Why deny it? When you eat more plant foods and fewer animal products, you’re probably going to eat more often—so snacking takes on increased importance. This is a good thing: Most current research indicates that eating several small meals is better for your metabolism, energy level, and weight management than piling it on your plate three times a day.

This chapter, then, takes on more significance than the typical appetizer chapter, with plenty of satisfying tidbits that mimic the sweetness, saltiness, and crunch of the things you might crave from packages, but without their downsides. These are recipes you can make days ahead of time, grab fast, pack up to go, whatever works.

But it’s important to note the other—even easier—snacks that take almost no work at all. It’s cliché, I know, but fruit, nuts, celery and carrot sticks, peanut butter on a whole grain cracker, last night’s leftover vegetables, more fruit—these are foods that often get me through the day.

In any case, the dishes here are mostly foods you can bring to your mouth with fingers, toothpicks, or skewers. All are designed to work for both everyday eating and casual celebrations. In other words, there is nothing too fancy or time consuming, and since all of the more substantial recipes make between four and eight servings, you can eat them alone as a light meal, part of a multicourse feast or buffet, or as a tasty little something before dinner.

Seasoned Popcorn

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: About 10 minutes

Real hot popcorn is one of nature’s ultimate convenience foods. I can’t say this strongly enough: There’s no reason to use microwavable packages, no matter how “natural” they claim to be. Any popcorn can be microwaved, as you’ll see below.

Toss the popcorn with extra ingredients while it’s still warm and the seasonings will stick pretty well, even without adding any more fat. You can even cook popcorn in olive oil as long as you lower the heat as needed to keep it from burning; the flavor is delicious.

2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ cup popping corn

2 to 4 tablespoons butter or olive oil, optional

Salt (and other seasonings from the list that follows if you like)

1. Put the vegetable oil in a large, deep pan (6 quarts or so). Turn the heat to medium, add 3 kernels of corn, and cover.

2. When the kernels pop, remove the lid and add the remaining corn. Cover and shake the pot, holding the lid on. Cook, shaking the pot occasionally, until the popping sound stops after about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter or gently warm the olive oil if you’re using it.

3. Turn the popcorn into a large bowl; drizzle with butter or olive oil if you like, and sprinkle with salt while tossing the popcorn. Serve immediately.

Microwave Popcorn (Makes 2 to 4 servings). In a small glass container, or a brown paper lunch bag, combine ¼ cup popping corn with ¼ teaspoon salt and fold the top of the bag over a couple of times. Microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes, until there are 4 or 5 seconds between pops. Open the bag or container carefully, because steam will have built up. Toss with your seasonings and a drizzle of butter or olive oil or serve as is.

Garlic Popcorn. Use the optional butter or oil and as you melt or heat it, add a tablespoon minced garlic and cook until soft and turning golden. Strain the garlic bits out as you pour the butter over the popcorn—or not.

Gorp, Your Way

Makes: 4 cups

Time: 10 minutes

The classic hiker’s snack is an acronym for “good old raisins and peanuts,” but you can jazz it up a bit to make an always appealing afternoon pick-me-up (I keep a batch at my desk) or a predinner nosh with drinks.

Toasting the nuts before tossing them with the other ingredients helps intensify their flavor, but if that’s too much bother, just throw everything in a jar or bag, shake, and away you go. Sub any nut and dried fruit here and be sure to check out the ideas below. You might also play with the proportions—I, for example, like more peanuts than raisins.

2 cups peanuts, salted or not

2 cups raisins

Salt, optional

1. Toast the peanuts in a large dry skillet over low heat, shaking the pan until the nuts are fragrant and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.

2. Combine the warm peanuts with the raisins and salt to taste in a bowl and serve, or store, tightly covered, for a couple weeks.

Chile-Cherry Gorp. In Step 2, add a tablespoon or so chili powder (with or without a pinch of ground dried chiles or cayenne pepper) and toss with dried cherries instead of raisins.

Cinnamon-Cocoa Gorp. Especially good with hazelnuts instead of peanuts. In Step 2, add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder. For even more chocolatiness, add 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (wait a few minutes for the peanuts to cool to prevent the chocolate from melting).

Spanish Gorp. A special party treat, best eaten within a couple of hours. Substitute almonds for the peanuts and chopped apricots or dates (or a combination) for the raisins. In Step 2, add about ½ cup each cubed smoked chorizo and Manchego cheese, along with 1 teaspoon pimentón (or regular paprika) and 1 teaspoon grated orange zest. Toss immediately.

Coconut-Curry Gorp. Golden raisins are nice here. Use pistachios instead of peanuts and add 1 cup unsweetened coconut (ribbons are better than flakes) to the skillet in Step 1. Add 1 tablespoon curry powder to the warm nut mixture just before tossing with the raisins.

Sesame-Ginger Gorp. In Step 1, add 2 tablespoons sesame seeds to the peanuts after they’ve warmed for a couple minutes. Add 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger and 1 tablespoon soy sauce along with the raisins in Step 2 (go easy on the salt).

Seaweed Gorp. Walnuts are good here. In Step 1, when the nuts are just about toasted, add ½ cup shredded nori (or arame or dulse). Proceed with the recipe.

Breakfast Gorp. Add 2 cups granola (for homemade, see page 276) with the fruit in Step 2.

Tropical Gorp. Substitute pecans for the peanuts. Substitute chopped dried bananas for the raisins and add chopped dried mango, pineapple, or papaya, or unsweetened coconut ribbons, alone or in combination.

Crispy Rice Treats

Makes: About 3 dozen bite-size balls

Time: 15 minutes

Like its white rice counterpart, crispy brown rice—what Snap, Crackle, and Pop would make if they were health nuts rather than marketing stooges—is both a ready-to-eat cereal and a useful ingredient. (You can buy it under several brand names at natural food stores and some supermarkets.) You’ll never miss the marshmallows in this sweet, savory, spicy, and nutty snack.

2 cups crispy brown rice

1 cup peanut, almond, or cashew butter

¼ cup honey or maple syrup

½ cup chopped peanuts, almonds, or cashews

½ cup chopped dried apricots

1 tablespoon curry powder

Salt and black pepper

½ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut, toasted if you like

Combine the crispy brown rice, nut butter, sweetener, nuts, fruit, curry powder, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Using wet hands, form into walnut-size balls and roll them in the shredded coconut. Serve immediately, or store in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to several days.

Crispy Tahini Rice Balls. Omit the nuts and coconut. Substitute tahini for the peanut butter and dates for the apricots. Roll the balls in sesame seeds instead of the coconut.

Fruit and Cereal Bites

Makes: About 3 dozen bite-size balls

Time: About 1 hour, largely unattended

You can turn your favorite ready-to-eat whole grain cereal into something halfway between a bonbon and an energy bar with little effort and just a few extra ingredients. Any dried fruit will do here; dates and dried plums are particularly sweet and smooth.

