Peden + Munk

Chef Nancy Silverton turns the classic salad into an art form by using great ingredients. Choose sweet heirloom tomatoes, drizzle with good-quality extra-virgin olive oil, and serve with creamy buffalo mozzarella to make this simple dish sing.

They may look and feel like sugary beignets, but these savory creations utilize any green in the fridge to make a fluffy appetizer you'll crave.

"This is a play on English cucumber finger sandwiches," says chef David Kinch of Manresa restaurant in Los Gatos, CA, 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.