Tomato

This soup is equally delicious served hot or chilled.

Pair this bespoke ketchup with Grilled Rosemary Chicken .

With its biscuity buttermilk crust, this rustic pie is our new summertime staple. Let the pie cool for at least one hour before serving.

Soy Free Tabbouleh, tabouli, tabouleh, taboolee . . . however you wanna spell it, it spells YUM! It has a clean, light flavor that just tastes healthy. If you have a food processor, now is the time to use it.

“The Valley” is what we, in Texas, call the Rio Grande Valley. It’s located on the southernmost tip of the state, bordering Mexico, and it’s where Sandy grew up. The Valley is a melting pot of American and Mexican cultures, and is known for its festivals, architecture, and cuisine. So when Sandy talks about comfort food, she thinks of dishes that are often heavily influenced by traditional Mexican flavors. Arroz con Pollo (rice with chicken) is one of her favorites. Many Spanish-speaking countries claim this dish, so there are many different ways to prepare it. This particular recipe is served up Valley style and is uniquely Texan.

Sometimes we forget that there is more to Mexican food than our favorite enchiladas and puffy tacos. In fact, there are many specialty seafood dishes throughout the country, varying in style and preparation, yet equally delicious. Veracruz is a central Mexican city on the Gulf of Mexico, and it’s where many Spanish conquistadors landed when first coming to the Americas. Here, culinary traditions began to meld—not only Spanish but also Mediterranean, French, and Caribbean. The result is Veracruzano—Veracruz style. We love serving our version of this dish over a bed of fluffy quinoa, which is an excellent vehicle for soaking up the delicious juices.

Pound the pork into superthin cutlets to get the best crust-to-meat ratio. Make extra for a next-day sandwich.

First, tenderize the octopus by simmering it at a low boil for about an hour (ignore the myths about adding vinegar or a cork from a bottle of wine). Then char it on the grill to crisp the skin.

Our favorite Bloody Mary fixings make a juicy accompaniment for grilled flank steak. The salad tastes better if prepared a few hours ahead.

The key to this sauté: Cook the tomatoes with the bits of chicken left over after you've seared it in the pan. When the tomatoes burst, swirl in the remaining marjoram butter to finish the pan sauce.

Briny shellfish give this quick bouillabaisse its depth of flavor. Basil rouille (a garlicky Provençal mayonnaise) adds vibrancy.

This combination of two all-time favorites is based on our New Orleans—style egg-soaked-and-fried pain perdu, or "lost bread," a traditional method used to reclaim bread that was growing stale. I use fresh challah—thickly sliced or it will fall apart during the soak—because it has a rich sweetness but airy texture from being kneaded. The long soak creates a custard that cooks into the bread so it puffs up in the oven after getting a crisp crust in the frying pan. That's your base, topped with the saltiness and smokiness of bacon with a good cure, ripe tomato, and peppery arugula.

Sesame oil and rice vinegar spin the caprese eastward.

Little Gem, a lettuce that both looks and tastes like a cross between baby romaine and a small head of butter lettuce, can be found at farmers' markets. If unavailable, substitute hearts of romaine.

Skewering and grilling whole garlic cloves gives this vibrant sauce its smoky sweetness. Make the salsa as chunky or as smooth as you like.

This classic refreshing salad pairs perfectly with grilled lamb .

New York City's Italian impresario Mario Batali likes to use Sun Gold tomatoes—a sweet, slightly tannic variety of cherry tomato—to make this dish. Any good cherry or grape tomatoes, or a chopped large tomato, will work, too. Be sure to cook the tomatoes down until they've released all of their juices.

This classic sauce takes its spiciness from black pepper and dried chiles and its depth of flavor from guanciale, Italian salt-cured pork jowl. If you can't find it, use pancetta, which is available at better supermarkets.

Roll or stretch the dough as thin as possible to get a classic thin and crispy crust.

Fresh and piquant, this crowd-pleaser is a classic.