1½ cups dried fruit (see the headnote)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons honey, optional

Fruit juice or water as needed

1 cup ready-to-eat breakfast cereal, like granola (for homemade, see page 276), crumbled shredded wheat, or any whole grain flakes or “nuts”

Shredded, unsweetened coconut, finely ground nuts, or cocoa for rolling, optional

1. Put the dried fruit, oil, and honey if you’re using it in a food processor and purée until smooth, adding fruit juice a little at a time to keep the machine running. You’ll need to stop once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl. (Add small amounts of water or fruit juice if the fruit is dried out and is not processing.) Fold in the cereal until evenly distributed.

2. Take a heaping tablespoon of the mixture and roll it into a ball. Then, if you like, roll the ball around in the coconut, nuts, or cocoa. Put the balls between layers of waxed paper in a tightly covered container and refrigerate until set, about 45 minutes. Eat immediately, or store in the fridge for up to several days. You can also wrap the balls individually in wax paper, like candies.

Fruit and Cereal Bars. Line an 8- or 9-inch square or round pan with foil. Follow the recipe through Step 1. Spread the mixture in the pan, pushing it into the corners and evening the top. If you like, dust the top with coconut, nuts, or cocoa. Refrigerate until set, then cut into squares.

Radishes with Olive Oil and Sea Salt

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 20 minutes

It’s hard to argue with radishes dipped in butter and sea salt, unless, of course, you’d rather skip the butter. Try this classic snack with extra virgin olive oil for a delicious spin on the original. And to expand this recipe into full-blown crudités, see the sidebar on page 44.

½ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons coarse sea salt

1 pound assorted radishes

1. Pour the oil into one or more ramekins or small bowls, season it with a little salt, and put some more salt nearby in another small bowl or plate.

2. Leave the radishes whole or halve or quarter them as you like. Refrigerate them in a bowl of ice water until ready to serve, up to several hours. Serve the radishes alongside the olive oil and salt for dipping and sprinkling.

Daikon with Sesame Oil and Sea Salt. Use daikon radishes, peeled and sliced crosswise into coins. Substitute sesame oil for the olive oil.

Beet Tartare

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 30 minutes

I first learned about beet tartare—just love the name—from Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who uses roasted beets. I’ve eliminated that step and use raw beets. You can serve the dish as you would traditionally serve beef tartare: with chopped hard-boiled egg, onions, cornichons, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, or even a crumbling of strong blue cheese, like Stilton or Roquefort.

You can have a bit of fun with color here: make one batch with golden beets and another with red—serve them side by side for a spectacular presentation.

2 pounds red or yellow beets (about 4 large), peeled

¼ cup chopped red onion

1 tablespoon olive oil, or more as needed

1 to 2 tablespoons grated horseradish, or to taste

1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more as needed

1 tablespoon chopped capers

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, tarragon, or chives

Salt and black pepper

8 slices whole grain bread, 2 small heads endive, or crackers, for serving

1. Cut the beets into quarters and put them in a food processor; pulse the beets until they’re ground up into small pieces—about the size of grains of rice—careful not to overprocess. If you don’t have a food processor, grate the beets instead. If the beets release a lot of liquid, squeeze them gently with your hands or drain them on paper towels to remove some of the moisture.

2. Combine the onion, oil, horseradish, lemon juice, capers, and herbs together in a bowl large enough to hold the beets. Fold in the beets and sprinkle with salt and pepper; taste and add more lemon juice, oil, or seasoning if needed. If you like, chill quickly in the freezer or refrigerate for up to a day.

3. Toast the bread and cut each slice diagonally into 4 toast points. (Or separate and trim the endive into leaves.) Serve the tartare cold or at room temperature with the toast points, spooned into endive leaves, or in a bowl next to crackers.

Celery Root Tartare. Replace the beets with celery root.

Five Quick Salsas for Chips, Dips, and Other Stuff

Makes: About 2 cups

Time: Time: 15 minutes

The main recipe here is for basic pico de gallo (you might call it salsa fresca), but all of these are great on top of vegetable, meat, or grain dishes—or eaten with a spoon. And given that many fruit-herb-acid combinations are delicious, they’re open to endless variation.

Remember, though, that they’re all best when made with perfectly ripe, seasonal fruit. (Colorful garden tomatoes are particularly gorgeous.) When out of season, you’re better off using drained canned tomatoes, fresh oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, avocados, or even grated raw butternut squash.

2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped

½ large white or red onion or 2 medium scallions, chopped

1 teaspoon minced garlic, or to taste

1 fresh hot chile (like habanero or jalapeño), seeded and minced, or to taste

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons lime juice

Salt and black pepper

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, taste, and adjust the seasoning.

2. Let the mixture rest for 15 to 30 minutes if possible to allow the flavors to meld.

Peach Salsa. Use 3 medium peaches (peeled if you like) in place of the tomatoes, minced ginger instead of the garlic, and orange juice instead of the lime juice.

Green Apple–Cucumber Salsa. Substitute 2 large Granny Smith apples for the tomatoes, ½ chopped cucumber for the garlic, and lemon juice for the lime juice. Use fresh mint in place of the cilantro.

Tomatillo–Black Bean Salsa. Substitute 2 cups chopped tomatillos for the tomatoes and add 1 cup cooked or canned black beans. Let sit for at least half an hour before serving so the beans soak up the other flavors.

Corn Salsa. Fresh or dried cherries are a nice addition here. Use 2 cups corn kernels (thawed frozen are fine) instead of the tomatoes. Roast or grill the corn first if you like.

Baked Tortilla Chips, Pita Chips, and Croutons

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: About 30 minutes

A hot oven, a little olive oil, and a few minutes in the kitchen work wonders on slightly stale bread and tortillas, turning them into crisp, tasty chips or croutons. And when you make your own, you control the oil and seasonings, so the results are infinitely fresher and better for you than the ones that come from a factory.

A hand-pumped spray bottle is useful for distributing a small amount of oil evenly, but dabbing with a brush or drizzling from a spoon also works well. Some people find that all they need to do is grease the baking sheet and leave it at that.

For Tortilla Chips: 8 small corn tortillas, each cut into 6 or 8 wedges

For Pita Chips: 2 or 3 whole wheat pitas, each cut into 6 or 8 wedges and split into 2 thin layers

For Croutons: 1 baguette, preferably whole grain, cut into ½-inch slices or cubes

Olive oil as needed

Salt

Black pepper, optional

1. Heat the oven to 450°F. Put the pieces of tortilla, pita, or bread on 1 or 2 rimmed baking sheets in a single but crowded layer. Bake, undisturbed, until they begin to turn golden, about 15 minutes. Drizzle, brush, or spray with oil.

2. Turn the pieces over, coat the opposite side with a thin layer of oil, and continue baking until they’re golden and crisp, anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes more. While they’re still hot, sprinkle with salt and pepper—or other seasoning (see the list below). Serve immediately with dip, soup, or salad, or store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Herbed Tortilla Chips, Pita Chips, or Croutons. In Step 2, sprinkle ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, dill, or chervil on the slices after turning them over and coating them with olive oil.

