Sandwich

Two Italian cheeses (Fontina and Parmesan) lend an Italian flair to these tiny sandwiches. Brushing the bread with sage-infused butter and topping each sandwich with a sage leaf adds flavor—and visual appeal.

If you prefer, serve the short ribs for dinner with polenta, then use the leftovers to make a few sandwiches.

Tartines are essentially French open-face sandwiches. In this nibble, crunchy toasts are topped with roasted Spanish piquillo peppers and rich, savory sardines. A few drops of spicy sriracha sauce give this sophisticated starter a bit of heat.

Kids like the sweet-salty combination of the jam, Parmesan, and prosciutto.

Vietnamese hybrid sandwiches called banh mi are great for lunch or a casual dinner.

Known as the "caviar of the South," this pimiento cheese recipe can be used as a dip for a party, or spread it on a sandwich for the ultimate grilled cheese.

For a super-authentic version of this recipe, order some Honeycup mustard from vineandtable.com and a ham from smithfieldhams.com.

To get a 12-ounce flank steak, cut a 1 1/2-pound flank steak lengthwise.

It's so straightforward to put everything under the broiler at once and remove each component as finished—when the bread is toasted, the romaine is wilted, the chicken is cooked, and the tomato is juicy.

This cheese course is one I frequently serve to guests at home, and every time it's enthusiastically received. Asiago is a little softer than aged Parm, with a nutty, sweet flavor that is gorgeous with glazed onions. I also find it's a fantastico red wine cheese, and goes quite nicely with a dessert Sauternes.

This dish is particularly delicious in summer, when zucchini, peppers, and summer squash are farm-fresh. You can also pile the grilled vegetables onto crusty French bread that's been slathered in creamy chevre. Or make hors d'oeuvres by topping Crostini with slices of grilled vegetable and some crumbled chevre. The vegetables can be grilled up to 1 hour in advance; assemble just before serving.

Way better than the classic leftover-turkey sandwich.

These toasts are topped with a light sprinkling of minced garlic, olive oil, and sharp Pecorino Romano before being baked. Garlicky and salty, they are a great accompaniment to cocktails.

This bravura sandwich stimulates all the senses. Grilling eggplant instead of frying it adds lightness and smoky complexity.

According to legend, a great chef in Punta del Este, Uruguay, Antonio Carbonada, had an Argentine lady as a regular customer. One day she asked for her favorite sandwich made with goat (chivito in Spanish). There was no goat to be had, so the chef threw together what was on hand—steak, ham, cheese, lettuce, and mayonnaise—and the chivito was born. It is now found everywhere in Uruguay. As with most traditional comfort food, everybody makes their chivito just a little differently. Here's mine.

This incredible sandwich is so filling that you won't need a side dish.

You'll have enough tomato spread for leftovers.

This sandwich gets a toasty power-up from your grill pan. Melted mozzarella bolsters chicken cutlets, and its gooey richness is offset by the fiery spark of cherry peppers. A tomato-basil salad rounds out the meal.

A classic American sandwich gets a makeover: The avocado dressing has an inviting creaminess to it, and the crunchy grilled croutons are a revelation.