Condiment

This starter, from Colby Garrelts, chef and co-owner of Bluestem in Kansas City, Missouri, is ideal for any summer get-together. For only 72 calories per serving, you'll get nearly 30 percent of your daily requirement for vitamin A, plus 4 grams of fiber.

It's the spicy, garlicky tomatillo salsa that really sells these addictive tostadas. Frying store-bought corn tortillas heightens the vibrancy of their corn flavor and creates a crisp foundation for the refried black beans, shredded romaine, lush avocado, and creamy queso fresco.

Gemma Sanita Sciabica of Modesto, California, writes: "My husband's family produces olive oil, and I'm the company's recipe developer. We often hear from customers who love our oil but complain that they don't have the time to cook. Their comments inspired me to share my favorite recipes, which show just how simple great Italian food can be." Caponata is a Sicilian specialty typically served as a relish or side dish. It also works as an appetizer on bread rounds.

Tasha Garcia and Julie Taras of Little Giant serve these peaches with their Lemon-Spice Bread Pudding . They would also taste great as a topping for pancakes or waffles.

This sauce adds a nice kick to Shabu-Shabu. Use it as you would wasabi in sushi restaurants.

Serve this super-easy sauce alongside Shabu-Shabu

Editor's note: This recipe is reprinted from Jo Ann Bass and Richard Sax's book Eat at Joe's: The Joe's Stone Crab Restaurant Cookbook. At Joe's, the stone crabs are served cold, already cracked. They come with small metal cups of mustard or melted butter—or both. This is the mustard sauce for which Joe's is famous.

This flavorful topping brings out the flavor of grilled or boiled corn on the cob.

These vegetables pick up a little spice and sourness from the pickling, but they stay crisp and retain their individual flavors.

Only one more fruit is added to this vibrant red applesauce, yet its fragrance and tastiness seem to triple. Smooth and elegant, it complements roast meats and makes a wonderful dessert on its own.

Editor's note: The recipe below is excerpted from Cal-a-Vie Living: Gourmet Spa Cuisine and is part of a healthy and delicious spa menu developed exclusively for Epicurious by Cal-a-Vie.

Cranberries mixed with sugar and citrus are perfectly fine for turkey, but pork needs something a little different. Here, the tart quality of the cranberries is underlined by the horseradish, and together they enhance the sweet, sturdy nature of roast pork.

Hors d'oeuvres like this one are great for entertaining — the vegetables benefit from being prepared in advance, becoming more flavorful as they absorb the pickling liquid. The recipe also yields a large batch, so you'll have plenty on hand.

This very traditional tartar sauce is better after resting a day or two in the refrigerator, giving the flavors a chance to meld.

Most salsas are too chunky and juicy to use as a dip. This one is finely puréed, with olive oil added to thicken it.