Crisp Vegetable or Fruit Chips

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: About 1 hour, largely unattended

Chips you make from scratch are phenomenal, gorgeous in their imperfection, and way more flavorful than anything from a bag. Here the slices are dried and crisped in a not-too-hot oven, so there’s not much fussing and turning. (For soft oven-dried fruit, see page 422.) Season these simply with salt and pepper or dust them with ground spices like cumin, chiles, or curry blends.

The best fruits and vegetables for chips are apples, green bananas, boniato, beets, cassava, carrots, kohlrabi, malanga, parsnips, pineapple, peaches, pears, green plantains, potatoes, pumpkin, rutabagas, sunchokes, sweet potatoes and yams, taro, turnips, and winter squash.

3 to 4 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

1 pound almost any root vegetable or fruit (see the headnote), trimmed and peeled as needed

Salt, black pepper, or other seasonings (see the headnote)

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a couple of baking sheets with a very thin film of the oil. (For extra-crisp chips, heat the pans in the oven while you prepare the vegetables, then carefully spread the slices out directly on the hot pans.)

2. Cut the vegetable or fruit into slices about ¹/₈ inch thick. (A mandoline makes this task easier.) Gently toss the slices in the oil and spread them out on the baking sheets, close but not overlapping.

3. Roast the slices until they’re beginning to brown on the bottom, 20 to 30 minutes. Flip, sprinkle with salt and pepper or other seasonings, and continue roasting until they’re browned and crisp, another 10 to 20 minutes. (Apples, bananas, plantains, and other sugary fruits and vegetables have a tendency to burn, so keep an eye on them.) They crisp as they cool, so serve them at room temperature.

Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut “Pesto”

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: About 5 minutes with roasted peppers

Coarsely ground walnuts add a nice crunch and some richness while balancing the sweetness of the roasted red bell peppers, making a purée you can use in dozens of ways, just as you would Any-Herb Pesto (page 197)—as a pasta sauce, over vegetables, as a spread or dip, or post-grilling.

For an even richer flavor and creamier texture, see the first variation.

2 garlic cloves

1 cup walnuts

8 roasted red bell peppers (for homemade, see page 417)

1 cup fresh basil, optional

½ cup olive oil

Salt and black pepper

1. Pulse the garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the walnuts and pulse 2 or 3 more times to break up any large pieces.

2. Add the roasted red peppers and basil and process, streaming in the oil as you go, until all the ingredients are well combined and as coarse or as smooth as you want them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately with crudités, crostini, or vegetable chips, or spread on sandwiches; or cover and refrigerate for a day or so or freeze.

Cheesy Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut “Pesto.” In Step 2, add ½ cup crumbled goat cheese or feta or grated Parmesan.

Roasted Red Pepper and White Bean Dip. Substitute 2 cups cooked (or canned) and drained cannellini beans for half the roasted red peppers and proceed with the recipe.

Bruschetta, Rethought

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: About 20 minutes

Bruschetta is more than an excellent vehicle for tomatoes and dips—it can serve as a base for salad, any vegetable preparation or bean dish, and more. Choose a good European-style loaf—something crusty with a coarse crumb—so that there will be as much contrast between the interior and exterior as possible. (Though the difference is slight, to make something more akin to crostini—what we might call a toast point or crouton—just slice the bread thinner, in smaller pieces.)

8 thick slices rustic bread, preferably whole grain

1 or more garlic cloves, halved or crushed, optional

¼ cup olive oil, or more as needed

Salt and black pepper

1. Prepare a grill or turn on the broiler; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire. Grill or broil the bread until lightly browned on both sides, ideally with some grill marks or light charring.

2. While the bread is still hot, rub the slices with the garlic, if using, on one or both sides. Put the bread on a plate, then drizzle or brush it with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve warm with any of the toppings below.

Cucumber-Wasabi Tea Sandwiches

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 10 minutes

2 tablespoons mayonnaise (for homemade, see page 188)

½ teaspoon wasabi powder, or more to taste

8 thin slices sandwich bread, preferably whole wheat

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and very thinly sliced

1 cup chopped watercress

Salt and black pepper

Combine the mayonnaise and wasabi in a small bowl. Spread a thin layer of this mixture on each of the bread slices. Top half the bread slices with the cucumber and watercress. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, close the sandwiches, cut each into quarters on the diagonal, and serve.

Gingered Pea Tea Sandwiches

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 10 minutes

2 cups fresh or thawed frozen peas

2 tablespoons softened butter or olive oil, or more as needed

1 tablespoon minced ginger

½ cup chopped fresh mint

Salt and black pepper

8 thin slices sandwich bread, preferably whole wheat

1. Mash the peas with the butter or oil and ginger until the mixture is pasty but not smooth; add a little more butter or oil if necessary to make the peas spreadable. (You can make the filling ahead to this point, cover, and refrigerate for up to a day; return to room temperature before proceeding.) Add the mint and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Smear about ¼ cup of the filling on 4 of the bread slices and top to make sandwiches. Cut each into quarters on the diagonal and serve.

Pumpkin-Apple Tea Sandwiches

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 10 minutes with cooked or canned pumpkin

½ cup mashed or puréed cooked pumpkin or winter squash (good-quality canned is okay)

2 green apples, cored and thinly sliced

8 thin slices sandwich bread, preferably multigrain

½ teaspoon coriander or cinnamon

Salt and black pepper

Spread a thin layer of the pumpkin or squash on each of the bread slices. Top half the bread slices with the apple. Season with the spice and a little salt and pepper, close the sandwiches, cut each into quarters on the diagonal, and serve.

Egg and Olive Tea Sandwiches

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 10 minutes with already cooked eggs

¼ cup mayonnaise (for homemade, see page 188)

½ cup good-quality green olives, pitted and chopped

1 cup chopped spinach

8 thin slices sandwich bread, preferably whole wheat

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 hard-boiled eggs, thinly sliced

Salt and black pepper

1. Combine the mayonnaise, olives, and spinach in a small bowl. Spread a thin layer of the mixture on half of the bread slices; smear the rest of the slices with the mustard.

2. Put the hard-boiled egg on top of the mustard, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and close the sandwiches, pressing down slightly to seal. Cut each sandwich into quarters on the diagonal and serve.

Radish-Walnut Tea Sandwiches

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 20 minutes

½ pound radishes

1 cup arugula

½ cup walnuts

Grated zest of 1 orange

2 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed

Salt and black pepper

8 thin slices bread, preferably whole wheat baguette

1. Pulse the radishes in a food processor until they’re chopped up a bit but not puréed; remove, scraping what you can out of the bowl.

2. Combine the arugula, walnuts, and orange zest in the processor and, with the machine on, drizzle in the oil, adding enough to make a paste. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Spread a thin layer of the walnut mixture on each of the bread slices. Top half the slices with the radishes, close the sandwiches, cut each into small sandwiches on the diagonal (or into quarters if you’re using sandwich bread), and serve.

