Herbs & Spices

Grilling eggplant lends it a smoky flavor, and this fun, layered presentation gives a wintertime favorite a summer makeover.

This side, originally 575 calories and 26 grams of fat, was a meal in itself. SELF cut 277 calories and 17 grams of fat.

In this supereasy, Japanese-inspired dish, salmon is glazed with salty-sweet hoisin sauce and served with a fresh, tangy relish of plums and ginger.

The smoky aroma of lamb grilling on skewers is ever-present across the Middle East. Here, the meat is flavored with traditional spices and a minty, sweet-and-hot glaze. Fresh figs and thick slices of eggplant make the perfect accompaniments.

This version of the famous jerk method from Boston Bay in Jamaica is a classic example of why spice pastes work so well in grilling: They're easier to make and impart flavors more directly than a liquid marinade. Sweet-and-sour chutney and an incendiary but hyper-flavorful Scotch bonnet pepper sauce complement the chicken. You probably won't use all the sauce, but extra keeps, covered and refrigerated, indefinitely. Important note: This dish is EXTREMELY SPICY. While adored by spicy-food lovers for their distinctive flavor, the Scotch bonnet peppers that feature prominently here are some of the hottest chiles you can find. If you prefer a lower heat level, you can dial it down a bit by removing the seeds (which contain much of the heat) from the Scotch bonnets or substituting another type of fresh red or green chile that packs less of a punch.

This Latin-inspired combination of flavors works well with smoky grilled pork, and the crispy cumin crust is complemented by both the heat and sweetness in the salsa. These thick-cut chops taste just as good cold — if there are any left.

This Caribbean-style pork dish is by cookbook author Daisy Martinez. Look for panko in the Asian foods section of the supermarket or at Asian markets.

The mayo can also be made with dill.

These Italian kebabs make a very stylish one-dish supper.

For a quick defrost, microwave the veggies in bowls for one to two minutes on high.

Dark meat stands up nicely to bold flavors. 

For this lovely side dish, orzo pasta is cooked like risotto.

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.

There's enough dough for one more pizza, so freeze the extra. The vital wheat gluten flour is high in protein and helps create a chewy crust. It's sold at some supermarkets and natural foods stores. Bread flour will also give great results.

Either bittersweet or semisweet chocolate will give great results, but bittersweet will pack more intense chocolate flavor.

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