Chinese chicken salad with shredded roast chicken, bean sprouts, cucumber, and carrots in a sesame-tahini dressing with soy sauce, garlic, and rice wine. Crisp, nutty, and satisfying.
Whole grilled sea bass over a raw winter slaw of julienned carrot, parsnip, and celeriac with toasted walnuts and champagne vinegar. Bistro-style dinner for two in 30 minutes.
Steamed broccoli tossed in a Japanese rice vinegar vinaigrette with garlic and stone ground mustard. A tangy, oil-free side dish ready in under 15 minutes.
Gow gees are crispy fried Chinese dumplings filled with pork, shrimp, dried mushrooms, and scallions. Served with classic homemade sweet and sour sauce. Makes 48 for a crowd.
Grilled chicken romaine vinaigrette, a Caesar-style main course salad with herb-marinated grilled chicken, romaine, Parmesan, water chestnuts, and croutons.
Turkey and cheese sandwich on whole grain bread stacked with avocado, smoked Monterey Jack, alfalfa sprouts, radishes, and tomato, dressed lightly with olive oil and white wine vinegar.
Sweet and sour chicken with pineapple, bell pepper, and brown sugar-vinegar sauce. Two methods included: slow cooker (8-10 hours) or oven (2 hours). Serve over rice.
Pan-seared pork scalloppine in a from-scratch cranberry sauce with red wine vinegar, chicken stock, and cranberry liqueur. Elegant weeknight dinner in 40 minutes.
Hickory-smoked pork ribs marinated in cider vinegar and garlic salt, grilled over charcoal, then dunked in a warm BBQ-and-steak sauce with molasses. Backyard classic.
Tri-pasta salad combines ziti, bow-tie, and spinach rotini with tri-color peppers, olives, and capers in a no-oil herbed red wine vinaigrette. Colorful, tangy, and low-fat for picnics and potlucks.
Beef stew braised in cranberry chutney with raisins, walnuts, honey, and warm spices. Stewing beef slow-simmered until the tart cranberries melt into a rich, fruity sauce.
Chinese clay pot salmon with cloud ear mushrooms, bean thread noodles, and pressed tofu in a gingery chicken broth. Elegant Cantonese-style fish dish with delicate aromatics and a silky sesame finish.
Mock pavlova is a sugar-free Aussie meringue dessert using artificial sweetener. Crisp shell, marshmallow heart, and fresh kiwi slices, all under 100 calories per portion.
Apple raspberry pie with a flaky lard crust, Granny Smith apples, fresh raspberries, cinnamon, and warm spices. The lard crust freezing method creates shatteringly tender layers.
Potato crepes topped with stir-fried scallops, salmon, and asparagus in a ginger-soy sauce. A restaurant-quality Asian-fusion dish for two with wok technique.
Fried Beancurd with Sweet Nut Sauce (Tao Hou Tod) recipe
Warm chicken and Granny Smith apple salad with Gorgonzola cheese, carrots, and a hot apple cider vinaigrette over fresh spinach. A fast microwave dinner salad.
Jerk chicken pizza, a Caribbean spin: spicy jerk-seared chicken and shiitakes on a barbecue-sauce base with smoked mozzarella and asiago, finished with cool mango-mint salsa. Sweet heat meets smoky cheese.
Roasted broccoli sesame salad tossed in a soy, rice vinegar, and sesame oil dressing with toasted sesame seeds. Served warm or at room temperature.
Marinated mushroom salad in a tangy mustard-herb vinaigrette with white wine vinegar, parsley, and chives. A French-style cold appetizer that improves after hours of marinating in the fridge.
Mei Kwei Tao(Pickled Peaches in Red Rose Petals) recipe
Chinese sizzling sweet and sour seafood with shrimp, scallops, and vegetables in a tangy sauce poured over deep-fried rice cakes for a dramatic tableside sizzle.
Belgian carbonnade braises beef chuck and smoked ham in dark beer with onions, carrots, and herbs, finished with scotch, vinegar, and toasted walnuts. Deep stew flavor in every spoonful.