Pear “Crostini” with Spiced Pecans and Blue Cheese

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Where folks go wrong with this classic combo is to assume that more cheese is better. The opposite is actually true: Too much blue cheese is overpowering. Just be sure to use pears that are ripe but still firm, not mealy. (And try this with ricotta salata, Parmesan, or Manchego.) Add lightly toasted seasoned nuts and the result is an irresistible “crostini”—without the bread.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

½ cup (about 4 ounces) chopped pecans or walnuts

¼ teaspoon cayenne

Salt and black pepper

2 ounces blue cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried, optional

2 pears, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices

1. Heat the oven to 450°F; grease a rimmed baking sheet with the oil. Spread the nuts evenly on the pan and roast for 10 minutes, tossing once or twice with a spatula. Remove the nuts from the oven, toss with the cayenne and some salt and pepper, and let cool a bit.

2. While the nuts are still warm, fold them into the cheese. Add the sage if you’re using it and stir with a fork until the nuts are evenly distributed. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Top each pear slice with a small bit of the blue cheese mixture and serve.

Fig “Crostini.” Substitute 12 fresh figs, halved lengthwise, for the pears.

Cheese-Nut Balls

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 10 minutes

The common cheese ball comprises terrifying quantities of processed cheese with a meager coating of chopped nuts. Here, I’ve put the nuts on the inside with just enough Parmesan and Gorgonzola to give it pep. When you’re using real cheese, you can use less of it and still have more flavor. (The tofu variation is pretty nice too.)

Cheese balls take well to additions, like olives, fresh chiles, cranberries, dried fruit, roasted peppers or garlic (for homemade, see pages 417 and 421), caramelized onions, sautéed spinach or mushrooms, or almost any leftover cooked vegetable. And feel free to try different nut and cheese combinations too.

2 cups almonds or hazelnuts

Juice of ½ lemon

¼ teaspoon cayenne, optional

Salt and black pepper

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Salt and black pepper

½ cup chopped fresh parsley or chives

1. Put the nuts in a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped and almost paste-like. Add the lemon juice, cayenne, Parmesan, Gorgonzola, a pinch of salt and pepper, and ½ cup water. Process until the mixture is creamy and spreadable; add a tablespoon or 2 more water if it seems too thick.

2. Shape the mixture into 1 large or 2 medium balls. Roll the balls in the chopped herb and flatten them into a disk shape (it’s easier to cut into). Wrap in plastic and refrigerate to set up firmly if you like. Serve with crackers, bread, or crudités.

Tofu-Nut Balls. Add 2 tablespoons olive or nut oil and 2 tablespoons miso along with the lemon juice and cayenne, and don’t add any water. Use 6 ounces drained firm tofu instead of the Parmesan and Gorgonzola.

Quick-Pickled Watermelon with Feta

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: About 1 hour

Pickled watermelon is one of the great old-fashioned treats of summer, and you can make it fast and fresh, with almost no forethought. An hour of marinating leaves the fruit (even the rind) pliable but still crunchy. Toss in a little feta at the last minute for a creamy counterpoint to the sweet and sour melon.

About 1 pound watermelon

Salt

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons sherry or white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

About 4 ounces feta cheese, rinsed and cut into cubes

1. Seed the watermelon and cut it into bite-size cubes or thin slices (you can leave the rind on, or remove it as you like), put it in a colander, and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt. Toss a few times, taking care not to break up the melon too much. Let the watermelon sit for 30 to 45 minutes, tossing once or twice. Rinse, then drain for 5 minutes more.

2. Stir the honey, vinegar, and mint together in a large bowl. Add the melon and feta and toss gently. Serve immediately in soup spoons or with toothpicks.

Quick-Pickled Corn on the Cob. Omit the feta. Substitute 4 or 5 ears shucked corn for the watermelon; cut each crosswise into slices ½ inch wide. Use lime juice instead of the vinegar and chopped cilantro instead of the mint, and add a pinch of chili powder. Proceed with the recipe and serve with plenty of napkins.

Quick-Pickled Green Tomatoes with Mozzarella. Substitute 1 pound sliced green tomatoes for the watermelon and ½ cup cubed fresh mozzarella for the feta. Don’t rinse the cheese; when you toss it with the tomatoes in Step 2, add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and a pinch red chile flakes.

Quick-Pickled Lima Beans with Parmesan. Instead of the watermelon, use 2 cups cooked large lima beans; you want them to be tender but not falling apart. Substitute ½ cup crumbled Parmesan cheese for the feta (don’t rinse it) and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary for the mint.

Cucumber Cups with Melon Gazpacho

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: About 30 minutes

Hollowed-out cucumbers make functional and delicious vessels for cold soups, salads, and dips (or even for an ice-cold shot of tequila or gin). So they’re ideal for gazpacho—and lots of other things too (see below).

2 large cucumbers, peeled if the skins are thick or bitter

1 cantaloupe or other melon, about 2 pounds, flesh seeded, removed from the rind, and cut into large chunks

2 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste

Salt and black pepper

½ cup chopped fresh basil or mint

2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Cut each cucumber crosswise into equal pieces about 2 inches long. With a spoon or melon baller, scoop out most of the seeds to make a little cup, being careful not to pierce through the sides or the bottom. Put the cucumbers in a bowl of ice water until ready to fill.

2. Put the melon and lemon juice in a food processor with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. You can make it chunky or smooth, depending on whether you turn the machine on and leave it on or just pulse a few times. Add a few tablespoons water at a time, just enough to keep the machine working, and blend or pulse until smooth or chunky. (You can make the gazpacho ahead if you like; cover and refrigerate for up to several hours.)

3. Just before serving, taste the gazpacho and add more salt, pepper, or lemon as needed. Drain the cucumber cups and fill with the gazpacho. Garnish with a light sprinkle of basil or mint and a few drops of olive oil and serve.

Cucumber Cups with Tomato-Melon Gazpacho. Substitute 1 pound chopped tomatoes (squeeze the seeds out if you like) for 1 pound of the melon.

Cucumber Cups with Bloody Mary Gazpacho. Substitute 2 pounds chopped tomatoes for the melon. In Step 2, add a garlic clove, prepared horseradish to taste, a small fresh hot red chile (or a dash of hot sauce), a splash of Worcestershire sauce, and vodka instead of the water. Garnish each cup with a slice of celery.

Cucumber Cups with Fruit Gazpacho. Substitute berries, seedless grapes, pineapple, or peeled plums for the melon.

Crisp Marinated Brussels Sprouts

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: Less than 1 hour, including marinating

Bright green and slightly crunchy, these make a perfectly piquant finger food, one that doesn’t depend on bacon or cheese for flavor and texture (though you can add a crumble of either to the vinaigrette). Try the same boil-shock-and-dress method with broccoli or cauliflower florets, asparagus spears, carrot coins, whole green beans, or even strips of cabbage.

