Sopa de ajo al horno is a Spanish baked garlic soup with crusty bread cubes, red pepper flakes, and eggs poached in the broth. Castilian peasant comfort food, ready in 35 minutes.
Sesame noodles with soy sauce, garlic, crushed red pepper, and roasted red pepper strips. A quick cold noodle dish with nutty sesame flavor, ready in 25 minutes.
Huevos rancheros with poached eggs on steamed flour tortillas topped with a fresh tomato-chili sauce and grated cheddar. A quick Mexican-style breakfast for two that comes together in 35 minutes.
Pasta arrabbiata with linguine tossed in a spicy tomato sauce made from canned tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, and olive oil. A fiery Italian classic ready in 30 minutes.
Jamaican jerk chicken rubbed with a fiery homemade paste of toasted allspice, scallions, garlic, and warm spice, then grilled low and slow over indirect heat. Serve with Pickapeppa sauce for the real deal.
Spicy Thai tofu salad with marinated tofu, shiitake mushrooms, snow peas, and red bell pepper over fresh spinach. Bright sesame-rice-vinegar dressing with garlic, cilantro, and chili heat.
Peruvian-style shrimp chowder with flounder, potatoes, corn, and cream cheese in a spicy tomato broth, garnished with fresh mint. A rich seafood soup ready in 45 minutes.
Grilled black bean and tofu burgers with Thai-inspired flavors like ginger, garlic, and soy, topped with a tangy peanut cilantro sauce and cucumber slices.
Cold sesame peanut noodle salad with chicken, bean sprouts, scallions, and red pepper, tossed in a garlicky peanut butter-soy dressing. Asian-inspired pasta salad served chilled over crisp lettuce.
Ground beef and black bean chili with green peppers, carrots, and red pepper flakes simmered in tomato juice. Ladle it over hot rice for a filling 45-minute dinner.
Delicious and dramatic, this dish is a mosaic of colors. It's easy enough to make for a simple family dinner but impressive enough to serve to guests.
Crustless crab quiche with zucchini, mushrooms, reduced-fat cheddar, and evaporated skim milk. A lighter take on quiche with both microwave and oven instructions.
Gulaschsuppe (German goulash soup) with tender beef cubes, sweet peppers, paprika, and a hint of caraway in a rich beef broth. The Austrian-Hungarian classic that tastes even better the next day.
Ma-la cucumber fans with Szechuan peppercorns, chili flakes, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. A numbing-spicy Chinese cold appetizer with an elegant fan cut.
Whole chicken steamed then wok-smoked over tea leaves, cassia bark, star anise, and rice for deeply aromatic, mahogany-skinned Chinese smoked chicken. A showstopper Hunan technique with layers of warm spice and sesame.
A vibrant marinated shrimp and vegetable linguine with bell peppers, Roma tomatoes, broccoli, peas, fresh dill, and a lemon-herb olive oil dressing. Marinate ahead, toss with hot pasta, and serve.