10,000 black pepper recipes

Pan-seared chicken breasts get draped in a tangy mustard sauce with dry sherry and a creamy ricotta-yogurt finish. All the richness of a cream sauce with half the guilt.

Pasta shells stuffed with crumbled feta, black olives, red pepper, and walnuts. A Mediterranean-style finger food appetizer ready in 15 minutes.

Grand Brazilian seafood soup with grouper, shrimp, mussels, crab, and lobster in a rich fish head stock with tomatoes, coriander, parsley, and cayenne. A coastal feast in a bowl.

Apricot-glazed Cornish hens roasted whole over a buttery bread stuffing scented with celery, onion, and marjoram, basted with a sweet-tart apricot preserves glaze.

H. Allen Smith's legendary no-bean chili: 4 pounds of coarse-ground sirloin simmered for 3 hours with dried hot chilis, Mexican oregano, and cumin. Pure Texas-style chili, the way the purists intended.

Butter-sauteed shrimp deglazed with white wine, served over thin pasta with a slow-simmered Provencal tomato sauce rich with basil and oregano. Worth every minute of the long, lazy simmer.

Prawns in Chinese black bean sauce with ginger, garlic, and green pepper, stir-fried in a wok for quick weeknight takeout at home. Authentic Cantonese stir-fry with deeply savory fermented black bean paste.

Indian spiced grape sherbet with roasted cumin, black pepper, lemon, and a pinch of salt. Angoor Ka Sherbet is a no-cook summer cooler ready in 20 minutes.

Savory papaya lassi blended with yogurt, ripe papaya, lime juice, salt, and black pepper. The Indian cooler that goes savory or sweet, with a sweet rose-water variation included.

Cumin black bean soup with smoked ham, sweet red pepper, and toasted garlic. Ready in 40 minutes from pantry cans, finished with sour cream and pickled jalapeños for a smoky, spicy weeknight bowl.

Crispy potato latkes loaded with shredded carrots and zucchini, pan-fried golden on a hot griddle. Serve with applesauce or cranberry sauce for dipping. Makes 36 latkes.

Sauteed Italian greens for piadini made with spinach, broccoli rabe (cime di rapa), and savoy cabbage, boiled tender then finished in garlic olive oil. A traditional Romagna filling.

Light veggie quiche with whipped egg whites folded into a yogurt-Swiss cheese base with sauteed broccoli, cauliflower, and mushrooms. Airy, souffle-like, and satisfying.

Blended tomato salad dressing with white wine vinegar, onion, garlic, and celery seeds. A tangy, peppery vinaigrette with a smooth tomato base for green salads.

Hearty ground beef and bean skillet with mushrooms and tangy ketchup sauce. A one-pot wonder that simmers together in 45 minutes flat, and kids go wild for the spooky name.

Buttery sauteed spinach with pine nuts, plumped raisins, garlic, and a pinch of nutmeg. A Sicilian-inspired side dish that turns simple greens into something extraordinary.