It's said that good things come to those who wait, and this dish may test your patience. Constructed with layers of tender eggplant, spicy homemade sausage, and silky tomato sauce, this casserole tastes best eaten a few days after baking. But the delayed gratification is worthwhile. A bite of the top layer, so tender…

  Rogan Josh is a curry dish from Kashmir, a region tucked among the borders of Indian, Pakistan, and China, all of which can be tasted in its fragrant blend of spices. I'd never eaten Rogan Josh before I bought the seasoning based solely on its enticing aroma, and now I'm not sure how I…

  Ridiculously fast and easy to make, these shrimp are packed with a one-two punch of garlic and ginger, followed by a touch of lime that tingles the tongue. The natural sweetness of the shrimp complements the citrus. I highly recommend serving this over zoodles that are cooked in a pan using the leftover marinade…

This is a great side dish. The amounts are perfect for 2 people – adjust the recipe accordingly if you plan to feed more than that!

Shakshuka is huevos rancheros by way of the Sahara desert. It's a stovetop casserole composed of cloud-like eggs that are lovingly simmered in a silken, spiced tomato sauce. The dish is an everyday breakfast or dinner in North African countries like Morocco, Egypt, and Tunisia – and it's wildly popular in Israel, too, the result…

These are our basic potatoes – simmered, then passed through a ricer or a food mill with butter and garlic confit. It's important to cook the potatoes gently, just at a simmer, so the other layer doesn't disintegrate. They go well with the Buttermilk Fried Chicken (from Ad Hoc at Home page 16) as well…

Dave Cruz learned this technique for preserving mushrooms from a chef in the Basque region of Spain, and it's so tasty and versatile that you'll find many uses for it. The method is simple – mushrooms are steeped in medium-hot aromatic oil for 5 minutes and then seasoned with vinegar and salt. Mushrooms prepared this…

  The key to a great macaroon is its size. It has to be between one and a half and three inches. We've tried to make them smaller, but this results in too much crust relative to the chewy interior. And these two textures – the delicate crunch and the chewiness – are what make…