Nut Free

Cooking on a bed of salt helps evenly conduct the high heat and infuse the shrimp with seasoning.

For this juicy, herbaceous salad, feel free to combine different varieties of cucumbers and tomatoes, which are at peak season around the same time.

Adding veggies to the marinade while warm helps them absorb more flavor.

Mild, crunchy green papaya is not the same as underripe papaya. Look for it at Asian or Mexican groceries.

"Paris chef Alain Passard, who is famous for unusual pairings, inspired this dish." —Chris Morocco, associate food editor

This also makes a great dinner for one; just cut the ingredients in half.

Go light on the salt when seasoning these chops; the marinade is fairly salty, especially after it reduces.

Warm, toasty, buttered rolls are key. If you can't find New England-style buns, trim 1/4" from both sides of standard hot dog buns to remove the crust and expose more surface area.

Trust us: Your first batch of this condiment will not be your last. Spoon it over the Ricotta Omelets , or see the Cooks' notes for other ways to enjoy it.

Grinding your own meat gives you total control over your burger. It frees you to select the cut of beef you want and lets you decide how finely or coarsely to grind. The chuck top blade has all the right characteristics for a do-it-yourself burger that's got everything going for it: It's beefy, juicy, and tender when cooked to medium (160°F). To further enhance the meat's juiciness and flavor, we recommend dry-brining the steaks overnight before you grind them. See the Cook's Note below for what to do if you don't have a meat grinder and for more about the chuck top blade as well as tips for cooking burgers, see our complete Burger Primer.

Oh, mama! This one's hot. Not in that obnoxious, burns you right off the bat kind of way, but in that slow, didn't see it coming, want to take two more bites to feel the burn just that much longer kind of way. That's a good kind of pain. This seasoning has got three different types of chiles to make it complex and give it some heat, plus white and black pepper to round it out. Use hot or smoked paprika instead of regular to alter the flavor, if you like. We don't call for any salt in our recipe, but you can use as little or as much as you like without making the food overly salty. However, do remember to salt your fish in addition to using the spice in a recipe. And if you're using the blend for blackening, get that exhaust fan going or be prepared to set off every smoke alarm you have. (Better yet, do your blackening outside on the grill in a cast-iron skillet!)

One of the secrets to this raw salmon dish from Seattle restaurant Madison Park Conservatory is an amazing Moroccan spice blend called ras el hanout. It's like a curry powder in that there are a billion unique combinations, with each cook creating his or her own, though most include Moroccan favorites like cardamom, ginger, or mace. The blend is sold in fancy grocery stores or in Middle Eastern markets like the one near us in Pike Place Market that smells like heaven. You can also buy it online. If you can't find Greek yogurt, let plain yogurt drain a bit in a colander until thick before using.

This is one of the most popular seasoning mixes we sell, and it's a winner sprinkled simply over fish or used as part of a more complex recipe. This blend has just the right amount of garlic and onion, with paprika for depth and a bit of dill for flavor. But we think it's the celery seed that really makes this one sing. See what you think.

Grunts are a fish you'll probably never see on a menu and will most definitely never see at a fish market, especially on the West Coast. But as Charlie knows, they inhabit every dock, marina, pier, reef, and any other underwater structure in southern Florida. Because they are considered vastly inferior in taste to their snapper relatives, they're targeted for quick and easy meals by the fishermen in the Florida keys, where this breakfast dish originates. Considering grunt is largely unavailable (and truthfully, Charlie says, isn't very good), here we substitute small fillets of snapper or rockfish. This is an incredible dish—full or rich and spicy flavors, with a wild array of textures, from the pillow of creamy grits to searing fish to the crisp bacon. The classic accompaniment to grits and grunts is cheap beer, but coffee works, too.

This quick, easy, and delicious recipe features a seared whole piece of tuna loin that's seared on a grill and then cut into slices and slid into brioche buns. Okay, so these are also technically sandwiches. If you're wondering why these slides are here instead of in the sandwich chapter, there are two reasons. The first is that Anders thought there needed to be a tuna option in Tuesday-Night Tuna. But the other reason is less pedantic: these are easy to make on a weeknight and make a fantastic dinner for four. Anders serves these with Pike Place Fish Smoked Walla Walla Onion Tartar Sauce, but you can serve it with any tartar-style sauce.

This is another good recipe for skinless, boneless chicken breasts since the olive oil compensates for the dryness of the meat, but if you prefer, by all means, leave the skin on. For the finest flavor and texture, use chicken breasts from naturally raised free-range birds. For extra garlic flavor, serve it with Lebanese toum bi zeit (garlic sauce) . Precede it with a chilled gazpacho and serve the chicken with fresh pita bread or slices of a crusty country loaf and a massive green salad for a memorable summer Sunday lunch.

Toum bi Zeit I had struggled for years to get this sauce right—clear white, creamy, and pungent. But it was only when my Lebanese friend and food writer Anissa Helou offered the suggestion of strained yogurt instead of the customary dampened bread or mashed potato that the whole thing began to come together for me. This is delicious but—obviously—for garlic lovers only. It is best made with a mortar and pestle, as a food processor brings out an acrid flavor.

The Basic Recipe Fish steaks, cut 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick—halibut, swordfish, and tuna are all good choices—are really best for grilling. Fillets are usually too delicate, and large whole fish are tricky—too often the outside is charred before the inside is cooked. If you're lucky enough, however, to find small whole fish, such as sardines, imported red mullet, small mackerel, or bluefish, they will be exquisite cooked over charcoal or the embers of a wood fire for a real Mediterranean-style treat. Count on 1/4 pound boneless fish steaks per serving, a little more with the bone in, and add a little extra for enthusiastic appetites.

Melitzanasalata This is similar to the well-known Lebanese eggplant puree called baba ghanouj but the addition of yogurt and green chilies gives it a pleasantly tangy spice. If you have a fireplace or an outdoor grill, roast the eggplant over live coals for a delectably smoky aroma. Select eggplants with smooth, shiny skins that are hefty for their size. Eggplant doesn't store well so be sure to use any you buy within a day or two; keep cool, but don't refrigerate—that only hastens deterioration. Fresh green poblano peppers are best in this recipe, but if you cannot find them, use jalapeños or serranos—as long as they are agreeably spicy but not fiery hot.

Reminiscent of your favorite sundae sauce, but better! A sip of soda made from this deep, dark, intense brew is like chomping down on a chocolate bar.