Lillian Chou

Turn inky black rice into a dreamy coconut milk pudding you’re fully authorized to enjoy for breakfast or dessert.

This easy roast duck makes for a lovely holiday centerpiece—it’s also pretty easy to cook.

This nourishing soup comes together faster than you can say “sweater weather.”

With just six ingredients, this elegant olive oil cake asks so little and gives so much.

Pile it on waffles, stir into Greek yogurt, or spoon over cheesecake or crepes: Blueberry compote knows no bounds.

Proof that the best cornbread isn’t necessarily the most complicated, this easy recipe gets it on the table in 30 minutes.

This vegetarian pad Thai gets its tangy-sweet flavor and flush of heat from a sauce made with tamarind pulp, soy sauce, brown sugar, and Sriracha.

These sour cream pancakes are just as tender and flavorful as ones made with buttermilk, but the real star is the tangy-sweet sour cream maple syrup.

Cutting leeks into large pieces gives them a presence equal to disks of potato, while cooking the vegetables separately before combining—the leeks are braised in butter, the spuds are simmered in milk and cream—preserves their distinct flavors.

It doesn’t take much to make slender, tender green beans memorable—lemon zest and orange zest warmed in olive oil provide sensational sparkle.

Crisp pickled vegetables go brilliantly with cocktails (or with sandwiches, a hunk of cheese, a juicy steak...the possibilities are endless). Fresh ginger and dried chiles give them a bracing boost and orange juice plays up their natural sweetness.

Fuyu persimmons, which resemble tomatoes in shape, are best enjoyed while still firm and slightly crisp. The sweet, meaty wedges make a gorgeous counterpoint to the tangle of peppery greens.

Popovers are an appealing alternative to Yorkshire pudding (the same batter is used for both), and embellishing with dried porcini mushrooms imparts an unexpected woodsy dimension. You’ll want to make these all winter long.

Underneath the toasted meringue, you’ll find a surprising lightness that comes from cheery red cranberry sorbet layered with pale green pistachio ice cream and buttery pound cake.

A standing rib roast combines deep beefiness with marvelous tenderness and, naturally, has a price tag to match. But don’t be intimidated. It’s still a roast, after all, and that means it’s easy to cook.

Sure, you could pour a glass of sparkling Prosecco, but turning it into a celebratory punch rich with fruity, tart pomegranate juice and citrus takes things in an even livelier direction.

Bay scallops—which are smaller and sweeter than sea scallops—are found in estuaries up and down the Eastern Seaboard, from New England to the Mid-Atlantic region. Any of them will work here, but if you really want to pull out all the stops, search for those from Nantucket Bay, which are prized for their candylike succulence. Celery purée swirled with black truffle butter enhances the delicacy of the seafood.

A basket of unusual breadsticks will vanish in no time. The fact that you scatter the strips of dough on baking sheets rather like pick-up sticks results in great texture: they’re chewy where the strips overlap and crisp where they don’t.

A simmer and soak in sugar syrup glazes kumquats and liquifies their interiors so they taste like delicious shots of marmalade.

All of the elements for this elegant last course can be prepped at least two days ahead; assemble just before eating for the ultimate, light-but-luscious Valentine’s dessert.