Keto

Why you'll make it: Because it's that dinner-party dish that's as do-able as it is drop-dead gorgeous. Call your meat market ahead to order a boned, butterflied leg of lamb, and ask that the thickness be as even as possible (two to three inches thick). Start the lamb the day before; it needs to be refrigerated overnight covered with the rub.

Why you'll make it: Because it's the simple version of the omelet, and works as well for breakfast as it does for lunch, a late dinner, even with drinks.

This no-cook soup defeats the summer heat — cucumber provides crunch alongside a hint of minutest, and avocado adds mouthwatering creaminutesess.

As in the classic recipe from Richard Olney's Simple French Food that inspired this one, two key innovations ensure a moist, incredibly succulent chicken. First, the birds are spatchcocked, meaning they're butterflied and spread flat so that both the white meat and the dark can be perfectly cooked; second, an herbed-ricotta filling is pushed under the skin, puffing slightly during cooking and extending the meat's flavor in a creamy direction. Actually, you'll notice how much we liked the filling — we call for extra to be baked in a separate dish so that everyone gets a helping. The filling becomes a cross between a popover and a soufflé in texture, with oregano and parsley supplying a suggestion of the Provençal countryside.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Dinner After Dark: Sexy, Sumptuous Supper Soirées by Colin Cowie. This is the most basic tomato salad, given the Southeast Asian and Indian name for pickles or side dishes. It is simple to prepare, relies on the best fresh ingredients, and serves as a wonderful garnish or refresher alongside the Tomato Lamb Bredie and in addition to chutney.

Charmoula is a North African mixture of herbs, oil, lemon, and cumin.

This halibut recipe is perfect for warm weather. While the grill is fired up, throw on some asparagus or another quick-cooking vegetable for an easy dinner.

We tried making this oil with Sichuan peppercorns that were not ground but found eating them whole just too numbing. Like the red-chile oil above, it's the perfect thing for adding a final blitz of flavor.

We like to make up a batch of this oil and keep it on hand for seasoning Asian dishes just before serving.

This paste showcases the layered flavors typical of Southeast Asian cooking. While the lemongrass does require a bit of work, its subtle but penetrating flavor is key. Adjust the amount of jalapeño peppers according to your heat tolerance and the heat level of the chiles you are using. We also like to use this spice paste on any type of grilled lamb.

The flavors of Mexico enliven this very adaptable spice paste, which is excellent on grilled beef and chicken as well as pork. If you want to make the flavor even more complex, substitute crushed chile de árbol, dried pasilla, or New Mexico chiles for the red-pepper flakes.

Though there are plenty of chiles in this paste, they don't overpower it. The aromatic bite of coriander, the earthiness of cumin, and the licorice trace of caraway seeds create a pleasingly complex flavor. This paste is also delicious with pork.

We adopted contributing editor Jon Rowley's technique for poaching salmon in water salted like the sea. This method imparts a touch of brine and enables the other seasonings to permeate the fish. Cut into very thick steaks instead of left whole, the fish is easier to handle and doesn't require a poacher. The creamy sauce makes for a sophisticated finish.

You can't beat the drama — not to mention the deliciousness — of a bone-in leg of lamb. Since it is a thick cut, a garlic, lemon, and spice paste is rubbed all over it and tucked deep inside to penetrate the meat; slow-cooking over indirect heat results in a crisp, smoke-infused crust and a juicy, medium-rare center.

Blue Lake is a stringless variety found at farmers' markets and specialty foods stores. Others work well, too, as long as they're fresh and tender.

Lamb shoulder chops are widely available and are less expensive than lamb rib chops.

On Moroccan tables, in addition to salt and pepper, you'll find a pinch pot of ground cumin. Sprinkling a little on cooked meat makes it taste somehow meatier and juicier.

Cutlets get an indulgent topping of rich ham and nutty melted Gruyère in a contemporary take on chicken Cordon Bleu.