Mushroom

At La Côte Basque, this dish was originally served with an extremely rich cream sauce, but when Jean-Jacques Rachou took over in 1979, he reimagined a lighter version, one with pan juices and crème fraîche. It plays up the nutty, earthy morels beautifully.

The spirit of Japan comes through in this dish: It is lovely to behold and has a delicate, light quality, yet the extraordinary flavors will seize your attention with the culinary equivalent of surround sound.

Paul Bocuse believes a great chef will invent only two dishes in his entire career; his own truffle soup with pastry "hats" will forever be known as his signature creation. Our version retains all the theater of the billowy dome of puff pastry and the richness of the flavors but substitutes mushroom consommé laced with morels and snips of fresh chives for the opulence of truffles and foie gras.

Cremini mushrooms give added meaty depth to flavorful (yet inexpensive) chicken thighs in a rustic but light ragù.

Yes, fish can be autumnal, too. Fresh wild mushrooms and fennel pollen are the key ingredients in this elegant dish.

Gremolata is traditionally made with chopped garlic, parsley, and lemon peel; this one incorporates chopped hazelnuts and uses orange peel instead of lemon.

To make this appetizer easy to nibble, serve the cheese and mushrooms with toothpicks.

Spain's famous piquillo peppers add a sweet-spicy edge to the aioli. Idiazábal, a smoky sheep's-milk cheese from the Basque region, is great with the portobellos. If you can't find Idiazábal, substitute smoked Gouda.

Asian ingredients—from soy sauce to sriracha—flavor the pork burgers. Wrapping it all up in Bibb lettuce leaves adds a fresh touch.

Chicken's dark meat is great for grilling because it stays very moist and really soaks up the flavors of a marinade—in this case, an Asian-inspired blend that balances sweet and savory. The addition of meaty mushrooms and bright green baby bok choy makes this a one-dish dinner you can take straight from grill to picnic table.

Bulgogi—beef marinated in soy sauce,sesame oil, and other seasonings—is a popular Korean dish. Here, we've subbed in salmon for the sirloin.

Be sure to use a dry skillet when browning quesadillas.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text are from Mario Batali's book Italian Grilling. Reprinted with permission by Ecco. All rights reserved. This was one of the first dishes I put on the menu at my restaurant Pó... a long, long time ago. You can vary it by using different greens, such as spicy young watercress, or other cheeses, including sheep's-milk cheese, semi-soft or aged. The beauty of the dish lies in the seemingly incongruous marriage of anchovies and mushrooms: anchovies plus mushrooms equals steak.

Pretty protein-rich bites by Jarett Brodie, chef at FR.OG in New York City.

Visually, this dish speaks softly, but it combines quite a number of sensations: a buttery fish, sautéed for a crisp skin, and a broth of such depth you'll never believe it was simmered for just five minutes. The mixture of enoki and shimeji mushrooms looks gorgeous and lends a meatiness, punctuated by an elusive woodsy smokiness, to the sansho-flecked broth.

The roasted chops are finished with a mix of asparagus, morels, and herbs.

Four ingredients and a few minutes are all it takes to put together this crisp, bubbly masterpiece. A quick drizzle of truffle oil adds a final flourish of decadence.

For a vegetarian version, use 24 ounces extra-firm tofu instead of chicken, and increase the soy sauce to 2/3 cup and the vinegar to 1/2 cup. Serve with brown rice or soba noodles.

This lovely frittata can be served warm or at room temperature.