Recipes with salt

Mud-baked fish encases a fresh-caught whole fish in river clay and cooks it directly on hot coals for three hours. Traditional Australian bushcraft cooking method.

Buttermilk chocolate quick bread studded with pecans and maraschino cherries, baked in mini loaf pans and topped with a creamy cherry glaze. A rich, fudgy bread that's more dessert than breakfast.

Grilled dill steak marinated overnight in dill pickle brine, sliced pickles, olive oil, and garlic. The tangy brine tenderizes thick-cut round steak and adds serious flavor.

Maryland crab cakes with a pound and a half of lump crab, oil-soaked bread, and whipped egg whites for lightness. Pan-fried in butter until golden on both sides.

Mocha cake with chocolate buttercream frosting. An airy sponge cake soaked in orange syrup, filled and frosted with a coffee-chocolate buttercream made from Italian meringue.

This moist and delicious cake is made with marshmallows and a bit of orange juice which gives it that rich taste.

Potato and rice soup builds a savory Italian-style broth with diced potatoes, shredded carrots, tomato paste, and arborio rice, finished with grated Parmesan and black pepper.

Italian crostata di frutta with a lemon-scented shortcrust pastry, homemade crema pasticcera, fresh seasonal fruit, and an apricot jam glaze. A classic bakery-style tart.

No-cook cucumber avocado salad with lime, chili pepper, and red bell pepper. Paper-thin cucumber slices with creamy avocado and a spicy citrus kick.

Classic devil's food cake with deep chocolate flavor and silky fudge frosting. Two-layer cake with tender, moist crumb from boiling water and rich cocoa.

Homemade pizza dough from just flour, yeast, salt, and water, kneaded soft and stretched into thin 12-inch rounds. The trick to a crisp base is a screaming-hot oven and a preheated tray.

Veal stew with oranges, carrots, and mushrooms: tender braised veal in a bright orange-infused broth with baby carrots and browned mushrooms. A rustic French country stew.

Concentration candy cookies: brown sugar-pecan cookies topped with matched pairs of colored candy-coated chocolates. A clever kids' memory-match game cookie for parties.

Grilled pepper quesadillas stuffed with roasted red bell pepper, two melted cheeses, sauteed red onion, and fresh herbs. Skillet-grilled tortillas baked until crispy and golden.

Texas-style red chili made from dried chile pods pureed into a fiery sauce with browned meat, cumin, and oregano. No beans, slow-simmered for hours.

Homemade pancake batter from scratch with flour, egg, milk, and shortening. Double-sifted dry ingredients make thick, light pancakes every time.