Four recipes from 2018's best cookbooks

Alsatian Leek And Carrot Soup With Semolina

This simple preparation is served as a first course in Alsatian cuisine and retains the flavor of the vegetables The soup can be prepared, without the cream, and refrigerated a day in advance. Reheat over low heat and stir in the cream once the soup is heated through.

8 ounces thin leeks (3 or 4 total), white and light-green parts

8 ounces carrots, scrubbed well and cut into 1-inch chunks

8 cups water (see note)

2 chicken bouillon cubes, preferably Knorr brand (see note)

1/3 cup finely ground semolina flour, or more as needed

1/4 cup heavy cream

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Slice the leeks in half lengthwise, then crosswise into thin slices. Place in a deep container of cold water and ice cubes. Give them a swish with your hand, then let sit for 15 minutes (so any grit can fall to the bottom). Gently lift them out and shake off excess moisture; do not drain.

Place the leeks in a food processor, along with the carrots. Pulse or process until the vegetable mixture is reduced to bits the size of small grains of rice, being careful not to create a mushy mixture.

Bring the water to a boil in a soup pot over high heat. Stir in the bouillon cubes and the vegetable mixture; once the liquid returns to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 or 6 minutes - just until the vegetables are not quite fully tender and softened. Check them often so they do not overcook.

Whisk in the 1/3 cup of semolina, continuing to whisk to form a slightly thickened soup. This may take a few minutes, and you may need to add another tablespoon or two to achieve the desired consistency, which is not as thick as a pureed or cream soup.

(At this point, the soup can be cooled and refrigerated for up to 1 day in advance.)

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the heavy cream, then season generously with salt and pepper. Once the cream has heated through, taste and season again with salt and/or pepper, as needed. Serve hot, with a final sprinkling of pepper, if desired.

Note: If you would rather not use the bouillon cubes, replace them and half the water with 2 cups of homemade or low-sodium chicken broth. You may also need to add more salt to the finished soup.

Nutrition per serving: 70 calories, 1 g protein, 10 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 280 mg sodium, 1 g dietary fiber, 2 g sugar

Servings: 6 to 8 (makes about 8 cups)

Adapted from "The Wine Table: Recipes and Pairings From Winemakers' Kitchens," by Vickie Reh (Skyhorse, 2018).

Amish-Style Milk Bread

This no-knead bread has a lovely crumb and lightness, and it makes terrific toast. The recipe can be easily doubled or halved.

The dough needs to rest at room temperature for 2 hours, then be refrigerated for at least 3 hours, and up to 5 days. The assembled loaf needs to rise at room temperature for 90 minutes.

For the dough

2 1/2 cups (565 grams) whole milk

2 large eggs (115 grams total)

1 tablespoon active dry yeast (10 grams)

1 tablespoon kosher salt (17 grams)

1/3 cup (65 grams) sugar

6 1/4 cups (885 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1/4 cup (50 grams) potato flour (not potato starch)

8 tablespoons (1 stick; 115 grams) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus more for greasing the pans

For assembly

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon water

For the dough: Combine the milk, eggs, yeast, salt and sugar in a 6-quart bowl. Add the flours and melted butter, mixing them with a spoon or the paddle attachment in a stand mixer, on low speed.

Cover the bowl and let rest at room temperature for 2 hours, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 5 days.

When you're ready to bake, use some butter to grease two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pans, preferably nonstick. Place the dough on a clean work surface, then use a bench scraper or sharp knife to divide it in half. Dust each half with flour then shape each portion into a ball by stretching the surface of dough around to the bottom, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you work. Elongate each ball of dough into an oval and place one in each loaf pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 90 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

To assemble for baking, whisk together the egg and water in a cup. Brush the tops of each loaf. Bake them (middle rack) for about 50 minutes, or until the loaves are browned and firm.

Dislodge from the pans and place on wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.

Servings: 8 to 24 (makes two 2-pound loaves)

Nutrition per serving (based on 24): 210 calories, 6 g protein, 34 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 160 mg sodium, 1 g dietary fiber, 4 g sugar

Adapted from "Holiday and Celebration Breads in Five Minutes a Day: Sweet and Decadent Baking for Every Occasion," by Zoe Francois and Jeff Hertzberg (St. Martin's Press, 2018).

Raspberry Star Bread

The best part about this holiday loaf is not that it's so very appealing, but that it is fairly easy to do. The recipe calls for half the yield of Amish-Style Milk Bread - based on a no-knead dough that can be refrigerated for days - which you can find in the accompanying recipe. A challah or other enriched dough can be used instead.

The bread is filled with the authors' Quick Raspberry Jam, and it's particularly nice because it has such a vivid color. But feel free to use a good brand of store-bought jam.

You'll need a 2 1/2-inch biscuit or cookie cutter.

