Marcus Nilsson
Avocado-Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Oh, the inherent stress in choosing the perfect avocado. The “ready to eat” ones can go from ripe to rotten quickly, so buy uniformly firm Hass avocados instead. Let them sit at room temperature until they have a slight give, usually a day or two (plan ahead!). This goes great with quesadillas, grilled snapper, and pork.
Grilled Greens and Cheese Quesadillas
Not to break your heart or anything, but good luck finding Toma, a cow’s-milk cheese. We didn’t just go rogue: Chef Cámara okayed the cheddar substitute.
Grilled Salsa Roja
Charring the tomatoes and vegetables plays up their sweetness and adds smoky, bitter notes. This goes great with quesadillas, grilled snapper, and pork.
Chile-Marinated Squid Toasts
Small squid tend to be the most tender, and a quick grilling time ensures they stay that way.
Watermelon Granita
If you have a really ripe, gorgeous watermelon, you may not need any sugar at all.
Mixed Bean Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette
All types of beans come in and out of season during the summer and into fall; make this with any color snap beans and your choice of fresh or canned shelling beans.
Grilled Pork Tenderloin in Charred-Chile Adobo
The key to this adobo is truly burning the chiles and spices. Not browned, not toasted—burned. Try this at home; just open the windows and turn on the fan first.
Dan Barber Wants You to Eat Smarter, Waste Less, and Just Maybe Save the World
How Dan Barber is leading the way to the veg-and-grain-heavy dinner plate of the future.
Scallion-Herb Yogurt Sauce
Bright and cooling, this side helps round out any meal—but especially one that packs a little heat.
Spiced Rice
Rinsing the rice before cooking ensures the grains will be fluffy and separated, not gluey.
Beet and Carrot Salad with Curry Dressing and Pistachios
Smaller beets are ideal for this since the rounds will fit neatly on the end of a fork.
Sweet-and-Sour Tomato Chutney
Think of this as Indian-spiced ketchup, and use it in all the same ways.
Curried Meatballs
The texture of the raw meatballs is very soft. Don’t worry; it’s the reason they’re so tender when cooked. This dish comes from Mr. Curry, a Brooklyn pop-up from chef Rebecca Collerton that celebrates the rich Indian food scene of England, where she grew up.
Meze Madness: How to Throw a Falafel Fest at Home
A vegetarian falafel feast from the chefs of London favorite Honey & Co.
Fresh Herb Falafel
A coarse texture is absolutely key; if the chickpeas are too finely chopped, the falafel will be dense.
Kuri Squash Falafel
Highly spiced and a touch sweet, this falafel can be made with other fall squash, such as butternut or delicata.
Red Pepper Falafel
Like it hot? Sub a Fresno chile for the red bell pepper for some extra kick.
Milk Pudding with Rose Water Caramel and Figs
Almost any fresh fruit (pears, apples, berries) can replace the figs.