Amiwo: a Beninese firm red cornmeal cake cooked in a tomato and pepper sauce, served with a saucy stew. An authentic West African recipe with tips.

Belizean stew chicken: halal chicken marinated in recado and browned in caramelized sugar, then simmered in a rich tomato gravy. An authentic recipe.

Charred corn and zucchini tossed with spicy tomatoes. Salting the zucchini first, a screaming hot pan, and why char is the point.

Crisp baked green tomatoes, the lighter alternative to frying. The preheated pan, toasted crumbs, and an honest word on what you give up.

A vegetarian lasagna that slices clean instead of running. Squeezing the spinach dry, handling sun-dried tomatoes, and why the rest matters.

Tender steak fajitas with charred corn and heirloom tomatoes. Finding the grain, slicing it right, and getting real char on a home stove.

Tuscan bread salad with white beans and prosciutto. Why stale bread is required, using the tomato juice as dressing, and the soak window.

A bone-in leg of lamb roasted over a vegetable tian that cooks in the drippings. Real pull temperatures, carryover on a big roast, and carving.

A hearty spiced barley bowl with okra and tomatoes. Which barley to buy, how to keep okra from turning slimy, and where the spices come from.

A tortellini bake you assemble now and bake later. Undercooking the pasta, loosening the sauce, and taking a cold dish to a hot oven safely.