Salt

1 pound Brussels sprouts

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons sherry or wine vinegar, or more to taste

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 medium shallot or small red onion, chopped

Black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Trim the hard edges of the stems and remove any loose leaves from the Brussels sprouts. Leave whole or cut in half. Set up a large bowl of water with lots of ice cubes.

2. Drop the Brussels sprouts into the boiling water and cook until they are crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. You should be able to pierce one easily with a sharp knife, but they should still have a little crunch. Drain the vegetables and plunge into the bowl of ice water until cool; drain again.

3. While the sprouts are draining, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, shallot, and some pepper in a large bowl. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more vinegar a teaspoon or 2 at a time until the balance tastes right to you. Toss the Brussels sprouts with the vinaigrette, cover, and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to a day. Serve with toothpicks.

Crisp Horseradish Brussels Sprouts. Substitute prepared or grated fresh horseradish to taste for the Dijon mustard in the vinaigrette.

Crisp Black-Olive Brussels Sprouts. Substitute ½ cup chopped black olives for the mustard and 1 tablespoon minced garlic for the shallot.

Roasted Carrot Spears with Scallion-Ginger Glaze

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 45 minutes

The standby, taken-for-granted carrot takes on a brilliant, unfamiliar guise when combined with a sharp scallion-ginger sauce. Use sweet, whole baby carrots—the slender ones sold with their greens still attached, not the tiny cut nubbins—if they’re available. But big carrots—cut lengthwise into spears—are fine here too.

About 1 pound carrots

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons minced ginger

¼ cup chopped scallions

1 tablespoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon salt

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Unless you’re using baby carrots, cut the carrots into spears about 3 inches long and ½ inch wide. Toss them with 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil on a baking sheet and roast them, shaking the pan or turning them occasionally, until tender and browned, 30 to 40 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, mix the ginger, scallions, garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt together in a heatproof bowl. Put the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a small saucepan or skillet over high heat until smoking. Carefully pour the oil over the ginger-scallion mixture and mix well, mashing a bit with the back of your spoon. (The mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days if you’re not using it immediately.)

3. Remove the carrots from the oven and toss them with the ginger-scallion mixture. Serve warm.

Roasted Carrot Spears with Scallion-Chile Glaze. Add 1 minced fresh hot chile to taste to the ginger-scallion mixture in Step 2.

Roasted Parsnip Spears with Shallot Glaze. Use ¼ cup chopped shallots instead of the ginger, scallions, and garlic; substitute parsnips for the carrots and olive oil for the vegetable oil.

Fried Chickpeas

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 25 minutes with cooked or canned chickpeas

These addictively crunchy morsels are a mind-blowing alternative to roasted nuts and take seasoning just as well. Home-cooked chickpeas will always have the best flavor and texture, but you can use canned in a pinch. Either way, be sure to drain the chickpeas as thoroughly as possible and dry them gently with a clean towel before frying them or they won’t get as crisp.

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, as dry as possible

Salt and black pepper

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, optional

1. Put the oil in a skillet large enough to hold the chickpeas in one layer over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the chickpeas and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the chickpeas are browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature, seasoned with more salt and garnished with parsley if you like.

Roasted Chickpeas. Heat the oven to 400°F. Combine the chickpeas and oil in an ovenproof skillet or roasting pan and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.

Lentil “Caviar” with All the Trimmings

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 45 minutes, plus time to chill

Small, dark lentils (like the famed Le Puy variety from France) are often called “poor man’s caviar” for their small size and shiny appearance. With this sea green glaze, they even take on a briny flavor.

8 ounces (about 1½ cups) dried Le Puy or other dark green or black lentils, washed and picked over

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large shallot or small onion, chopped

¼ cup crumbled dried dulse, arame, or hijiki

1 cup sake, brewed green tea, or water

2 tablespoons mirin or honey

Salt and black pepper

8 slices whole grain bread, or crackers, for serving

½ cup capers or chopped cornichons, for garnish, optional

½ cup chopped red onion, for garnish, optional

2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped, for garnish, optional

½ cup mayonnaise (for homemade, see page 188), sour cream, or crème fraîche, for garnish, optional

1. Put the lentils in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 2 to 3 inches. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat so that the lentils bubble gently. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, checking the lentils for doneness every 10 to 15 minutes. (This is a good time to hard-boil the eggs if you haven’t already.) When the lentils are tender but not falling apart, drain them.

2. Put the oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the shallot and sea greens and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the sake and mirin. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and let the mixture bubble away until it reduces and thickens to a thin syrup, 5 to 7 minutes; strain.

3. Pour the glaze over the lentils and toss gently to coat; taste and adjust the seasoning. Chill for at least 30 minutes or up to a few days. Toast the bread if you’re using it and cut each slice diagonally into 4 toast points. Serve with the toast points or crackers, along with any garnishes you like.

Spicy-Sweet Green Beans

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 20 minutes

An exotic finger food or side dish, this Asian-inspired take on green beans has an appealing variety of tastes and textures happening all at once: the crunch of almonds, the spiciness of chiles, the sweetness of honey, and the complex flavor of soy. Use the same technique with Mediterranean ingredients for an equally addictive variation. Or try thin asparagus spears.

Salt

1 pound green beans

½ cup whole almonds

3 garlic cloves

1 or 2 dried hot red chiles, or to taste

3 tablespoons olive oil

¹/₃ cup chopped shallots

2 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons soy sauce

Black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Add the beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes, depending on the size of the beans. Shock the beans in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and drain again (this can be done up to a day ahead of time).

2. Put the almonds, garlic, and chiles in a food processor and process; while the machine is running, add a tablespoon or 2 of the oil to get the mixture moving. Continue to process until you have a thick paste.

3. Put the remaining olive oil in a large skillet and cook the shallots over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they’re just soft, about 3 minutes. Add the almond paste and continue cooking for another couple of minutes, then add the honey and soy sauce. Cook for another minute or 2 over high heat, stirring constantly, before adding the green beans. Toss to coat the beans well in the almond-shallot mixture and cook just until the beans are warmed through; if the paste becomes too thick, add a tablespoon or 2 of water to thin it out. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve hot or at room temperature.

Garlicky Green Beans. Use pine nuts instead of the almonds, omit the chiles, and proceed through Step 2. In Step 3, add ½ cup good-quality chopped black olives along with the pine nut paste, and instead of the soy sauce, use 2 to 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar with the honey. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Olives, Cucumbers, and Tuna, Mediterranean Style

Makes: 8 or more servings

Time: About 15 minutes

Fresh tuna and olives are a classic combination in salade niçoise, but they’re also great with crunchy cucumbers and dressed with olive oil, garlic, parsley, and lots of lemon. Note the canned tuna, a real from-the-pantry option; if you’re going to use fresh tuna, make sure it’s sushi-grade and sustainably harvested (see page 22). Serve with toothpicks, crackers, or toasted bread; it also makes a nice topping for a bed of greens.

