Citrus

Marinating is a wonderful way to tenderize leg of lamb and other less expensive (and tougher) cuts of meat before grilling or broiling. Grilled lemons and lemon orzo complement the robust lamb.

Turn leftover meat from Flank Steak with Parsley-Garlic Sauce (page 194) into one of these weeknight dinners. The steak for the salad can be served cold, while the steak in the fajitas will warm through as it gets cooked with the rest of the ingredients.

Chicken thighs are a more flavorful (and economical) alternative to breasts, and just as versatile. A spice-and-ginger rub flavors the meat, while the heat of the broiler crisps the skin.

Chicken breasts get bold bursts of flavor from a zesty topping of cherry tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro, and green olives. Serve this dish with rice or a simple green salad and crusty bread.

The beet can be roasted up to a day in advance of serving the salad. Although the red beet contrasts nicely with the orange wedges, a golden or chioggia beet can be used instead.

Salsa simply means “sauce” in Spanish. These three versions are delicious served with tortilla chips, or as condiments along-side grilled fish, chicken, or pork.

This dip is a favorite among Everyday Food editors. Double the recipe to make extra, as it will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to three days. Navy beans can be used in place of cannellini.

THIS RECIPE BEGAN AS A MARINADE for poached chicken, but it was so delicious we now sell it as a dip. Poured over a wedge of soft Brie cheese or served in a flat-bottomed bowl alongside bread, it makes an easy starter to any meal. A mix of golden and Thompson seedless raisins provides a sweet contrast. See photograph on page 237.

Instead of pouring syrup and butter over a stack of pancakes, we put the butter in the syrup. This sweet and creamy syrup is also great on Cinnamon Buns (page 225).

ANYONE WHO’S COOKED WITH ME KNOWS I LOVE CAPERS. (If I had my way, I’d write a caper cookbook.) Here’s a dish I’ve made at home for years that we now sell at Pasta & Co. The rich flavor of cauliflower balances perfectly with the lemon and capers, while the red onion gives the dish a hint of color and a little crunch.

THIS IS A TRIPLE-ORANGE VEGETABLE DISH: bright orange carrots, paprika, and orange juice come together to create a vibrant side dish.

MAKE THIS RICH DISH ON A WINTER’S NIGHT, and for six hours your house will be filled with the wonderful aroma of slow-cooked pork. The longer and slower you cook it, the better it is. The pork has several layers of flavor, including deep orange from the fresh orange juice and marmalade, a kick from the chili powder, and a vinegar tang from the olives. Serve the pork as a pulled-pork sandwich, spooned over Parsnip-Herb Biscuits (page 247), over pasta, or with steamed potatoes.

THIS RECIPE IS AKIN TO A HOMEMADE ROTISSERIE CHICKEN without the hassle. Use the lime marinade below as a base recipe; feel free to add more fresh herbs, other citrus fruit, shallots, or ginger.

HARISSA IS A FIERY MOROCCAN SPICE BLEND made with chili peppers that appears often in Mediterranean cooking. It comes both dried and as a paste, and when we started selling the spice at Pasta & Co we created this dish to celebrate its vibrant flavor. The trick here is pounding the chicken breasts until they are uniformly thin to let the marinade penetrate, which both flavors and tenderizes the meat.

WHILE MOST PEOPLE KNOW TURKEY ONLY as sliced cold cuts or a whole roasted bird for Thanksgiving dinner, turkey tenderloins are a versatile, tender cut. The citrus-herb marinade is crucial to both the flavor and the texture of the dish because it helps tenderize the meat and boosts the flavor. Serve this dish with Sausage-Oyster Stuffing, Wild Mushroom Stuffing, or Apple-Pecan Stuffing with Dried Cherries (pages 167–71), and you can enjoy the flavors of Thanksgiving all year long.