Starter

Don't laugh—good gluten-free pastas exist.

Simmering vegetables in a covered pot over low heat so that they steam in their own liquid—a French technique called à l'étouffée—is the ticket to achieving a soup with pronounced depth. We love this method with cauliflower, but also try it with celeriac or rutabagas.

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.

Pass the Pods C'mon, who doesn't love edamame? Consider this the adults-only version: sautéed, spicy, and highly snackable.

Put a tray of these in the oven when the first guests show up.

Roasting the pancetta in one large piece renders out most of the fat, making it easy to dice into perfect 1/4" pieces.

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?

If you're not a lamb person, ground beef will also taste great.

A classic ribollita is cooked one day, then reheated and served the next. To do that, just hold back the last croutons so they keep their crunch.

The pickled hard-boiled eggs are a great snack on their own—they're sold individually at Shed.

A fun alternative to classic potato gnocchi.

Thin, crisp toast has never let me down. Making a batch while I mull over what’s for dinner always saves me, later, when kids are circling or a guest arrives early. It must be made from stale bread—a fresh loaf is difficult to slice very thin, which is what you must do for crunchy, tender, non mouth-injuring toast. A 350°F oven will help make toast for a crowd without much risk of burning (as long as you use a timer and stand by vigilantly!).