8 ounces olives: green, black, or a mixture, preferably imported

4 ounces oil-packed canned tuna, drained

2 cups peeled, seeded, and cubed cucumber

2 tablespoons olive oil, or to taste

2 garlic cloves, crushed

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, or to taste

2 tablespoons chopped lemon sections, optional

Lemon juice to taste

1 teaspoon red chile flakes, optional

Pit the olives if you like by crushing them with the flat side of a knife and removing the pits. Mix all the ingredients and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve immediately.

Marinated Cherry Tomatoes and Olives. Omit the tuna (or not). Substitute 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes for the cucumbers.

Oven-Dried Cherry Tomatoes with Soy Glaze

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: About 1 hour, largely unattended, plus time to soak wooden skewers

As unexpected and impressive a presentation of cherry tomatoes as you can imagine. The tomatoes end up with a pleasing, jammy texture, somewhere between fresh and fully dried. (Keep an eye on them to keep them from becoming too leathery in the oven.)

Do try the last variation, which uses jalapeños as a main ingredient.

2 pints cherry tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

2 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste

¼ teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or scallions, optional

1. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 to 30 minutes (see page 69). Heat the oven to 300°F. Thread the tomatoes onto metal or wooden skewers and place the skewers on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Put them in the oven and forget about them for 30 minutes. Turn the skewers over and bake for another 30 minutes or so (depending on their size), until the tomatoes are still soft but somewhat shriveled. Remove from the oven and let cool while you make the glaze.

2. Combine the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until thick and syrupy.

3. When the tomatoes have cooled a bit, put them on a plate and drizzle them with the glaze. Garnish with the chives or scallions if you like and serve warm or at room temperature.

Oven-Dried Cherry Tomatoes with Balsamic Glaze. Use good balsamic vinegar instead of soy sauce and olive oil instead of sesame oil. Garnish with chopped fresh rosemary or thyme.

Tomato-Jalapeño Skewers with Maple Glaze. Substitute 1 pint jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded, for 1 pint of the cherry tomatoes (you can mix the peppers and the tomatoes together on the skewers). In the glaze, use 2 tablespoons maple syrup in place of the soy sauce and omit the sugar.

Skewered Panzanella

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 30 minutes, plus time to soak wooden skewers

This veggie-heavy spin on classic panzanella puts bread salad in kebab form so you can toast it on a grill or under a broiler. It’s so chunky that you may need a knife and fork to eat it, but to make it an out-of-hand hors d’oeuvre, simply cut the pieces smaller, make more skewers, and cook them for less time. Day-old bread—the heartier, the better—is a good option here. For a mini meal on a stick, try the variations with mozzarella and prosciutto.

4 thick slices bread, preferably whole grain, cut into large cubes

2 small red onions, quartered and separated into small pieces

12 button mushrooms, halved

1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks

4 tomatoes, quartered

4 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and black pepper

½ cup chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon sherry or red wine vinegar

1. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 to 30 minutes (see page 69). Prepare a grill or turn on the broiler; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire. Thread the bread and vegetables, alternating ingredients, tightly on the skewers.

2. Brush the skewers with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Sprinkle each with salt and pepper. Grill or broil, turning occasionally, until the vegetables are slightly tender and begin to char and the bread is crisp, 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons oil with the basil and vinegar and add some more salt and pepper if you like. When the skewers are done, brush or drizzle with the dressing (just to moisten them) and serve.

Mozzarella Panzanella on a Stick. Substitute zucchini cubes for the mushrooms. In Step 2, when the bread and vegetables are just about ready, sprinkle each skewer with a tablespoon or so grated mozzarella and grill or broil until the cheese melts, just another minute or 2. Drizzle with the dressing and serve.

Prosciutto Panzanella on a Stick. In Step 1, halve 6 thin slices prosciutto lengthwise, fold each like an accordion into “chunks,” and thread on the skewers along with the bread and vegetables.

Chipotle-Glazed Squash Skewers

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: About 1 hour, plus time to soak wooden skewers

Sweet, starchy winter squash takes well to the smoky heat of chipotle chiles, especially when you concentrate the flavors by roasting slowly. Use any winter squash here, or even sweet potatoes—in either case, these kebabs are drop-dead gorgeous.

1½ pounds butternut or other winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes

¼ cup olive oil, plus some for greasing the pan

1 or 2 canned chipotle chiles, chopped, with 2 tablespoons adobo sauce

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon honey

Salt and black pepper

Lime wedges, optional

Chopped fresh cilantro, optional

1. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 to 30 minutes (see page 69). Heat the oven to 300°F. Grease a large rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan with oil. Thread the squash tightly on 8 to 12 wooden or metal skewers and put them in the roasting pan.

2. Combine the ¼ cup oil, 1 chipotle chile, the adobo sauce, garlic, honey, and some salt and pepper in a small bowl. (A mortar and pestle is ideal here.) Taste and add another chile if you like.

3. Brush the glaze evenly over the squash skewers and roast for 45 to 60 minutes, turning once or twice and basting with any pan juices. When the squash is tender and deeply colored, remove the skewers from the oven. Serve hot or at room temperature with lime wedges and cilantro if you like.

Miso Squash Skewers. Substitute peanut oil for the olive oil, ¼ cup any miso for the chipotles and adobo, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar for the garlic, and 2 tablespoons mirin for the honey.

Sweet Potato, Ginger, and Chicken Teriyaki Skewers

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: About 45 minutes, plus time to soak wooden skewers

Roasting small pieces of sweet potatoes brings out their natural sweetness in an irresistible way. Add something else to the skewers—a bit of chicken and a sweet-and-salty teriyaki glaze, for example—and the results are wonderful. I like to eat the pieces of ginger, too, but be warned that they are fairly spicy. Broccoli florets, zucchini, carrot, parsnip, and eggplant would work here too, but sweet potatoes are really the best.

Salt

1 large knob ginger, peeled and sliced

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup mirin or honey

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled (if you like) and cut into ¾-inch cubes

2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into ¾-inch pieces

Black pepper

Chopped scallion or cilantro, for garnish

1. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 to 30 minutes (see page 69). Heat the oven to 375°F.

2. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil and salt it. Blanch the sliced ginger in the boiling water until it begins to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the ginger with a small strainer or a slotted spoon and put it in a bowl of ice water. Combine the soy sauce and mirin.

3. Thread the sweet potatoes, ginger, and chicken pieces, alternating ingredients, on wood or metal skewers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the skewers in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, brushing occasionally with the teriyaki sauce and turning once or twice, until the sweet potatoes are golden and tender and the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes. Serve the skewers garnished with chopped scallion or cilantro and a final drizzle of teriyaki sauce.

Grilled or Broiled Pineapple Skewers with Ham and Honey-Chile Glaze

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 30 minutes, plus time to soak wooden skewers

When I was a kid, ham was often decorated with pineapple rings (canned, of course) and with the coveted maraschino cherries too. But if you turn the concept on its head and skewer it, you’ve got a contemporary winner.

