The Recipes You Should Be Cooking This February

It’s all about the dressing in this super-quick salad: If you like your food spicy, use it generously. You may want to taste the dressing as you make it and adjust the quantity of harissa accordingly, though, since the heat varies by brand.

This is a stunning and satisfying vegetarian side dish, or it can be made as a main course if eaten individually. Slathering the romanesco with garlicky aioli then lacquering it with turmeric-tinged coconut milk in the oven makes for a rich meatless dish.

The ocean flavor of Dungeness meets earthy hominy in this twist on the Mexican soup posole, from chef Aniedra Nichols of Elway’s Cherry Creek restaurant in Denver. “Dungeness crabmeat has a natural orange-red hue from the shell that makes the salad look vibrant,” she says. You could also use shrimp, scallops, or fat flakes of Pacific cod.

These are best with a generous smear of ricotta on the base of the toast. If you want to serve a crowd without having to garnish individual toasts, turn this recipe into a panzanella of sorts by cubing the bread and tossing all of the ingredients together.

Serve this herb and veggie-filled Vietnamese-style salad with turkey meatballs or crispy mushrooms to add some extra protein.

“Raw radishes and fresh butter are a classic pairing, but here we cook the two together until toasty and nutty,” says chef Joshua McFadden of Ava Gene’s in Portland. “A splash of vinegar, a pinch of chile, and a drizzle of honey create a delicious tension that makes this dish unexpectedly satisfying.”

The nice thing about frisée is that it can sit for a long time without wilting. If you can’t find blood oranges, use regular oranges or grapefruits.

Slice cabbage thicker than you would when making a slaw, giving it a substantial crunch that remains even after it’s drenched with tangy, creamy dressing. 

Bright anchovies and crisp celery make a salad-like topping for this perfectly cooked steak (with crispy edges). If you want less meat, just grill two steaks and cut them in half. Also, cutting the celery by hand gives you neater, crisper pieces than if you use a handheld slicer or a food processor.

This recipe is a great way to use up any hazelnuts you have leftover from the holidays. Reader Sheila Piccini of Port Townsend, Washington, uses a mix of wild mushrooms when they’re in season and less expensive. We also tried the recipe with a mix of cremini and common mushrooms, and it was equally delicious.

Although not strictly traditional, this pesto made with romanesco (easy to find in season this month) provides an excellent complex backdrop for the additional florets. We substitute shards of crisp fried bread crumbs for finishing cheese for deep contrast of texture.

The steakhouse classic, traditionally prepared tableside, gets the grill treatment here and makes for a great main for a V-day date. The cooking goes fast, so have all your ingredients measured and next to the grill beforehand. If time allows, salt the steaks and chill, uncovered, for up to three days before grilling—they’ll be even more thoroughly seasoned and tender.

Bite-sized meatballs and tender vegetables make this soup oh-so-satisfying; the touch of cream and nutmeg stirred in at the end rounds out the flavors. This recipe makes for a great meal-prepping dish to warm you up throughout the week. Homemade broth will add depth, but store-bought works fine.

A classic Italian pairing of orange and fennel livens up basic chicken. Swap navel oranges for blood oranges if you can find them. The sauce turns into a light glaze when brushed on the chicken at the end, but could also work as a marinade if you have time (chill overnight).

Chef Robert Clark, co-owner of a sustainable seafood market in Vancouver called The Fish Counter, gave us this recipe for sablefish, called black cod in the U.S. “It’s a great ‘starter’ fish: rich, buttery, lovely,” says Clark. “And it’s hard to overcook.”

Do you love rice pudding? Do you love crème brulee? This just might be your new favorite dessert and is an easy way to show your loved ones you care on Valentine’s Day without having to make a daunting cream base.

In this updated version of the classic Italian dessert, richly flavored Nutella adds to the decadence of creamy mascarpone, and the single-serving jars mean you don’t even have to share.

Emily Rosenberg, a pastry sous chef at the Four Seasons Maui at Wailea, added toasted fennel seeds to give the tart a subtle crunch. You may have leftover dough, but you can use it to make cookies (sprinkle them with turbinado sugar and bake at 325°F). You’ll have leftover lime curd, too. It’s delicious with ice cream or spooned into biscuits or onto pancakes, and lasts a month in the fridge.

Toasted slices of pistachios, almonds, and California figs make these crispy cookies a nourishing treat your whole family will enjoy.

You can’t go wrong with a classic bread pudding made with simple ingredients and flavored with vanilla and nutmeg. This dish will warm you up on the chilliest of February days and make for great leftovers to enjoy with a cup of coffee the next morning.

Prepare to abandon all restraint when you try one of these cookies made with melted chocolate and chocolate chips and layered with a chocolate ganache filling.

When you’re in the mood for an all-blueberry dessert, you can’t beat this combination with citrus, spice, and vanilla bean to heighten and add depth to the fruit’s gentle flavor.