Root Vegetable

Skip expensive store-bought stock: you can extract cleaner, stronger broth from water and a few pantry items you probably already have on hand (think bacon, tomato paste, herbs, peppercorns, a Parm rind, and, of course, kosher salt).

Our best-ever chicken stock begins with wings, which have a high skin-to-meat ratio. Browning the wings results in lots of caramelized nooks and crannies that imbue the stock with a deep, savory flavor.

Double-baking means double the fun—and the indulgence. This hybrid of baked and mashed potatoes is comfort food par excellence.

Anyone who loves to dip their bacon or sausage in maple syrup will flip for these sweet and savory flapjacks. To complete the trilogy of perfect breakfast foods, we recommend topping your stack with a fried egg before diving in.

Beets for dessert—we were skeptical too, but their sugar content and gorgeous color make for a stunning dish. See more riffs at right.

(Baha) Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Paula Wolfert's book Couscous and Other Good Food From Morocco. Wolfert also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. If you really love the taste of lamb, you will love this dish. It's a pity that we Americans know so little about steaming meats; just as steamed vegetables keep their original flavors, so do steamed chickens and lamb. If you don't have a steamer, use a couscousière or a colander with a tight-fitting lid that fits snugly over a kettle. Some people think that steamed lamb looks unattractive (though no one denies that it's incredibly good). If you feel this way you may brown the meat quickly in butter or oil at the end, or roast it at high heat until it browns. Steamed food should be eaten the moment it is ready, when it is at its peak: if left too long, it will dry out.

This tarte tatin uses a colorful combination of Yukon gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and parsnips. Fresh rosemary and sage add extra autumnal flair. Who needs flowers when you’ve got this holiday centerpiece?

Treat this as a weekend project (quick it's not) and your Sunday supper will be off the charts.

The unsung hero of this dish? The nutty-sweet garlic.

These get better with time, so don't hesitate to make them ahead.

This comforting pie of shredded chicken and softened leeks takes inspiration from cock-a-leekie, a traditional Scottish soup.