¼ cup olive oil

1 red onion, cut into chunks, about 1 tablespoon of it chopped

1 tablespoon minced fresh hot chile (like jalapeño or Thai), or red chile flakes to taste

1 tablespoon honey

Salt and black pepper

1 pineapple, cubed

1 cup cubed cooked ham

2 red bell peppers, cut into chunks

1. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 to 30 minutes (see page 69). Prepare a grill or turn on the broiler; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire.

2. Put the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the chopped onion and chile and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften (turn the heat down if they start to color), a minute or 2. Stir in the honey and 2 tablespoons water and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Maintain the heat so it bubbles gently for a minute or 2, making sure not to burn the honey.

3. Thread the pineapple, ham, peppers, and onion, alternating ingredients, on wood or metal skewers. Sprinkle the kebabs with salt and pepper. Grill or broil, brushing occasionally with the honey-chile glaze, until the ham and pineapple are lightly charred, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve drizzled with a little of the glaze.

Spice-Rubbed Pineapple-Ham Skewers. Omit the sauce ingredients. Before grilling or broiling, sprinkle the kebabs with chili powder, pimentón (smoked paprika), or curry powder.

Grilled or Broiled Melon-Prosciutto Skewers. Use a medium cantaloupe, cassava, or honeydew melon instead of the pineapple and skip the ham. Instead wrap a thin slice of prosciutto around the skewer before grilling.

Mexican Street Corn

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 30 minutes, plus time to soak wooden skewers

Vendors selling seasoned corn from carts and stands are common in Mexico and have popped up around the United States too. But you can easily make these yourself at home and even experiment with other flavor combinations. (See the variations for some ideas.) It’s traditional to simply brush the spicy mayo on the corn and call it a day, but a final roll in something crunchy is a nice way to gild the lily.

4 ears fresh corn, shucked

¼ cup mayonnaise (for homemade, see page 188)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon chili powder

Grated zest and juice of 1 lime

Salt and black pepper

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional

2 cups tortilla chips (for homemade, see page 47) or cubed whole grain bread, optional

2 ounces queso fresco or cotija cheese, optional

1. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 to 30 minutes (see page 69). Prepare a grill to medium-high heat and put the rack about 4 inches from the fire. Or turn the oven to 500°F. Spear each ear of corn lengthwise with a wooden or metal skewer. Grill or roast the corn, turning occasionally, until some of the kernels char a bit and others are lightly browned, 10 to 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise, olive oil, chili powder, lime zest and juice, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper in a small bowl. If you’re making the final topping, pulse the remaining ingredients in a food processor until coarse and crumbly and spread the mixture out on a plate.

3. When the corn is done, remove the ears from the heat and smear them evenly with the mayonnaise mixture. Then roll them in the crumb mixture if you like and serve immediately.

Indian-Style Street Corn. Omit the cilantro, chips or bread, and cheese. In Step 2, for the smearing sauce, substitute ¹/₃ cup coconut milk mixed with 1 tablespoon curry powder for the mayonnaise, olive oil, and chili powder; roll the sauced corn in 1 cup toasted shredded unsweetened coconut instead of the crumb mixture.

Italian Street Corn. Omit the mayonnaise, olive oil, chili powder, cilantro, chips, and cheese. In Step 2, for the smearing sauce, use ¹/₃ cup pesto (for homemade, see page 197); for the crumb mixture, just use the cubed bread and pulse as directed.

Thai Street Corn. Omit the cilantro, chips or bread, and cheese. In Step 2, for the smearing sauce, substitute ¹/₃ cup coconut milk mixed with 1 teaspoon (or more) chile paste or minced fresh Thai or jalapeño chile, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 1 tablespoon nam pla (fish sauce). Instead of the crumb mixture, roll the ears in 1 cup chopped peanuts.

Greek “Nachos” with Feta Drizzle

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 30 minutes

A summertime salad you eat with pita chips. For an all-veggie version, replace the pita with any crisp root vegetable chips (for homemade, see page 49); for a bigger dish, top with a little sliced grilled or roasted chicken or browned ground lamb. In wintertime, substitute roasted vegetables like eggplant and squash for the tomatoes and cucumber.

4 pitas, split and cut into wedges

¼ cup olive oil, plus more as needed

Salt

4 ounces feta cheese

½ cup yogurt, preferably Greek or whole milk

½ cup chopped fresh mint

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Black pepper

2 or 3 ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped

½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the pita wedges in one layer on baking sheets and brush or drizzle with oil if you like. Bake, turning as needed, until they begin to color, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, turn off the oven, and put the chips back in the oven to keep warm.

2. Combine the feta, yogurt, ¼ cup oil, mint, and lemon zest and juice in a food processor; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Process until smooth (or use a fork to combine the ingredients in a bowl).

3. Put the chips on a serving plate (or use the baking sheets). Top with the tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and red onion and drizzle with the feta-yogurt sauce.

Spinach Frico

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 20 minutes

“Frico” sounds so much fancier than “cheese crisp,” but that’s essentially what its most basic form is: hard shredded cheese cooked in oil until crunchy. (Montasio is traditional, but Parmesan works just fine.) With spinach, fricos become more flavorful, more attractive, and, obviously, more vegetable oriented. Snapped into bite-size pieces, fricos make a flavorful garnish for salads, soups, and even bean, grain, and vegetable main dishes.

If you already have cooked spinach or any other cooked vegetable on hand, so much the better: Chop whatever you have in fairly small pieces and put a cup of it in the olive oil along with the Parmesan. Your frico will be done in 10 minutes instead of 20.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups spinach leaves, chopped

Black pepper

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

1. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the spinach and cook, stirring, until the leaves have wilted and all of their liquid has evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with a good amount of black pepper and the Parmesan and stir.

2. Use a rubber spatula to distribute the spinach and cheese evenly over the bottom of the pan. Cook until the cheese is melted and golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes.

3. Use the spatula to slide the crisp onto a plate; put another plate on top of the crisp. Put one hand firmly in the center of the bottom plate and the other hand the same way on the top plate; flip the crisp over. Use the spatula to slide it back into the pan and continue cooking until the cheese is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve whole as an appetizer or broken into smaller pieces as a garnish.

Spinach-Herb Frico. Reduce the chopped spinach to 1 cup and add 1 cup chopped fresh parsley or mint in Step 1 along with the Parmesan.

Broccoli-Romano Frico. Substitute 1½ cups chopped broccoli or broccoli rabe for the spinach; sauté it in the oil until tender-crisp. Use Pecorino Romano instead of Parmesan.

Chard-Manchego Frico. Substitute 2 cups chopped chard leaves (save the stems for another use) for the spinach and Manchego cheese for the Parmesan.

