Vegan

Florentine summers are hot and sticky — no time to even think about eating a plate of hot pasta. So, when Torquato Innocenti, whose produce I seek out in my local market, mentioned cold garlic pasta I raced home with his vague hints and produced the following dish. As we compared notes the next day, I realized that Torquato's garlic sauce, and not the pasta, was cold. But no one at my table complained. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

These pickled peppers work well with Cheddar and other firm/hard cheeses.

December bonus: great for gifts, too.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. The following method is our favorite way to cook long-grain rice—we love the consistency it yields. We learned the technique from some of our Latino and Louisianian colleagues.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Pistachio Blancmanges . Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Hojuelas de Harina con Miel de Pilón Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Ribbons of soft coconut stand in for noodles in this version of the popular Thai dish.

If you can't find raw unhulled pumpkin seeds, you can substitute 6 ounces of the hulled (green) ones, but the pipián (seed-thickened sauce) will be richer. Active time: 1 3/4 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 25 min

A hearty combination of textures and flavors.

Blood oranges have red flesh and sweet-tart juice. They're available at farmers' markets and, increasingly, at supermarkets. This syrup would also be good over waffles.