Brunch

Oatmeal lovers, be warned: This warm couscous topped with fragrant fruit compote is an incredibly easy way to start the day with real panache.

The beer and cheese combo gets saucy, turning toast and fried eggs into a truly luxurious meal all about extras: extra-stout beer, extra-sharp Cheddar, and extra good.

In 1930, Simon Agranat, the chief justice of the Israeli Supreme Court, wrote to his aunt and uncle in Chicago: "I had my eighth successive egg meal during my three-day journey through the Emek (the valley)." Eggs have always been a main protein for the people in Israel. When I lived in Jerusalem, I would make for my breakfast—or even for dinner—scrambled eggs with sauteed spring onions, fresh herbs, and dollops of cream cheese melted into the eggs as they were cooking. Probably the most popular egg dish in Israel is shakshuka, one of those onomatopoeic Hebrew and North African words, meaning "all mixed up." The most famous rendition of this tomato dish, which is sometimes mixed with meat but more often made in Israel with scrambled or poached eggs, is served at the Tripolitana Doktor Shakshuka Restaurant in Old Jaffa. Doktor Shakshuka, owned by a large Libyan family, is located near the antique market in an old stone-arched building with colorful Arab-tiled floors. "When I was a young girl at the age of ten I liked to cook," said Sarah Gambsor, the main cook of the restaurant and wife of one of the owners. "My mother told me that I should marry someone who has a restaurant." And she did just that. Mrs. Gambsor, a large woman who clearly enjoys eating what she cooks, demonstrated that the dish starts with a heavy frying pan and tomato sauce. Then eggs are carefully broken in and left to set or, if the diner prefers, scrambled in as they cook. The shakshuka is then served in the frying pan at the table.

They look like sticky buns, but these sweet, gooey treats are actually made from biscuit batter. They're great with brunch.

The verdict in the test kitchen was unanimous: When we order crab cakes in restaurants, these meaty beauties are what we want—not the bready hockey pucks that dot many menus around the country. Pair them with a simple salad or some fries for a Chesapeake-inspired two-person dinner done right.

Indian flavorings give this vegetarian main some extra pizzazz.

Egg whites give these pancakes their light texture. Ricotta cheese adds rich flavor. And the finishing touch? A delicious cherry sauce, which would also be great on waffles or vanilla ice cream.

Purchased pie dough makes an almost-instant crust for the tiny tarts.

This type of chopped salad was once common breakfast fare in Israel.

You can find crisp, delicate pea shoots in the spring at farmers' markets, Asian markets, and some specialty foods stores.

In this new take on the Caesar, fried eggs top the salad, and fish sauce replaces the usual anchovy fillets.

This refreshing soup makes a great first course for a summer dinner party.

For a sweeter take on this cool spa drink, add 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar or agave nectar, available at Whole Foods, other natural foods stores, and at wildorganics.net.

These versatile soufflés can be served for breakfast or lunch, or as a side dish for dinner.

Chop the shallots and the garlic in the processor to make this recipe even easier.

Editor's note: The recipe below is from Perfect Parties by Linnea Johansson.

We know these monster biscuits look like gougères on steroids, but we promise there are no illicit performance-enhancing ingredients at work here: just an egg-rich batter that (naturally) bakes up big.