Spreads

Pulse the food processor on and off a few times to give this spread the right texture.

Be sure to drain and rinse the chickpeas well before using.

This can be tossed with a pound of pasta (serve warm or chilled), used as a topping for grilled chicken, or spread onto toasted slices of baguette or focaccia.

If a bite of this clean, bright "pâté" transports you to a sunny beach on Nantucket, that's because it's inspired by a similar spread offered at the island's Straight Wharf Fish Store. This rendition can be whipped up effortlessly, but it's a substantial and statement-making appetizer nonetheless.

This thick, cheesy dip is delicious with broccoli spears or bread sticks, or even as a spread on slices of bread. Serve any leftovers on baked potatoes or tossed with potato salad.

Pink peppercorns and peppercorn mélange (a mixture of black, pink, green, and white peppercorns) are available at many supermarkets.

Haroseth, a fruit and nut condiment, is one of the six elements on the seder plate at Passover. It is traditionally eaten on matzo and symbolizes the mortar that was used to build the pyramids.

Editor's note: The recipe below is from The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. For Bittman's tips on preparing a modern Passover meal, click here. Chickpeas are among the best legumes, and this is among the best recipes you can prepare with them, an eons-old Middle Eastern classic. Generally, I'm not a big fan of canned beans, but for whatever reason canned chickpeas are not bad at all, and I always keep some on hand so I can make a batch of this at the last minute, to use as a dip or a spread. You can make hummus without tahini; it will be a little looser and less complex tasting but still good.

This recipe makes more than enough jam for Chef Ryan Hardy's buttermilk panna cotta . He recommends making the full amount—leftovers are delicious in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Editor's note: This recipe is from Erika Lenkert's book, The Last-Minute Party Girl: Fashionable, Fearless, and Foolishly Simple Entertaining Add a little yummy-sexy luxury to your cocktail party by serving this velvety salmon spread, which is ridiculously simple to make and perfectly paired with baguette slices and people you enjoy.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from The Joy of Cooking, 75th Anniversary Edition: 4500 Recipes for the Way We Cook Now by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker. To read Epicurious's review of the cookbook, go to The Best Cookbooks of 2006. This rich, spicy cheese spread appeared in some fashion in JOY from 1931 until the 1960s. The 1936 edition declared it "a grand cheese spread for hot or cold sandwiches."

Surprise your party host with a jar of this ruby-red jelly — its sweet heat flavors pair beautifully with soft cheeses.

This vegetarian pâté, satisfyingly rich with a silky texture, will entice even the most die-hard carnivores. If you're not worried about keeping it vegetarian, you can substitute an equal amount of unflavored gelatin for the agar flakes.

Light and ultrasavory, this is a spread that's definitely worth making — it requires a minimal amount of work and tastes better than any store-bought version. And if you have any left over, you're in luck — it also tastes wonderful on bagels the next morning.

Almost any berry, or combination of berries, can be substituted in this recipe.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein's book, Raw.