Russet Potato

Parsnips, celery root, and sweet potatoes bring depth to this unfussy gratin. Best of all, it requires no "arranging"—you just spread the root vegetables in the baking dish.

These beef pies make an immensely satisfying meal or snack on the go. The ready-to-use puff pastry bakes up golden and flaky—the perfect accompaniment to the rich, meaty filling.

These showcase all that's great about Indian food: They're vibrant, light, and fragrant. For a spicier patty, add a second stemmed and minced serrano chile.

Simmering in milk coaxes the very best out of celery root, giving this silky puree a flavor that's both mellow and full.

Editor's note: The recipe below originally appeared in One Potato, Two Potato by Roy Finamore with Molly Stevens. It was reprinted, along with the introductory text included here, in The 150 Best American Recipes by Fran McCullough and Molly Stevens. __ Probably the most frustrating part of preparing Thanksgiving dinner is the last-minute potato mashing and gravy making. If you have this recipe in your arsenal, you can knock off the mashed potatoes 2 days ahead and have them sitting pretty in the refrigerator, ready for a last-minute heating. But that's not the only time you need these potatoes; they're also great for a buffet or for any crowd. These luxurious mashed potatoes have a couple of other virtues, too. They're light and fluffy because they're whipped with an electric mixer, and they're incredibly luscious because they have sour cream and butter, plus cream cheese to give them a little edge. __

Shari Ledwidge of Greenehaven, Arizona, writes: "My husband and I spend several weeks each year traveling around the United States. Our journeys always take us to wonderful food stands and farmers' markets, which have inspired some of my favorite recipes."

At the restaurant, this dish is drizzled with tomato sauce, then garnished with salami and sautéed zucchini.

These tasty treats were inspired by steakhouse flavors. For those who observe the kosher prohibition against serving meat and dairy together, they're delicious on their own. If you don't keep kosher, try them alongside grilled and roasted poultry and meat.

Cod and potato are the cornerstones of one of the classics of American cooking: fish chowder. Here they take on a new form as the basis for these distinctly New England potato pancakes.

(Purée de Papas) Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Zarela Martinez's book The Food and Life of Oaxaca. Martinez also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. To read more about Martinez and Oaxacan cuisine, click here. When I visited the Isthmus of Tehuantepec at the season of spring parties accompanying the local velas (saints' day festivals), I found this vividly seasoned dish being served everywhere. It also turned out to be one of the regular Sunday offerings at Venancia Toledo Hernández's food stand in the Isthmian town of Ixtepec. She gave me her recipe and now everyone I've served it to in New York is in love with the brassy, sensuous flavors.

Save big in the calorie and fat departments with this remade version. Plus, get a fiber fix courtesy of the oatmeal and potato skins.

Saturday dinner. From Miraval Resort & Spa in Catalina, Arizona. This dish tastes indulgently creamy, but it's made with rice milk, so it's low in fat.

This dish, from Scott Uehlein, executive chef at the renowned Canyon Ranch Health Resort in Tucson, Arizona, is basically potatoes baked in a blend of broth and onions. It's amazing how rich they taste, and they take only 15 minutes to assemble.

Eaten with great gusto all over Quebec, poutine was once just a late-night diner staple. It is now served at some of the province's finest restaurants.

Lauren Farber of Wellesley, Massachusetts, writes: "I have eaten twice at Lumière in West Newton, Massachusetts, and each time I have enjoyed the mushroom soup. Can you help me get the recipe?" A combination of white and porcini mushrooms makes for a full-flavored stock — the key to a soup that's simple and smooth.