Dairy

Fresh crab meat is so rich, fabulous, and sweet that, for this dip, I wanted to highlight the texture and flavor of the crab without masking it. Served bubbly hot with a crisply browned, lemon zest–panko topping, this dip will be a party favorite—easy to put together, quick to bake, and quick to disappear, too.

"Au gratin" is a term that, in America, is usually associated with cheese. But the term may refer to any light but thorough topping of fine fresh or dry bread crumbs or even crushed cornflakes, cracker crumbs, or finely ground nuts on scalloped dishes or casseroles. These dishes, usually combinations of cooked shellfish, fish, meats, vegetables, or eggs, bound by a sauce and served in the dish in which they were cooked, are then browned in the oven or under the broiler to form a crisp golden crust. Set the casserole dish or baking dish on a piece of foil, shiny side down to deflect the heat, or just set it on a baking sheet.

Cheese balls were all the rage in the 1970s, an easy, tasty, fab party food for any occasion. What's old is now retro-chic—this lightened-up cheese ball seduces with the sweetness of dates, the savory bite of blue cheese, a hint of shallot, and a teasing whiff of lemon zest.

It's hard to improve on grilled cheese with tomato soup—but that's exactly what the folks at Noca are doing. The restaurant layers red heirloom tomatoes and smoked mozzarella on the sandwich. It transforms the soup with green heirlooms—and serves it cold. The mix of flavors, textures, and colors takes this classic to a new level.

Want to grab a bottle of olive oil and lunch? Then stop by Caseus, a cheese shop/bistro combo. The place is named for drained, pressed milk curds—and the folks here do know their cheese. The shop carries more than 100 artisanal varieties, which show up on the bistro menu. In this recipe, goat cheese adds wonderful flavor and texture to spicy hush puppies.

Nduja, a spicy spreadable salami, is incredible with the pork.

Each large steak will serve two people. The steaks need to marinate overnight, so start this recipe one day ahead.

Specialty foods stores, Trader Joe's, and some supermarkets carry dried blueberries.

Quick preserved lemon (it cooks for ten minutes) adds a fresh hit of flavor to this warm salad.

Hari Pulapaka, chef and owner of Cress Restaurant in DeLand, Florida, scored a spot at a local community garden to sprout his organic produce for vitamin-packed salads like this one. The homemade dressing he created stays fresh in the fridge for a week.

A little taste of the Southwest to get you in the mood for a rowdy game of Texas Hold'em!

Roasting the tomatoes concentrates their flavor.

Layers of tangy lemon curd, fresh berry compote, rich mascarpone whipped cream, and purchased gingersnaps come together beautifully in this dessert.

This no-cook salad is a refreshing (and lovely) way to use up lots of zucchini—and also impress your dinner guests. A vegetable peeler makes it easy to create the zucchini ribbons.

Raw sugar adds a caramely note (and a tan color) to this tangy ice cream.

This simple cake can be sliced and served or toasted before serving. For the best texture, use a medium-fine polenta.