Chile

Hot Joy chef Quealy Watson, who’s from Louisiana, grew up on his mom’s dirty rice; that dish helped inspire this bastardized fried version. The chicken-liver base tastes very concentrated and intense on its own, but becomes nicely balanced in the finished dish. Watch the step-by-step video here.

We know, this pork dish from Rose's Luxury sounds nuts. It’s meant to be mixed together so you get some garlicky pork, floral lychees, sweet coconut, sharp onions, and crisp salty accents in each bite.

“When I was getting married, I couldn’t think of a caterer I wanted to use,” says chef Naomi Pomeroy, Expatriate, Portland, OR, “and I didn’t want to ask my staff.” Her solution? Cook for her guests herself. She went with super-simple chicken, powered by a throw-together marinade.

Celery is the perfect vehicle for a salty, assertive dressing like this one. Chiles and peanuts make this dish that much more addictive. —Alison Roman, senior associate food editor

“A lighter, spicier version I could get down with on even the hottest of days.” —Alison Roman, senior associate food editor

This white chili recipe works well with ground chicken or turkey, too.

Hot weather and spicy foods just go together, but this speedy stovetop dish won’t heat up your kitchen.

Waste not, watermelon lovers: This Southern pickle deserves a spot in your fridge. It's great alongside grilled pork chops, but we'd happily snack on it right out of the jar.

The key to this sauce is a creamy emulsion of the oil, cheese, and pasta water. Toss and stir—and stir and toss—adding liquid freely, until it comes together.

All chiles vary in heat, so choose wisely!

This vinegary hot sauce will mellow with time; make it the day before for a little less spice.

A fish taco dream come true: crispy, light-as-air fried fish, balanced by a creamy slaw and fiery, cooling, and crunchy fixings.

Never met a corn fritter recipe we didn’t like, and we love this one.

This will work with any nut you want to use.

While this cooking project requires effort and some special equipment, even a novice can achieve pro results.

Hit the reset button on your potato salad: These spuds are roasted, not boiled, and tossed with a mustardy vinaigrette and jalapeños while warm.

Jiyeon Lee’s sauce calls for minty sweet perilla (a.k.a. sesame leaf); seek it out at Asian markets.

Add all, some, or none of the jalapeño’s seeds and ribs in order to control the salsa’s heat.

A very hot cast-iron pan will get the tomatillos charred quickly without overcooking them. Make a big batch for a great dipping salsa.

This tortilla soup has everything you want: chicken, corn, and, of course, chiles.

Take care with these little shrimp: Once they hit the oil, they’ll cook through quickly.

“You always want to give the option of adding heat at the table,” says chef and author David Tanis. These shallots deliver acidity and fire in one shot.

“These are inspired by an ‘egg shooter’ at NYC’s Blue Ribbon Downing Street Bar.” –Allie Lewis Clapp, food editor