Dairy

The soup can also be served warm.

Pink peppercorns and peppercorn mélange (a mixture of black, pink, green, and white peppercorns) are available at many supermarkets.

This recipe is a great excuse to buy heirloom tomatoes in different colors and varieties — they'll look beautiful here.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from by Lauren Chattman. Here is a wonderful summer cheesecake, great after a Latin-themed barbecue. The bright and acidic Mango Sauce cuts the sweetness of the coconut and gives the cake some extra tropical flair. Be sure to stir up the cream of coconut before measuring it out, because it settles and separates in the can.

We adopted contributing editor Jon Rowley's technique for poaching salmon in water salted like the sea. This method imparts a touch of brine and enables the other seasonings to permeate the fish. Cut into very thick steaks instead of left whole, the fish is easier to handle and doesn't require a poacher. The creamy sauce makes for a sophisticated finish.

Just when the crowd thinks you're done with the grill, surprise them with this; the romaine's leaves char slightly but stay fresh and crisp. With grilled croutons and garlicky Caesar anchovy dressing, this is a salad that even chest-beating carnivores can get behind.

Since these potatoes are "hasslebacked," or sliced accordion-style, before baking, the scallions and bacon fat really penetrate; the sour cream and bacon are the icing on the cake. (The dish has been known to elicit marriage proposals from strangers and tears from bacon lovers.)

Wishy-washy greens needn't apply: A gorgeously balanced symphony of peppery and bitter greens, cut with a lemony vinaigrette that makes the feta go creamy, and an occasional pop of sticky, sweet date, this is sure to become your go-to salad all summer long.

A green relish, inspired by the Yemeni cilantro sauce zhoug, is swirled into luscious, tangy Greek yogurt, so that each swipe with a strip of crunchy toasted pita or crisp bell pepper gathers a different combination of fresh, hot, and cooling flavors.

Who doesn't love toasted cheese? Here it adds tang to a Mediterranean-inspired salad of frisée, broiled bell peppers, and shiitake mushrooms.

Two adored classics come together in this dessert lover's superbrownie.

Mixing aromatic herbs like mint and basil with asparagus and peas creates a beautiful green dish. Salty feta sparks it up.

Grilling eggplant lends it a smoky flavor, and this fun, layered presentation gives a wintertime favorite a summer makeover.

This sophisticated blend of strawberries, red-currant jelly, balsamic vinegar, and bay leaves may just replace chocolate sauce as your favorite ice cream topping.

Beets are high in folate, a vitamin that may help ward off heart disease; this dish delivers 1/3 of your daily requirement.

This side, originally 575 calories and 26 grams of fat, was a meal in itself. SELF cut 277 calories and 17 grams of fat.

Editor's note: The recipe below is from Kimberly Kennedy's The Art and Craft of Entertaining. For Kennedy's baby shower tips click here.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from I Like Food, Food Tastes Good: In the Kitchen with Your Favorite Bands by Kara Zuaro. To read more about the book, see the related story. Patrick Phelan
from Patrick himself Singer-songwriter Patrick Phelan crafts dreamy, lingering music, studies human rights, and has spent time in Italy to focus on his cooking, as he has been a chef for more than eleven years. This decadent dish is something you should save for a special occasion because (a) you're going to have to drop a lot of cash to make it happen, (b) you're going to need to kill a pair of lobsters in the process, and (c) it'll make your special day that much more special. This is a challenging recipe, but if you follow the directions carefully, you'll end up with a dish that's as fancy as it is comforting — and big enough to feed a crowd. If you're cooking for two, just make half — you'll still savor the leftovers for lunch the next day. "This recipe comes courtesy of the great influences of David Shannon, one of my many teachers over the years." —Patrick Phelan