The dough needs to rest at room temperature for 2 hours, then be refrigerated for at least 3 hours, and up to 5 days. The assembled loaf needs to rise at room temperature for 90 minutes.

2 pounds Amish-Style Milk Bread (half the yield of that recipe; see recipe at washingtpost.com/recipes)

Flour, for dusting

1 cup Quick Raspberry Jam or your favorite store-bought raspberry jam (see headnote and note)

1 large egg

1 tablespoon water

Sanding/sparkling sugar, for decorating

Dust the dough lightly with flour, then use a bench scraper or sharp knife to divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Dust each with flour, then quickly shape each one into a ball by stretching the surface of dough around to the bottom, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you work.

Roll each ball of dough into a 10-inch round, dusting the work surface with more flour as needed. Place one of them on a sheet of parchment paper, then spread the dough with about a third of the jam, leaving a narrow margin around the edges. Position another round of dough directly on top, then repeat with another third of the jam. Repeat with the next layers of dough and jam, then place the last round of dough on top.

Place the cutter at the center of the top round of dough, pressing it in lightly but not enough to cut through the 4 layers of dough. Use the bench scraper or a sharp knife to cut 16 equal wedges all the way through, and up to the cutter. Working in pairs, twist 2 side-by-side wedges away from each other with 2 rotations, joining them by pinching the ends together into a point. This will create the 8-point star effect.

Leave the cutter in place; cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 90 minutes.

When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Discard the plastic wrap and remove the cutter; slide the parchment with the dough onto a baking sheet. Whisk together the egg and water to form an egg wash; use some of it to brush evenly over the star loaf. Sprinkle with the sugar. Bake (middle rack) for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown and set.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool before serving.

Variation: To make Cinnamon Star Bread, whisk together 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon in a bowl. Use the mixture in thirds, in the same way the jam is distributed in the recipe above.

Note: To make 1 cup of Quick Raspberry Jam, combine 1 pound of fresh or frozen raspberries, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, using a fork to break up some of the fruit. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring often, or until it forms a jam that is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Cool completely before using.

Servings: 12 (makes 1 large loaf)

Nutrition per serving: 260 calories, 6 g protein, 47 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 160 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 15 g sugar

Adapted from "Holiday and Celebration Breads in Five Minutes a Day: Sweet and Decadent Baking for Every Occasion," by Zoe Francois and Jeff Hertzberg (St. Martin's Press, 2018).

The Cauliflower

Old-school brining seasons this vegetable evenly throughout; if you have the time to commit to this and are looking to take your cauliflower eating to the next level, the results will be worth it.

Chef Matty Matheson creates a range of textures and flavors in his original dish, with a minty salsa verde, ricotta cheese, a celery root broth and fried artichoke chips; we've skipped the chips here.

The cauliflower needs to be brined in the refrigerator overnight, and then air-dried for 2 or 3 hours. The broth can be made several days in advance.

For the cauliflower

2 cups water

4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 pound ice cubes

1 large head cauliflower, leaves removed

For the broth

4 medium celery root (celeriac), trimmed, peeled and cut in half

4 medium yellow onions (unpeeled), cut in half

Water

Kosher salt

For the salsa verde

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Leaves from 10 to 15 stems parsley, coarsely chopped

Leaves from 10 to 15 stems cilantro, coarsely chopped

Leaves from 6 bushy stems basil, coarsely chopped

Leaves from 3 stems tarragon, coarsely chopped

Leaves from 8 stems mint, coarsely chopped

1 medium jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

1 small shallot, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

For assembly

1/4 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese

For the cauliflower: Combine the water and salt in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then cover and remove from the heat. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

Place the ice in a large, deep bowl, then pour in the salt water, stirring until the ice has melted. Cool to room temperature, then add the cauliflower, top side down. Refrigerate overnight, then drain, discarding the brine. Air-dry for 2 to 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the cauliflower on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; roast (middle rack) for about 10 minutes, or until the exterior is lightly browned and slightly softened, but the inside is still somewhat firm.

For the broth: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the celery root and onions on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil; slow-roast for 4 hours, until they look lightly caramelized.

Transfer to a soup pot. Add just enough water to cover, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 1 hour, until deeply fragrant and a rich dark color. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding the solids. Taste, and season with salt, as needed. Keep warm over low heat, or cool, refrigerate and later reheat over medium-low heat just before serving.

For the salsa verde: Stir together the oil, parsley, cilantro, basil, tarragon, mint, jalapeño, shallot, garlic, lemon zest and juice in a medium bowl; the consistency should be pulpy. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

To assemble the dish, pour about 6 tablespoons of the warm broth into each wide, shallow serving bowl. Divide the cauliflower into 4 equal portions, placing one portion in each bowl. Top with equal amounts of the ricotta, then spoon the salsa verde on top. Serve warm.

Servings: 4

Adapted from "Matty Matheson: A Cookbook" (Abrams, 2018).