Cheese

For this warm-weather dish, a salsa cruda à la Grec — or uncooked Greek-style sauce — is combined with hot pasta and served at once. Be sure to use the ripest, juiciest tomatoes you can find, preferably from a farmers' market or your own backyard.

Hybrids can be substituted in this recipe.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. In this recipe hot pasta is tossed with an uncooked sauce of oil, herbs, a little vinegar, mozzarella, and raw garlic. The pasta absorbs some of the vinegar and oil and slightly melts the mozzarella. We call for bocconcini — bite-size pieces of mozzarella — but regular fresh mozzarella cut into 1/2-inch cubes would work just as well. Tip: When incorporating raw garlic into a dish such as this, buy the freshest garlic you can find. The cloves should be dry and tightly packed together, and they should feel firm. Old garlic may impart a bitter, strong flavor — overwhelming the other components.

You can serve this dish—a cheese and fruit course in one—in lieu of dessert. Half a pear with some greens also makes a nice first course or light brunch.

Nicola, Steve's wife, likes this dessert more than any of his others, mostly because you have to eat it with yet more Pedro Ximénez sherry. If you don't want to splash out on the real McCoy, use another good, sweet dark sherry.

This recipe was created to accompany <epi:recipelink id="12388">Grilled Spiced Garlic Skirt Steak</epi:recipelink>. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

I had heard that some people were making a delicious snack with leftover cheese rind, and I was puzzled by the idea. I called Antonio Santini, owner of <epi:fdictlink id="2236">Dal</epi:fdictlink> Pescatore, one of three three-star restaurants in Italy, and he gave me his interpretation, where you practically grill the rind. Luciano Pellegrini, the chef at Posto, and I decided to experiment. We weren't satisfied, because the rind was kind of chewy. So we decided to try the cheese in a nonstick pan. The cheese is so oily and full of flavor, I thought, let's just stick it in the pan and see what happens. That turned out to be the key to success. The traditional frico is a Friulian dish made with Montasio, a creamier cheese that is very hard to find in America. That's fried cheese, almost like a pancake topped with meat or vegetables. This is flakier and softer. Serve it when people walk in the door.

Serve with pan-fried potatoes. What to drink: A crisp Sauvignon Blanc from California or New Zealand, or a French Sancerre.

Made with spicy sausages and smoky grilled onion, these are not your standard burgers.

"I visit Portland, Oregon, frequently because my son is in college there. Of the restaurants we've tried, Bread and Ink Cafe is one of the best," says Shelly Pearlman of Fairfax, California. "It's located in a funky part of town not far from the school. The squash and leek risotto I had for lunch was superb." Some shaved Parmesan and fresh sage leaves would make an attractive garnish.

"I return to Seattle's Cassis Bistro for the fine food and service," writes Eleanor O'Keefe of Seattle, Washington. "In addition to the regular menu, there are always some fantastic seasonal specialties. I'd love to make one of their salads—it has dried cherries, bacon, and a blue-cheese vinaigrette."

"You should tell your readers about Bistro Banlieue in Lombard," writes Judith Gill of Chicago, Illinois. "The smoked salmon, goat cheese, and leek tart alone is worth the short drive from Chicago." A slice of this rich tart served with mixed greens makes for a perfect starter.

Instead of Panela, other soft white Mexican cheeses — such as Oaxaca, or those used for making quesadillas — work well in this recipe. If none is available, substitute Monterey Jack cheese. The stuffed chilies can be assembled one day before baking. What to drink: A Napa or New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (or any dry but fruity white wine).

Serve with: Crusty French rolls and steamed new potatoes tossed with butter and chervil. Dessert: Meringues filled with purchased lemon curd and sprinkled with blueberries.

This creamy mixture of spinach, cheese and basil is an unforgettable side dish.