Winter

Like a classic tarte Tatin, this cobbler begins with apples being caramelized in a rich mix of butter and sugar, but we've upped the ante by adding apple brandy and raisins. Tender biscuit rounds take the place of traditional pastry to create a true home-style dessert. (And a drizzle of cream never hurts.)

Looking for a fast weeknight dessert? Johnnycake—essentially a cross between a pancake and corn bread—isn't fancy, but it's delicious when made with delicate pears and maple syrup.

Who knew? These two humble winter staples actually have a natural affinity, playing off each other's best qualities.

There's no question: If meatloaf, then potatoes. These have all the comfort of mashed, but with a nice texture from the potato slices and from being baked in cream. And they can go in the oven along with the meatloaf, so dinner will be ready all at once.

Like cinnamon in this country, cardamom plays a starring role in Algerian sweets. Paired with star anise in a gingery syrup, it gives clementine slices an irresistible aroma, but the syrup would be just as wonderful over any kind of sliced fruit.

A shot of vinegar enlivens the concentrated sweetness of roasted parsnips—a perfect complement to simple roast chicken.

This potato soup recipe was brought over from Poland by test kitchen director Ruth Cousineau's grandmother.

The French version of pesto, pistou is often stirred into soupe au pistou, Provence's vegetable and bean soup. In this dish, the vegetable soup ingredients and pistou are blended together into a flavorful puree that's topped with shrimp. To serve as a main course, add a side of orzo tossed with good-quality olive oil, salt, plenty of pepper, and some grated Asiago cheese.

In this soupy, risotto-like side dish or starter, pureed parsnips and blanched carrots, parsnips, and turnips are stirred into cooked basmati rice. The parsnip puree adds luxurious richness without any cream, butter, or cheese. Serve alongside pan-grilled steaks or pork chops.

Here's a great new way to roast beets: in a salt crust. The horseradish, thyme, and orange in the crust infuse the beets with bright flavor as they're cooking. Leftover beets make a great addition to salads. Lightly coat torn butter lettuce with a Sherry wine vinaigrette, top with the sliced beets and some sliced red onion, and drizzle with a bit of the horseradish crème fraîche.

Few ingredients, big payoff: Large "steaks" are cut from a head of cauliflower, sautéed until golden, then baked until tender. They're served over a simple purée made from the cauliflower florets. An impressive first course, this can also be a lovely side. Just sear two mahi-mahi fillets in butter and place them alongside the cauliflower.

A dish to convert all the Brussels sprout haters. By cooking the sprouts only briefly, you preserve their great nutty flavor. This side pairs nicely with roasted rack of lamb or whole chicken. For a Middle Eastern-flavored meal, rub either meat with olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper before cooking.

Jerusalem artichokes (also known as sunchokes) are neither artichokes nor from Jerusalem, but rather the tuber of a variety of sunflower native to America. The knobby, gnarly vegetable is often overlooked, but its sweet, nutty flavor makes it worth seeking out.

If your pears are on the dry side, the caramel will form more quickly than if they are juicy. Any variety of pears can be used in this recipe, but Bosc pears hold up especially well because of their firm texture. Almost any cheese would be great with the pears: Head to your local farmers' market or cheese shop and do some sampling.

Any variety of kale will work in this recipe. If available, try ruffled Red Russian kale, Tuscan kale, or Salad Savoy.

When shopping for a chicken, look for the organic seal. An organic chicken will be juicier than one that's conventionally raised. In this recipe, the chicken is butterflied for quicker cooking.

Look for squash that are heavy for their size.

The coffee marinade is sweetened slightly with a little maple syrup, and the sauce gets a kick thanks to a jalapeño chile.

The tangy-sweet vinaigrette brings out broccoli's deep flavor in the best way.