Pounding the spice paste with a mortar and pestle is hard work, but that’s what brings out all the nuanced flavors.

The stew should be juicy (“suquet,” in Catalan)—not too soupy, not too thick—cooked with just enough liquid to cover the ingredients.

The addition of the sweet vermouth here punctuates the natural sweetness of the canned tomatoes, making this quick sauce taste as if it’s been simmered for hours.

After eating these shrimp, a five-year-old has been known to say, “Wow, Mom, thanks!” And they’ve driven a grown woman to shamelessly lick her plate.

The fact that Algeria shares culinary traditions with Spain, Italy, and France is evident in many of its dishes, like this skabetch.

The sweetness of the caramelized mango in this dish balances the black pepper beautifully. And the combination, although simple, captures the flavors of the Caribbean.

There’s character to spare in this layered flatbread, called msemmen in Arabic. The dough is rubbed with spiced oil, rolled into a spiral, flattened, and then cooked on a griddle, for a flakiness that’s surprisingly substantial....

This shrimp’s gentle preparation yields an utterly soothing broth that tastes just right first thing in the morning.

There are many different gumbo recipes, all taking advantage of local ingredients and served with rice. This one is a heady, fragrant slurry thick with seafood.