Simple Cooking

With a few simple ingredients, some basic kitchen equipment, and a little planning, wonderful stock is easy to make at home.

These crunchy thyme-flecked nuts are delicious served with sherry and slices of Manchego cheese.

These tangy glazed nuts go perfectly with a glass of sherry.

Tangy olives balance sweet onions and peppers in this salsa. Its tartness is good on different sorts of white fish, such as tilapia.

Cumin seeds contain vitamin E as well as flavonoids, both powerful antioxidants.

Keep this topping in the freezer, in a resealable plastic bag, for up to 2 months; it can be used to make fruit crisps whenever you need a quick dessert. This recipe makes enough for 2 large crisps.

Because this fish stock freezes well, you can double the recipe; use one batch, and freeze the second one for later use.

This fluffy cooked meringue makes the best pie topping. It is easiest to beat the mixture with an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.