Deep Fry

Skordalia is a garlicky Greek dip made with mashed or pureed potatoes.

Margaret DeMatteo of Stirling, New Jersey, writes: "My husband recently took me to the nearby Perryville Inn to celebrate my birthday. We had a fabulous 'BLT' appetizer made with layers of fried green tomatoes, pancetta, and basil mayonnaise. I would greatly appreciate it if you could get the recipe."

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min

One diner's instructions on how to find Mrs. Wilkes': "Walk along West Jones Street until you smell fried chicken."

"On a trip to Longboat Key in Florida, my fiancé and I ate at Pattigeorge's," writes Wendy J. Harbart of Forest Hills, New York. "The five-spice calamari was out of this world."

This recipe was inspired by the irresistible onion rings served at two classic New York City restaurants, Lindy's and Junior's. We tested the rings with both vegetable shortening and oil; although both yield a crisp, crunchy coating, our food editors preferred the fuller flavor the shortening imparts. For dramatic effect, we only used the larger rings of the onion, but feel free to use the smaller ones, too. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Frying the lime wedges gives them a pleasing golden color and enables the juice to squirt out with the slightest pressure.

In my family's house, turkey croquettes were a revered delicacy had only after Thanksgiving and Christmas (it took a lot of work, we were often told). It wasn't until I was in college that I learned "croquette" meant a solution to leftovers. But I still think of this recipe, passed down from my father's mother to my mother to me and my sister, as special. Yes, it is a lot of work. But the soul-warming richness — and guaranteed compliments — make it worth the effort.

A sophisticated, do-ahead hors d'oeuvre.

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min

Sausage and Potato Mini-Turnovers The dough for these little turnovers may be pressed either by hand or with a tortilla press.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Crisp, golden onion rings have never been so pretty or so simple to make.