A recipe is a set of instructions for preparing something, usually food. It represents the experience of the person who penned the recipe, and saves the novice from having to experiment with such things as quantities and cooking times.
It can also be used in a figurative sense, to mean a course of action: for example, a recipe for disaster or a recipe for economic recovery.
Pickles or gherkins can be used as a substitute for cornichons in a recipe.
Green tomatoes can be used as a substitute for tomatillos in a recipe.
Quinoa, farro, or bulgur can be used as substitutes for barley in a recipe.
Gelatin can be used as a substitute for agar powder in a recipe.
Cornmeal or rice flour can be used as substitutes for semolina in a recipe.
Cinnamon or nutmeg can be used as substitutes for cardamom pods in a recipe.
Quinoa, barley, or brown rice can be used as substitutes for farro in a recipe.
Artichoke hearts can be used as a substitute for hearts of palm in a recipe.
Carrots or parsnips can be used as substitutes for parsley root in a recipe.
Basil leaves can be used as a substitute for shiso leaves in a recipe.
Honeycrisp or Fuji apples can be used as substitutes for Braeburn apples in a recipe.
Oregano, thyme, or parsley can be used as substitutes for basil leaves in a recipe.