Root Vegetable

These small dumplings come with both a story and a significant history. According to legend, they were born in the imperial kitchen when a cook, making dumplings for the emperor, forgot a batch that was slowly cooking. They were singed brown, slightly burned. With no time to spare, and an impatient, hungry emperor waiting, the cook, a nimble and adaptive fellow, arranged the dumplings on a platter, burned sides up, and presented them to the emperor as a new dish that he called, quotie, which means "stuck bottom." The emperor was delighted. Legend or not, it is a fact that these browned half-moons filled with pork and vegetables were eventually sold daily by the thousands from small streetside stands to satisfy the morning habits of people in Beijing and Tianjin, who called them jiaozi, or "little dumplings." It is a tradition that exists to this day. As popular foods do, these jiaozi migrated to Shanghai, where they became known by their imperial name of quotie, to describe their cooking process. The habit of morning pot stickers swept Shanghai, and to this day they are sold, as in Beijing, from small streetside stands. Over the years, they migrated south to Guangzhou and Hong Kong, carried by Shanghainese fleeing the Japanese invasion of their city, and sold first by refugees on the streets as a way of making a living. They have become part of the accommodating dim sum repertoire, and are referred to in Cantonese as wor tip, or "pot stickers." Serve them with a ginger-vinegar sauce (see note).

Grandma also serves the rich, spicy soup with cucumber salad and scallion pancakes.

Pureeing the caramelized onions gives this soup a thick, creamy texture.

The Original: Poached and shredded chicken mixed with a curry-powder sauce. Our Version: Chicken thighs simmered with cauliflower, tomatoes, and peas, then seasoned with a mix of freshly toasted and ground spices.

The Original: Filling made from ground beef simmered in a spicy tomato sauce. Our Version: Tender pieces of pork simmered with roasted green chiles and salsa verde.

Dried crushed red pepper adds heat to the glazed carrots.

Just a couple of chopped anchovy fillets deepen the flavor of this simple starter.

The tanginess of the homemade pickled eggs (they're easy!) balances the richness of the chicken liver. Timing note: Begin making the eggs at least one day ahead.

Because the roast needs to marinate overnight, be sure to start this impressive entrée one day ahead.

The classic Italian sauce gets wild with a mix of antelope, venison, and beef.

The Original: Eggs baked (or poached) in a spicy tomato sauce. Our Version: A heartier (and healthier) meal, thanks to the addition of artichoke hearts and potatoes.

This riff on the classic frisée salad with lardons is the perfect thing to make with leftover hazelnuts from our 10 Minute Main Hake with Hazelnuts and Capers . It looks delicate, but its vinaigrette is enriched with the nuts and some bacon fat, which not only gives it substance but also balances the bitterness of the frisée and the bite of the radishes.

Though slightly unconventional, white wine works incredibly well with steak.

Rosemary's piney scent is so particular you could never mistake it for any other herb. A handful of sprigs (left over from Beef Sautéed with White Wine and Rosemary ) mingle with garlic to cast a spell over roasted potatoes, resulting in something that's just right on a winter night.

This beautiful seafood salad makes a terrific home for leftover Niçoise olives from the braised Veal Cacciatore . Quickly cooking the calamari renders it snowy white and very tender—such a nice backdrop to the salty olives and crunchy celery. Scallion, lemon zest, and celery add freshness.

Spicy and bright, this salsa makes chicken breasts party-worthy, and would also be a superb topper for pork or fish.

Use a V-slicer for the vegetables and a peeler for the Parmesan.