Simple Cooking

When we visited Kyoto, a few hours' ride from Tokyo on the famous Bullet train, we found a little restaurant in the heart of town that won us over with the names of dishes listed on the menu: Firecracker Tofu, Pickled Mixed Radish Salad, and the mysterious sounding Okonomiyaki. The chefs were clearly having fun at this place, and we were blown away by the depth of flavor they achieved with such simple preparations. We threw back some sake and tore through plate after plate of food. This salad is inspired by that meal, featuring quirky sea beans (a seaweed-like swamp/beach vegetable) and the haunting flavor of shiso (Japanese mint). You can find fresh sea beans at a gourmet market. If they're not available, substitute pencil-thin asparagus. Look for shiso in Asian markets, but substitute fresh cilantro if you can't find it.

This all-purpose, all-season stock recipe works perfectly in any Vedge recipe. This will store for up to five days in the refrigerator. You don't need to peel any of the vegetables; just wash them carefully.

Toss cooked grains with sweet-tart tangerines for a side dish that only gets better with age—lunch tomorrow, anyone?

Yes, gravy should be lump-free (always whisk, don't stir), but it's the flavor of the roux that makes or breaks what gets passed at the table. Toasting flour in butter is what develops its deep, nutty taste. You'll know it's done when it's the color of graham crackers and smells like popcorn.

Cook turkey legs separately from the breasts and be prepared for the greatest holiday-food “Aha!” moment ever.

We tried all kinds of gingersnaps to make this easy crust. Our favorite? Anna's Ginger Thins.

Adding barley malt syrup offers a rounder, less-sweet note in this take on pecan pie. Look for it at health food stores.

Take cornbread up a notch with this sweet-and-savory version studded with sautéed, thyme-scented apples.

The tang of sour cream gives the illusion that this recipe is not as rich as the cream, butter, and milk would imply.

Thyme syrup adds a savory note to this rum-cider punch that'd be great as a pre–holiday dinner drink.

No endless simmering and stirring for this garlicky pasta sauce. Here, canned tomatoes are oven-roasted, which intensifies their flavor while cutting down on fuss.

Basil is wilted like a leafy green in this stir-fry, then added raw at the end for a double dose of its aromatic flavor.

This Mexican-inspired torta is stuffed with turkey, lime, cilantro, and pickled red onion.

Sure, it's optional, but trust us—you really want to make this.

The dressing should be emulsified when you add the butter. Keeping it warm will prevent it from separating, but if it does, add a couple drops of water and whisk again to bring it back together.

Adding sour cream to the dough imparts richness and a bit of tang, and doesn't thin it out too much.

Mayonnaise in the batter isn't as weird as it sounds—it's just eggs and oil, after all. It's also why this cake is so moist.