Starter

The type of fish you use is less important than its quality. Black bass, striped bass, and fluke all translate well; ask your fish guy for what’s freshest.

The sauce makes the meal—serve it alongside any combo of crunchy peak-season veg you please.

In place of vinegar, finger limes give this mignonette its zing (pulp from regular limes works just as well).

Don’t pass over slightly bruised or extra-ripe tomatoes for this soup recipe; they’re often the most flavorful and especially good here.

Tartare should be served very cold and right after making. If needed, prep the ingredients ahead and chill them; assemble at the last minute.

Strawberries and cream…and cardamom. The cooling spice and cucumbers give berries an element of intrigue.

Skillet smoking is a chef’s trick that’s easy to do at home.

Don’t like it hot? Remove the seeds to tone it down, or make this addictive condiment with sweet peppers alone.

The musky-sweet flavor of melon also takes well to red pepper flakes and cracked black pepper.

The best cherries have taut, shiny skin. Look closely!

Choose a mild and creamy Gorgonzola for this dip—and then smear it on everything you can.

Other not-too-hot chiles are great with the same seasonings if you can’t find Padróns. Look for shishitos or Italian frying peppers instead.

Prawns are great for grilling because they’re much larger and have a slightly thicker shell than your average shrimp, offering insurance against overcooking.

This caponata uses a technique called a "cold fry." Instead of frying the vegetables in preheated, hot oil, you combine the vegetables and room temperature oil in a pot and heat them up together. The benefit of this method is that you use less oil than you would normally use when you "hot fry" and there is very little splatter because the food and oil are always at the same temperature. And, like "hot frying," you still get a golden crispy exterior and soft, creamy interior but with no mess.

This vegetarian-friendly recipe was created by James D. Giannis out of Chicago, the winner of our 2015 Readers' Choice Week contest. Look for naan in the bread aisle of your local supermarket.

The color-coded salad is one of Babylonstoren’s signature dishes and always features a mix of fruits and vegetables on the same plate. Chef Maranda Engelbrecht says produce that looks good together tastes great together, too, and she’s developed specific vinaigrettes to complement the red, yellow, and green options.

The tangy dipping sauce is great with pretty much any grilled meat. Keep it on heavy rotation this summer.

The dates act as both a sweetener and an emulsifier in this citrusy, mustardy vinaigrette.

Choose the best-quality fish for this simple ceviche.

The crisped prosciutto adds salty and savory notes, not unlike what Parmesan brings to a Caesar dressing.

A palate cleanser packed with sweet, sour, and salty flavors; taste and tweak the seasonings as you go.

You can crisp the shallots and hard-boil the eggs a day ahead, but wait until closer to serving time to make the yolk filling.

One of many cool things about (super-nutritious) sprouted lentils: They don’t need to be cooked first.

Garlicky, pungent ramps set off pesto pyrotechnics.