Dairy

These flavorful frites are not only a clever riff on a fried standard, they're also lamb's best friend. The Middle Eastern accents in the za'atar spice blend pair well with the gamey meat and intensify the eggplant’s flavor. After many experiments, Terzo Piano chef Meg Colleran Sahs discovered that a rice-flour coating resulted in the highest crunch factor.

Smear the bread with mayo on both sides and then grill in butter for the ultimate golden-brown crunch.

"This is a play on English cucumber finger sandwiches," says Kinch, who roasts the cucumbers to deepen their flavor. "It also works fantastically on the grill." Use any cucumber, such as Japanese, Persian, or English hothouse, available at supermarkets and farmers' markets.

With its biscuity buttermilk crust, this rustic pie is our new summertime staple. Let the pie cool for at least one hour before serving.

Because puréed frozen raspberries and yogurt both have thick, creamy textures, you can spoon them into pop molds one after the other for a striking layered effect without taking the time to freeze the layers separately.

Sweet-tart roasted Michigan cherries are balanced by pure, tangy goat cheese. Like a cherry cheesecake, but better. Goat Cheese Ice Cream pairs with many fruits, but we make it two ways: roasted red cherries go into our spring and summer versions, and in the fall we switch to Cognac figs. The cherry or fig compote can also be served on top of the ice cream, rather than layered into it. The combination of these flavors reminds me of the center of a cheese Danish. Roasted red cherries burst with concentrated sweet cherry flavor. As for the goat cheese, find a fresh, locally prepared cheese if you can; it will be the most flavorful and have the cleanest finish. Jean Mackenzie, who supplies out goat cheese, makes some of the best I have ever had. Pairs well with: Chocolate. Ice wine. Toasted hazelnuts.

This is one of my favorite burgers. The charred onions develop a deep sweetness that perfectly counterbalances the earthy, slightly sour character of the rye bread and the nutty flavor of the Swiss cheese. This is a first-class knife-and-fork burger that you will want to eat again and again.

Use smoked blue cheese to give this dip a subtle smokiness, though any good blue cheese will do.

You can find sumac, a lemony spice, at Middle Eastern markets, specialty foods stores, and wholespice.com

Watermelon takes on a nice char on the grill. Don't fiddle with the pieces; just flip them when it's time.

This zucchini-flecked cornbread walks a delicious line between sweet and savory.

This dish is truly indestructible because the cutlets marinate in lots of yogurt, olive oil, and salt. That way they stay juicy, briny, and flavorful. Because they're pounded thin, they cook quickly and evenly, so there's not a lot of time spent poking and prodding and stressing about whether they're done.

There is something so satisfying about making gnocchi—tender pillows of dough that do not require a pasta machine. For the best result, use fresh ricotta (as opposed to commercial brands), which is available at local farmers' markets or cheese stores. The bright-green pesto proves that you don't have to use basil to get a terrific herb sauce for pasta.

The crisp-tender texture and robust flavor of thinly sliced Tuscan kale stands up to the tart, Caesar-like dressing of this hearty slaw. Serve as a first course or as a side with grilled chicken, beef, or lamb.

In this simplest of summer desserts, sour cream adds a pleasant tang to lightly sweetened vanilla whipped cream.

Cherry tomatoes—grilled on the vine and drizzled with fragrant basil-mint oil—burst with flavor alongside salty grilled Halloumi cheese and crisp, cool watermelon.

This combination of two all-time favorites is based on our New Orleans—style egg-soaked-and-fried pain perdu, or "lost bread," a traditional method used to reclaim bread that was growing stale. I use fresh challah—thickly sliced or it will fall apart during the soak—because it has a rich sweetness but airy texture from being kneaded. The long soak creates a custard that cooks into the bread so it puffs up in the oven after getting a crisp crust in the frying pan. That's your base, topped with the saltiness and smokiness of bacon with a good cure, ripe tomato, and peppery arugula.