Lunch

Lettuce and tomatoes might be classic sandwich stuff, but this herby olive salad brings way more to the table—and it will never wilt.

Cleaning soft-shell crabs is a breeze, but you can always have your fishmonger do it for you. Just be sure to eat them the day they are cleaned, preferably in this sandwich.

With a texture somewhere between a latke and a pancake, these vegetarian fritters are also gluten-free. (Thanks, chickpea flour!)

Weighing down the salmon fillet with heavy cans as it cures will press excess liquid out of the flesh to ensure a firm texture.

Adding the veggies in phases, from longest cooking first to fastest last, guarantees the ideal texture for each.

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

Chef and author David Tanis insists on making broth for this restorative and iconic soup (pho ga) from scratch and warns against over­cooking the noodles: “They should be pretty firm and snappy, not flabby.”

Overcooked lobsters will be tough and rubbery; if yours are less than 1½ pounds each, decrease the cooking time by a few minutes.

Grilled ham and cheese: nothing to scoff at. Baked ham and cheese with velvety béchamel oozing out all over the place: mind-altering.

Does the world need another chicken salad? Yep. This mayo-free one, with herby roasted (not poached) chicken and a mustardy dressing will convince you.

The difference between this papaya salad and a Thai-style one comes down to spice and sugar, says chef and author David Tanis. The Vietnamese one is sweeter and less hot. Have all the ingredients assembled, but dress the salad just before serving.

These hot and crunchy filled crepes are known as banh xeo in Vietnam.

Strawberries and rhubarb are a power duo in pie; here raw rhubarb plays a tart counter to sweet strawberries.

You can substitute whitefish or hot-smoked salmon for the trout.

All the flavors of a steak sandwich on rye, but in salad form.

Maitake mushrooms are a tasty addition to this meatless meal. Cooking them until they are crisp around the edges will give them a delicate crunch.

Cooking the trout skin side down and only quickly finishing it off on the other side ensures fish will be perfectly crisp.

In his new book, Peter Miller makes a compelling case for the communal lunch table—no matter where you work

Chef Yotam Ottolenghi has 4 really great tips for a better lunch, from zebrafying vegetables to using the whole lemon

Brown rice—higher in fiber and other nutrients than its white counterpart—is the perfect vehicle for this quick, protein-heavy lunch.

Chefs around the world want to be him. All of Paris wants a table at his restaurants. But when it comes to cooking a day-off lunch for friends, Inaki Aizpitarte keeps it (kind of) simple