Name: Cauliflower with Almond Aillade
Yield: Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients: 1 almond-size garlic clove (or more); Kosher or sea salt; 1/4 cup peeled raw almonds; 3/4 cup good olive oil; 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar (white wine, Champagne, or cider); 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley; Freshly ground black pepper; 1 large cauliflower head (about 2 pounds) cut into Ping-Pong- ball-size florets

Aillade is like aïoli without the egg. Hey, it’s vegan! Thing is, its egglessness leaves it with a slightly weaker constitution (like some undernourished vegans I know), and so it can break more easily. Happily, it doesn’t matter if it breaks—carry on and it will all come together when it hits the hot cauliflower and a little water. Untoasted almonds let their sweetness show, and quickly boiling and peeling them gives aillade that almost mayonnaise-like look.

Cooks' Note

Aillade is also a good dressing for boiled green beans, fennel, or asparagus, or spooned over grilled vegetables, fish, or chicken.

Recipe notes

Charred Vegetable Ragù

This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!

Fufu

Fufu is a dish that has been passed down through many generations and is seen as a symbol of Ghanaian identity and heritage. Making fufu traditionally is a very laborious task; this recipe mimics some of that hard work but with a few home-cook hacks that make for a far easier time.

Chorizo Cauliflower

A plant-based spin on chorizo to put toward tacos, quesadillas, and more.

Zucchini, Pea, and Bulgur Pilaf

This fragrant salad uses bulgur wheat as its base, an endlessly versatile, slightly chewy grain that’s very popular throughout the eastern Mediterranean.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Black Sesame Tofu “Basque” Cheesecake

There are many things that appeal about a Basque cheesecake—it's crustless (one less job) and is meant to look “rustic” with its wrinkled and jagged sides.

XO Sauce

Developed in the 1980s by a chef in Hong Kong, this sauce is all about umami.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.