Cooking is not always about simplicity and ease Sometimes what you want in the kitchen is a project, a culinary jigsaw puzzle to solve There is no greater one than cassoulet

Some might be suspicious of the rolled oats called for in this recipe, but used in place of breadcrumbs, they help create a light and tender chicken meatball A half-cup more is simmered in the broth, which thickens it and provides a pleasant texture The meatballs, made with ground chicken, feta and fresh dill, swim in a lemony, spinach-filled broth that’s comforting and light, perfect for lunch or dinner

This recipe for a vivid, vegetarian pasta sauce, made from blanched kale leaves and loaded with good olive oil and grated cheese, comes from Joshua McFadden, the chef at Ava Gene’s in Portland, Ore., and was inspired by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers of The River Café in London The technique is absurdly simple and quick from start to finish, but the result is luxurious and near-creamy Feel free to play with the pasta shape, but no matter what you choose, be sure to let the blender run for a while at a powerful setting: You want the kale to completely break down into a smooth, bright, airy green puree.

Learn to make comforting, aromatic pho at home in a fraction of the time, and about the safety of using raw cuts of meat in the soup. Try it!

Looking to create better tasting, traditional Mexican food? Here are the most frequently used Mexican spices, herbs and chiles to take your meal to the next level.

These Old Fashioned Popcorn Balls are buttery and molded together with a sweet simple syrup.  A reminder of Halloweens back in the day!

These popcorn balls are simply the best — sweet, crunchy, irresistible treats that make easy yet delicious snacks, party favors, or holiday gifts.

Soft and chewy Marshmallow Popcorn Balls Recipe. Quick and Easy to make. Only 3 ingredients popcorn, marshmallows and butter.

In China, cucumbers are considered the ideal foil for hot weather and hot food Versions of this salad, pai huang gua, are served all over the country, sometimes spiked with dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns for more dimensions of flavor In Beijing, people buy whole chilled cucumbers from street vendors and munch them on the go, much as Americans become attached to their cups of iced coffee in summer

Derived from the Arabic word “harir,” harira translates into “silk,” which describes the consistency of the soup. This version features both lentils and chickpeas, and is finished with a drizzle of beaten egg.

From updated classics to notes taken from grandma, these our the recipes from our newsletter that got your attention this year.

This piquant pickled relish is widely believed to be descendent from English piccalilli In Trinidad and Tobago, chow chow is a staple during the holiday season, and is often served with baked ham and hops bread on Christmas morning Typically Trinidadian chow chow is made by soaking a bevy of fruits and vegetables like Chinese long beans and green papaya overnight in a salty-sweet brine

Chow chow, a bright and bracing pickled relish, is essential to the holiday table in Trinidad and Tobago — and the perfect accompaniment to ham.

In the bustling streets of Morocco, you’ll often find vendors selling tayb o’hari, a traditional Moroccan street food of warm chickpeas served in paper cones and topped with fragrant cumin, sweet paprika and chile powder This recipe is like a salad version of the beloved dish, with pre-cooked chicken added for heartiness, fresh tomatoes and olives for crunch, and a spicy green harissa dressing for brightness Serve either warm or at room temperature with good bread.

What, you don’t know what’s for dinner either? I pick this. The sauce is so nuanced and delicious, it’s hard to believe how short the ingredient list is.

This is my simple, everyday take on a dish developed at Momofuku Ssam Bar in Manhattan many years ago by the chefs David Chang and Tien Ho and their band of collaborators It is almost literally a mashup: a meal that is kind of Korean, kind of Chinese, kind of Italian If you don’t like spicy food, use miso instead of the gochujang and don’t use Sichuan peppercorns, which add a numbing, tingly pop to the fire

Chipotles in adobo add a wonderful smoky-spicy element to this lentil soup Lentils combine well with smoky flavors — that’s why they’re so often cooked with sausage or bacon.

You could just make this tomato-rich red lentil soup — it’s earthy and sweet, delicious on its own But skipping the goat cheese topping would be like eating tomato soup without grilled cheese, and what’s the fun in that In this recipe, the melty cheese accompaniment happens right in the pot: Once the lentils are soft, top them with slices of herb-and-lemon-sprinkled goat cheese to warm

This tomato soup recipe elevates the beloved classic with the use of brown butter and protein-packed lentils, which make this soup even more satiating than other versions The nutty brown butter brings depth and highlights the sweetness of the tomatoes The milk solids present in the butter caramelize as the butter cooks, resulting in its characteristic taste

This three-ingredient vegan soup isn’t a trick: It’s as velvety and rich as its creamy, dairy-full counterparts, with a sweetness that lingers and warms Coax deep, nutty flavors from cauliflower and a whole head of garlic by roasting them until caramelized; next you’ll simmer them until nearly falling apart, then blend the mixture until silky-smooth Gentle and comforting on its own, the soup can also serve as the start to your own creation: You could roast sliced onions or leeks instead of the garlic; stir in Cheddar, Gruyère or Parmesan; or top with fried sage or capers

The key to achieving the signature sweet-smoky-salty flavor of Indonesian stir-fried noodles is to let the noodles cook, undisturbed, over high heat until you see small wisps of smoke Javanese sweet soy sauce, also known as kecap manis, can be very sweet, so giving it a good cook will bring just enough of a bitter edge to its sweetness If you’re making this dish for a crowd, don’t prepare more than two servings at a time, otherwise the noodles will crowd the pan and not brown properly, and you won’t get that smoky wok hei flavor

This luxurious take on baked mac and cheese is our go-to make-ahead meal in the fall.

Tender chickpeas, fall-off-the-bone pork ribs, and picture-perfect nubbins of potato come together in this hearty and delicious stew. A pressure cooker speeds the whole process up.

This superb style of fried chicken, found in southeastern Indiana, relies on heavy use of black pepper. My version stays true to the fried chicken at Wagner’s Village Inn, a bar and restaurant in Oldenburg, Indiana, where the cooks use the old-school method of skillet-frying in lard.

For the fastest path to deliciousness, select ingredients that punch above their weight This weeknight recipe leans on just five primary ingredients — ground chicken, lettuce and rice form the foundation; kimchi adds depth and hoisin lends sweetness — for a fresh spread that cooks in just 15 minutes Bracing and assertive, kimchi doesn’t slip into this dish; it dominates

Sautéing kimchi brings out its mellower side: a delicious, cabbage-y sweetness In Korean cuisine, stir-fried kimchi (kimchi-bokkeum) is a classic staple served with rice In this recipe, the kimchi is cooked in a fragrant mix of butter and toasted sesame oil along with just a touch of sugar, making a four-ingredient seasoning and sauce for salmon filets

Packed with sweet Italian sausage, plenty of vegetables, and plump cheese tortellini, this soup is a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

Cranberries that are quick-cooked into jam add a striking magenta color and complex tartness to these two-toned lemon bars A thin layer of the classic lemon filling coats the cranberry mix like icing, and lemon zest boiled with the berries echoes the citrus taste of the lemony top (Its pectin also thickens the jam.) To achieve a sturdy crust that isn’t tough, melted butter is stirred into a flour blend and simply patted into the pan

A basic template with infinite flavor possibilities.