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Fruit

Thick Tahini Sauce

Editor's note: Use this recipe to make Rawia Bishara's Brussels Sprouts with Panko . Tahini sauce, a smooth blend of toasted sesame paste, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil, is ubiquitous in Middle Eastern kitchens. It is the condiment. There is hardly a dish that isn't enhanced by it—drizzled on Falafel sandwiches and over Brussels Sprouts with Panko; blended with pureed chickpeas for Hummus and with charred eggplant for Baba Ghanouj. My favorite Whole Fried Fish is served with this sauce mixed with parsley. At Tanoreen, I mix it into salad dressings and drizzle it into cauliflower casseroles. My daughter? She dips French fries into it! Learn to make this and you will have a simple, delicious, versatile sauce to add to your repertoire.

Chocolate-Dipped Orange Peel

Editor's Note: Use this recipe to make Julien Merceron's Biarritz Rochers.

Rosemary and Cranberry Soda Bread

This is an interesting twist on our beautiful soda bread. Look for dried cranberries in the larger supermarkets or any health food shop should stock them. This is my favourite bread that we serve as part of our bread selection in the evening.

Rhubarb Frangipane Pie

For some, the beginning of spring is marked by budding crocuses and blooming daffodils. For me, it's all about the rhubarb. After a long winter of baking endless nut, citrus, and chocolate cream pies, the emergence of those leafy pink stalks from the ground is a harbinger of the coming bounty of spring and summer fruits. Some wait until strawberries are in season a few weeks later to start baking with rhubarb, but I use it as soon as humanly possible. Toasted almond frangipane is a lovely, creamy foil to the tartness of the rhubarb, and adds an extra layer of flavor without overwhelming the star ingredient.

Elvis Pie

The King (otherwise known as Elvis Presley) was known for his swiveling hips, his dreamboat eyes, his smooth crooning, his ridiculous sequined jumpsuits, and his eccentric palate. One of his favorite snacks was a grilled peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwich, which to some might sound obscene, and to others (me), obscenely delicious. This pie marries the sweet, smoky, salty, nutty flavors of Elvis's favorite sandwich in a rich, gooey, messy cream pie. Fresh banana pudding, topped with peanut butter whipped cream in a peanut butter¿bacon cookie crust. Need I say more? You probably only need to eat this once in a lifetime; you'll never forget it.

Green Juice

Chef Hugo Bolanos of Los Angeles' Hotel Bel-Air shared this recipe exclusively with Epicurious. His turmeric-infused green juice features apples, celery, kale, and parsley but it's a flexible recipe, so feel free to experiment with different veggie combinations. Bolanos recommends swapping in Japanese cucumber for the celery, and substituting Swiss chard for the kale.

Pickled Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage

This is a lovely crunchy and tangy accompaniment to cold meats and salads. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator and use within a few days.

Orange Mint Julep

This julep riff from Bobby Flay tastes fresh and not too sweet.

Lemon Buttermilk Pie with Saffron

Blind-baking the crust is essential: It keeps it from getting soggy when the custardy filling is added.

Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Apricot and Candied Fennel

Buttermilk lightens the traditional all-cream panna cotta base—without sacrificing lusciousness.

Chocolate-Coconut Pound Cake

Crunchy, toasty coconut chips transform a simple loaf cake.

Lamb Stir-Fry with Pomegranate and Yogurt

Affordable leg of lamb is a great way to break out of the usual beef-chicken-pork rut, especially when used in a quick-cooking but complex-tasting dish like this.

Green Mango Salad

Done well, this should be crunchy, fresh, spicy, sour, and a little bit funky. Taste as you go and adjust as needed.

Roasted Shrimp with Chile Gremolata

We like to serve this main with couscous, rice, or grilled bread to sop up all of the shrimp's intensely flavored cooking liquid.

Toasted Coconut Sundaes with Candied Peanuts

You'll never serve ice cream without candied peanuts again.

Cabbage and Asian Pear Slaw

This hits all the notes of a great slaw: creamy, tangy, and crunchy.

Orange Upside-Down Cake

This recipe traces a familiar path: Slice fruit and nestle it in some caramel, pour cake batter over the top, bake, and unmold. When you flip over the cake, you'll find it's topped with delicious candied orange slices and citrusy caramel. Stressed about that caramel? No need to be. Keep a distant eye on the sugar once you put it on the stove, but don't hover. Chop some vegetables. Check Twitter. Pet the dog. Every so often, swirl the pan to make sure the caramel is cooking evenly. Don't bother stirring (the sugar will only clump up on your spoon). Once the mixture starts to color, swirl it slightly more frequently. When it turns an attractive chestnut brown, take it off the heat, add your premeasured butter and salt (and a splash of booze, if you want), and stir.
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