbread.

We’re all for a good store-bought marinara, but there is no substitute for homemade béchamel—of this we can be sure.