Sweet and sour chili ribs baked low and slow with brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Fall-off-the-bone pork ribs with a tangy, sticky glaze.
White beans and hijiki seaweed tossed with rice and braised red cabbage in balsamic vinegar, finished with tamari for a hearty vegan bowl packed with plant protein.
Gazpacho relish for hot dogs: chopped tomato, cucumber, green pepper, onion, and garlic in a sweet-tangy red wine vinaigrette. Cookout topping that beats anything from a jar.
Warm turkey and sweet potato salad tossed in a creamy tarragon mustard dressing with peppery watercress and butter lettuce. A hearty, satisfying way to use leftover turkey.
Oven-barbecued beef short ribs, marinated in soy and cider vinegar, braised fork-tender, then basted with barbecue sauce and roasted until sticky and well browned. Fall-off-the-bone ribs, no grill required.
Chile Seared Cervena Venison with (See Full Title Below) recipe
Crispy baked capellini pancake topped with a sweet-spicy serrano and bell pepper relish. Vegetarian side dish with crunchy golden edges and a kick of heat.
Crayfish and poached quail egg salad pairs court-bouillon-poached crayfish with delicate soft quail eggs over greens, dressed in a truffle and dill vinaigrette. An elegant composed seafood starter.
Duck pot pie with the flavors of duck a l'orange baked right in: a giblet stock sauce brightened with orange peel and Triple Sec, loaded with broccoli, leeks, and ginger. The crispy duck skin gets rolled into the top crust.
Santa Fe chicken pounds chicken breasts thin, rolls them around green chiles and Mexican cheese, then pan-sears golden. Served with a fresh corn-tomato-cilantro salsa for a Southwest dinner.
Gulf Snapper with Avocado & Tomatillo Salsa recipe
Calico salad is a colorful three-bean salad with kidney beans, green beans, and wax beans in a sweet vinegar dressing with chopped green pepper and onion.
Italian pasta salad with rotini, broccoli, mozzarella, bell peppers, and a homemade basil-oregano vinaigrette. A make-ahead cold pasta dish for potlucks and picnics.
Garlic and sage grilled chicken with a tangy cider vinegar marinade thickened by an emulsified egg-and-oil base. Smoky from indirect charcoal heat, juicy and herby in every bite.
Zucchini quiche with a flaky crescent roll crust, sauteed zucchini and onion, mozzarella, and a balsamic-vinegar twist. A weeknight quiche shortcut that uses egg substitute for a lighter brunch.
Grilled lamb skewers marinated overnight in fresh mint, orange juice, Sichuan peppercorns, ginger, and sherry. Bold East-meets-Mediterranean flavors on the grill in under 10 minutes.
A friend just sent me this recipe, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Pasta e fagioli simmers tender navy beans, canned tomatoes, and macaroni in a basil-and-oregano broth, with onions sautéed in balsamic instead of oil. A naturally lean Italian peasant soup.
Pickled okra (lady's fingers) marinated in vinegar then chilled with chopped tomatoes, red onion, and fresh ginger. A bright, tangy summer side.
Spicy Thai cold pasta salad with red and green bell peppers, scallions, and toasted black sesame seeds in a hot sesame oil, brown rice vinegar, and mirin dressing. A fast vegetarian potluck salad served chilled.
Pinto bean and scallion veggie burgers bound with egg whites and breadcrumbs, sharpened with rice vinegar and Italian herbs. Freeze-ahead friendly, baked instead of fried, and naturally low-fat.
Marinated tortellini skewers with mushrooms and bell pepper diamonds, threaded and displayed on an acorn squash for a dramatic party platter.
Napa cabbage and sheep cheese salad with sautéed onions, fresh thyme, and white wine vinegar. Tossed and rested for an hour so the flavors meld. Simple and satisfying.
Grilled chicken sandwiches piled high with a sweet-savory peach and caramelized onion relish spiked with sherry vinegar and crushed peppercorns. Summer cookout fare with a grown-up punch.
Homemade ricotta cheese: three-ingredient fresh cheese from whole milk, vinegar, and salt. Slow-curdled the traditional way for silky, delicate curds. Better than any tub at the store.