Parsley

"Compound butters are a terrific blank canvas," Ballymaloe co-founder Rory O'Connell says. "You can mix in all sorts of flavors—anchovies, capers, any herb or spice."

Squeezing the liquid out of the zucchini is the secret to crisp fritters. (The potato helps, too.)

You can crisp the shallots and hard-boil the eggs a day ahead, but wait until closer to serving time to make the yolk filling.

To make addictively crispy chicken skin for this cobb salad recipe, turn it often in the skillet, until it looks like bacon.

Blanching the garlic neutralizes some of its bite, and the spinach lends an earthy base note. This goes great with our beer-braised brisket.

This rice is so self-sufficient it doesn't need your constant attention, and it's happy to share the spotlight with a nutty green sauce.

Regardless of the color of quinoa, make sure you rinse it before you cook it.

A vegan’s delight, with a gentle bonus buzz from the matcha.

There are no dried chiles in this green mole; it boasts bright, fresh flavors instead.

At Kachka, in Portland, Oregon, they make mayo from scratch. But Hellmann’s (a.k.a. Best Foods) will do just fine.

This stuffed ribeye roast recipe (or rib eye, depending on who you ask), is a holiday showstopper.

It can be hard to gauge what’s happening under all that salt, but these times are accurate. If your fish is on the smaller side, take it out on the lower end of the range.

For a beautiful, almost bone-white soup, don’t let the leeks and onion take on any color as they soften.

You want all of your cheese ball ingredients at room temperature to make sure the goat cheese mixture is smooth and homogenous.

Bright, herbal, and sharp, this comically simple condiment is just what you want alongside braised meat.

Yes, you can treat parsley as a salad green, as long as your bunch isn’t woody. Sweet molasses and tart sumac make it vibrant. As for the raw onions, massage them with salt and let them sit for half an hour so they’re not so astringent. Also, adds Ottolenghi, “so you don’t burb.”

For the ideal ratio of browned, smoky exterior and rosy-red flesh, ask your butcher for the thickest short ribs he’s got.

Because of the brothy marinade, the skin won’t get as crisp as with other roast chickens, but the flesh will be so tender, you’ll want to eat it with your hands.

With lamb rib chops, we insist you leave the fat on the bone.

As the lamb cooks inside the pita, the fat will render into the bread, creating a crunchy, compact, vibrantly flavored meat pie that’s unlike any burger you’ve ever had.

This sauce goes with pretty much any grilled meat; stir leftovers into yogurt to make a dip.

The rich and beefy flatiron is also known as a top blade steak, but you can use any cut.

Making risotto is like taking care of a baby—it demands a lot of attention, but its needs are simple. Coddle this one with frequent stirring and it will turn out just fine.

Make sure to have fresh bread on hand to soak up any extra dressing in the bowl.