7 Flavorful Recipes That Look As Good As They Taste (2024)

Prep time: 10 minutes, plus soaking time for plank

Cooking time: 15 minutes

1 cedar plank, at least 12x6 inches (optional)

2 blood oranges (or other variety, like Cara Cara), juiced (about ⅔ cup)

2 tsp whole pink peppercorns, crushed

½ tsp kosher salt

1 small shallot, peeled, very finely minced

3 Tbsp light brown sugar

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

4 (6-oz) skinless center-cut salmon fillets (they should measure no more than 1¼ inches wide)

1. Soak cedar plank, completely submerged in water, at least 1 hour. (If you don't plan to use a plank, skip this step.)

2. In a small saucepan, combine orange juice, peppercorns, salt, shallot, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Let cool.

3. Lay each salmon fillet on its side and fold in half to form a teardrop shape. Secure with toothpicks.

4. Heat oven to 450°F. Place soaked cedar plank on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Place salmon steaks on plank, equidistant from one another. (If you are not using a plank, line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray generously with nonstick spray. Arrange salmon steaks on pan, equidistant from one another.) Slather salmon with marinade, reserving about 2 Tbsp. Roast salmon 8 to 10 minutes, basting halfway through with remaining marinade. Remove from oven and serve.

Spicy potato salad with peas and cashews

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

1. Place 1½ lb scrubbed baby potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife. Drain. Halve potatoes; toss with 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice and 1 tsp salt. Set aside.

2. While potatoes are cooking, in a medium skillet, heat 3 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp mild curry powder, 1 tsp sweet paprika, a pinch of cayenne, ½ tsp salt, and ? cup raw cashews (roughly chopped) and cook, stirring, until spices are fragrant and cashews are lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off heat and transfer cashews to a small bowl with a slotted spoon.

3. Add 1½ cups whole Greek yogurt into remaining spiced oil in pan; stir to combine. Scrape spiced yogurt onto potatoes, add 1 (10-oz) package frozen green peas (thawed), and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning, transfer to a serving bowl, and scatter spiced cashews on top.

Makes 4 servings.

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Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: Overnight, plus 10 minutes

1 cup coarse yellow cornmeal or old-fashioned grits

4 cups cold water

1 cup low-fat milk

1 tsp kosher salt

⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ cup (1 stick) butter, divided

2 oz sliced deli ham, cut into ¼-inch strips

4 large eggs

1. In a 4-quart slow-cooker, place cornmeal, water, milk, salt, pepper, and 4 Tbsp of the butter. Cover and cook on low about 8 hours. (After 8 hours, switch slow-cooker to "keep warm" setting.)

2. In a medium skillet, melt 2 Tbsp of the butter over medium heat and cook ham until it begins to frizzle and brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

3. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp butter in the same pan over medium heat and crack 2 of the eggs into the pan. Fry eggs without flipping, until whites are set but yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining eggs.

4. Divide cooked polenta among 4 bowls and top each with an egg and frizzled ham. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 4 servings.

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Prep time: 20 minutes, plus 1 hour refrigeration

Cooking time: 1 hour

Unsalted butter

1½ cups whole milk

½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

6 large eggs

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp each kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

1 (10-oz) box frozen creamed spinach, thawed

1 (1-lb) loaf sliced white sandwich bread, quartered to make 4 triangles from each slice

6 oz (about 2 cups) aged sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1. Grease a 9x11-inch or 3-quart baking dish with butter.

2. In a large bowl, beat milk, yogurt, and eggs until combined. Add mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, then fold in creamed spinach.

3. In prepared baking dish, layer one third of the bread slices, followed by one third of the spinach mixture and then one third of the cheese. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Scatter tomatoes on top. Cover dish with nonstick foil and refrigerate at least 1 hour, up to overnight.

4. Heat oven to 350°F. Bake strata 30 minutes or until it begins to puff. Remove foil, increase heat to 375°F, and bake another 20 to 30 minutes or until puffed and golden and tomatoes begin to burst. Serve warm.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

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Total time: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour chill time

Combine 8 oz softened cream cheese, 8 oz crumbled gorgonzola or other mild blue cheese, ? cup dried apricots (finely chopped), and ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, mixing until smooth. Cover a clean plate with 1½ cups roasted salted pistachios (finely chopped). Wet your hands (like you would to roll cookie dough) and roll 1 Tbsp of the mixture between your palms to form a ball. Then roll cheese ball in pistachios. Repeat until you've used up all of the cheese mixture. Cover tightly and refrigerate cheese balls until an hour before you plan to serve them. Serve with crackers.

Makes about 30.

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"Kir Royale" ice cubes

Total time: 5 minutes, plus freezing time

CONCORD GRAPE CASSIS CUBES:

32 Concord grapes or blueberries

¼ cup crème de cassis

1 cup Concord grape juice

PINK GRAPEFRUIT CAMPARI CUBES:

½ cup pomegranate seeds

¼ cup Campari

1 cup pink grapefruit juice

Evenly divide ingredients among a 16-cube silicon ice tray and freeze until solid (can be done the day before serving and up to a week in advance). Drop a couple of cubes in a glass and cover with sparkling wine.

Total time: 15 minutes

32 (½- to 2-inch) packaged cookies (we used divided Oreos, lemon shortbread, and snickerdoodles)

1 pint ice cream or sorbet (we used a mix of raspberry sorbet, strawberry ice cream, and cherry-vanilla gelato)

Using a 1-oz scoop, place a scoop of softened ice cream between two cookies and squeeze together so the ice cream spreads to the edges of the cookies and a bit beyond. Immediately place ice cream sandwiches on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour. Sandwiches can be made ahead and stored, tightly covered, in freezer up to a month.

Makes 16 ice cream sandwiches.

Fruit compote

Total time: 5 minutes, plus 1 hour marinating time

Toss together 1 pint fresh or frozen raspberries or blackberries (or a mixture of both) with juice of ½ lemon and ½ cup sugar in a microwave-safe bowl. Let sit 1 hour or until juices begin to run. Stir, then microwave on high 1 minute. Stir again to dissolve sugar, then microwave another 2 minutes, or until bubbly. Cool to lukewarm and serve alongside ice cream sandwiches.

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