David Leite

An easy weeknight meal that's an unassuming melding of red lentils, harissa, sautéed onions, and garlicky tahini sauce that can only be described as magical. (Yes, lentils can be magic.)

There's a lot to like here. The caramelized sweetness of sweet potatoes and onions. The salty and tangy creaminess of feta. And the knowing that you're doing something decent for yourself without it tasting like penance.

A sigh-worthy Sunday supper sorta meal that’s inspired by classic French technique yet relies on inexpensive everyday ingredients and takes not much more effort than a PBJ. (Well, a little more effort.)

Seafood gumbo loaded with shrimp, such as this classic Cajun recipe, screams for a cold beer and a lazy weekend afternoon dedicated to nothing but cooking.

Thanks to the welcome heat of both mezcal and habanero, this lamb becomes incredibly flavorful as it's slowly coaxed to knee-wobbling tenderness.

Understand exactly why soba is so revered in some cultures with this eminiently slurpable bowl of soul-satisfying goodness of crisp-skinned duck and satisfying noodles.

A little sweeter (and a lot more vibrant) than traditional English marmalade thanks to the notable presence and complexity of the classic Italian apéritif. Here's how to make it.

Simple yet spectacular green beans thanks to the perfect technique from Alain Ducasse.

Comfort in a bowl, Italian-style. Quite adept at healing all that ails you.

Cacio e pepe kugel. It's what happens when Rome's famous pasta dish collides with everyone's favorite Jewish comfort food.

Stadium-worthy bacon-wrapped hot dogs at home. Sooooooo worth the indulgence.

This isn't quite bulgolgi, the classic Korean barbecue. But this little number is salty, sweet, and quite reminiscent of its longer-marinated inspiration.

An homage to the chocolate cakes of yesteryear but with a contemporary dark chocolate oomph that turns tradition upside-down in the most pleasing possible way. You're welcome.

It's the taste of these spiced meat-filled patties that talks to us. And oh, do they. With a Jamaican accent, no less.

Okay, breadbaking virgins, here's the loaf for you. Nothing tricky. Just flour, water, yeast, and salt. And an honest-to-goodness homemade taste.

Succulent. Crisp-skinned. Simple. If that's what you seek in a roast hen, your search stops with this ooh- and aah-inducing technique.

These sexy salmon fillets have got "come hither" appeal in spades thanks to a citrusy lilt and a beguiling blend of spices.

Crunchy on the outside and soul-sighingly soft inside, this simple no-knead sourdough recipe from Jim Lahey turns out a classic Italian loaf that would pass muster at any trattoria.

A proper dinner any night, this chocolate sandwich with a French accent is a far cry from Wonder bread and Hershey's. Oooooh sooooo far.

Nothing beats perfectly sweet tart homemade orange marmalade. Tart and sweet and eminently giftable...if, that is, you can bear to part with any. (We can't!)