Steak

This authentic Cantonese version of chow mein features fresh egg noodles, which are fried into a cake that softens slightly when topped with a meat and vegetable sauce. Be careful not to mistake wonton noodles for Chinese egg noodles — although they look similar, wonton noodles don't have the same rich texture.

Meat and veg all in one recipe —and all from the grill.

To make your cocktail party more participatory, have your guests grill their own skewers. A hibachi is even more user-friendly than a grill, since the ends of the skewers hang out over the edge, eliminating the need for tongs. If you're cooking everything yourself, it's easiest to use a large grill or a broiler (see cooks' note, below) and serve the skewers in batches.

In this recipe, a long marinating time allows many powerful ingredients to penetrate the skirt steak: the acid in balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce doesn't just flavor the meat; it also breaks down connective tissues, making the meat tender. Serve this with tabbouleh salad or stewed tomatoes.

London broil comes in different weights and thicknesses; it may be necessary to use two pieces to get the proper amount for this dish. One of the great things about this recipe is that the steak's marinade is also used in the soy citrus mayonnaise, so you get double the flavor.

Chimichurri is an Argentine parsley sauce with bright flavors and a kick from crushed red pepper. To save time: Prepare the fresh parsley and cilantro for the processor by simply cutting off the tops of the bunches and discarding the bottom stems.

Known in Asia as Shaking Beef Salad, or bo luc lac, this Vietnamese classic is made by shaking — essentially searing — steak in a very hot pan. Jasmine rice or brown rice would be ideal alongside.

Although this recipe is extremely simple, you need to be careful not to overcook the meat.

All that these steaks need is about 30 minutes in a very hot oven: no browning, no sauce, no fuss. Improv: Try the same seasonings on two whole chickens, a pork roast, or three racks of lamb.

This recipe takes a classic hash and turns it inside out — the potatoes aren't used in the hash, but under it.

Rodolfo Lagua, a thirty-year California barbecue veteran of Filipino heritage, was the inspiration for this recipe. Lagua learned this way of preparing tri-tips from his friend Sammy Ariola, one of the area's first Filipino immigrants. "I have no money for you to inherit," said Ariola, as he lay on his deathbed, "but I'll give you the recipe for my marinade." Since then Lagua has won numerous barbecue contests with his Filipino-style tri-tips, raising thousands of dollars for Filipino community charities. He's now working on bottling the sauce commercially, once again as a fund-raiser. The interplay of salty, sweet, and sour is pure Filipino, and the lemon rind adds an intense blast of citrus flavor. I've adapted my approximation of Lagua's recipe to London broil; in the Tips [below] you'll find instructions for making tri-tips with this marinade. Lagua would serve the meat with boiled rice.

Traditionally, the garlic and ginger in the marinade are minced, but Grace Young finds it easier to use a rasp grater.

Rajas are chile strips cooked with onion (raja means "slice" in Spanish).

A butcher may have to cut these impressive, extra-thick steaks for you.

Serve with: Red bean and rice salad, and slices of avocado and grapefruit.