Mini Potato-Parmesan Röstis

Makes: 4 substantial to 12 snack-size servings

Time: 45 minutes

Röstis (sometimes considered the national dish of Switzerland) are not at all unlike hash browns. They’re traditionally shaped into a large cake, fried, and served at breakfast, but this version bakes them in muffin tins to turn them into individual hors d’oeuvres—very cool. The potato mixture is prone to sticking, so if your muffin tin isn’t nonstick, use a baking sheet instead and give the röstis plenty of time to cool on the sheet before you remove them with a spatula.

¼ cup olive oil, plus extra for greasing the pan and your hands

1½ pounds waxy potatoes (like new or red potatoes), peeled if you like

1 onion

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon whole wheat flour

Salt and black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup nonstick muffin tin or a large baking sheet with some oil. Grate the potatoes and onion in a food processor or by hand, then squeeze them dry with paper towels. Put them in a large bowl and add the herb, Parmesan, flour, and ¼ cup oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss until everything is well combined.

2. Distribute the potato mixture among the muffin cups, then press down firmly. Or use your hands to press the potato mixture into 12 mounds and distribute them evenly on the baking sheet. Bake until crisp and golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Mini Apple-Cheddar Röstis. Substitute peeled apples for the potatoes and grated cheddar for the Parmesan; the röstis will need only 20 to 25 minutes in the oven.

Baked Fries with Dried Tomato Ketchup

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 1 hour

Far be it from me to avoid ketchup and fries, and this novel version won’t disappoint—in fact, these give their deep-fried cousins a run for the money. The homemade ketchup is so rich you might want to keep a jar in the fridge for dipping cut vegetables or spreading on sandwiches. Ditto the pesto variation.

1 cup boiling water

1 cup dried tomatoes

4 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1 teaspoon balsamic or sherry vinegar, or to taste

Salt and black pepper

4 large russet or other baking potatoes

1. Pour the boiling water over the tomatoes and keep them submerged until they soften, about 20 minutes; drain, reserving the soaking liquid.

2. Meanwhile, put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook until very soft, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly, then put in a food processor with the tomatoes and vinegar. Purée until smooth, adding the reserved liquid a little at a time to reach the consistency of ketchup. Taste and add some salt and pepper, and more vinegar if you like. (The ketchup can be made and refrigerated up to several days ahead.)

3. Heat the oven to 400°F and put 2 large baking sheets inside to heat. Scrub the potatoes but do not peel them. Cut them into ¼-inch-thick disks or sticks and put them in a large bowl. Pat them dry if they feel watery, then toss the potatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil (or enough to coat them lightly). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4. Carefully remove the hot baking sheets from the oven and spread the potatoes on them in a single layer; return the pans to the oven. Cook for 30 minutes, then use a spatula to flip and cook until crisp and golden on both sides, another 15 minutes. Sprinkle with more salt if you like, then serve with the ketchup.

Baked Fries with Tomato “Pesto.” Omit the balsamic vinegar. In Step 2, add 2 tablespoons pine nuts, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, and 1 cup fresh basil to the food processor, adding enough of the reserved tomato liquid to make a thin paste; add a little more oil too if you like. Proceed with the recipe.

Cumin Sweet Potato Chips with Tomatillo Pico

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Here, sweet potatoes are sliced thin, baked until crisp, then dusted with cumin and served with a bowl of tomatillo pico de gallo, a roughly chopped raw salsa. (You could also serve these with any of the salsas on page 46.) Plantains are a wonderful substitute for sweet potatoes here; see the variation.

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan

Salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1 pound fresh tomatillos, husked, cored, and chopped

½ large white onion or 3 or 4 scallions, chopped

1 teaspoon minced garlic, or to taste

Minced fresh hot chile (like jalapeño, Thai, or less of habanero), red chile flakes, or cayenne, to taste

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Juice of 2 limes

Black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Slice the sweet potatoes about ¹/₈ inch thick, using a mandoline, food processor, or sharp knife, then toss them with the 2 tablespoons oil. Grease a couple of baking sheets with some more oil. Spread the sweet potato slices out in a single layer (it’s okay if they’re close) and sprinkle with salt. Bake, turning as needed, until they’re crisp and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes total. Remove the chips from the oven and immediately sprinkle the tops with the cumin; transfer them to wire racks to cool.

2. Meanwhile, combine the tomatillos, onion, garlic, chile, cilantro, and lime juice in a serving bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then taste and adjust the seasoning. If possible, let the flavors develop for a few minutes before serving with the chips.

Chili-Dusted Plantain Chips with Tomatillo Pico. Peel and thinly slice 3 medium green plantains instead of the sweet potatoes. Bake as above, dust the chips with chili powder instead of the cumin, and serve with the tomatillo pico.

Polenta Cakes with Garlicky Mushrooms

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 3 hours, mostly unattended

I like a mix of different mushrooms here—shiitake, chanterelle, oyster, and cremini combine beautifully—but everyday button mushrooms are fine, especially if you combine them with a few reconstituted dried porcini (see page 30). In any case, the mushrooms are so rich and meaty that even the staunchest carnivore will love these crisp little cakes. Try other toppings too or any of the Five Quick Salsas for Chips, Dips, and Other Stuff on page 46.

1 cup coarse cornmeal

Salt

½ cup milk, preferably whole (or use water)

Black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

1 pound mushrooms, preferably an assortment (see the headnote), sliced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

¼ cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon minced garlic, or more to taste

1. Put the cornmeal and a large pinch of salt in a medium saucepan; slowly whisk in 2½ cups water and the milk to make a lump-free slurry. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring almost to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and bubble gently, whisking frequently, until thick, 10 to 15 minutes. If the mixture becomes too thick, whisk in a bit more water; you want the consistency to be like thick oatmeal. Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary and plenty of black pepper.

2. Grease a large baking sheet with some of the oil. While the polenta is still hot, pour it onto the sheet and use a spatula to spread it out evenly at least ½ inch thick. Brush the top lightly with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate the polenta until it sets up, about 2 hours (or up to a day).

3. Heat the oven to 375°F. Grease a clean large baking sheet with some of the oil. When the polenta is set, cut it into at least 12 squares or diamonds or use a round cookie cutter to make disks. Put the cakes on the baking sheet, brush with a bit more oil, and bake until they’re warmed through and the edges begin to brown (the outside should be nice and toasted while the inside should stay soft), 20 to 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, put the 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the mushrooms and thyme and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and dried out a bit, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and let it bubble away for a couple of minutes; turn the heat to medium-low and add the garlic. Continue cooking until most of the wine has cooked off. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve a spoonful of mushrooms on top of each polenta cake.

Beet “Sandwiches”

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: About 45 minutes

A fine model for all sorts of colorful finger sandwiches based on baked vegetable chips; change the nuts, greens, and cheese as you like.

You don’t need a pastry bag here: You can either put the mixture in a ziplock plastic bag, cut off a corner, and squeeze out the filling, or just use two teaspoons to place the filling—like you were handling cookie dough.

1 pound beets (about 2 large), peeled

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

Salt

4 ounces fresh goat cheese, optional

1½ cups shelled pistachios

1 bunch watercress, baby spinach, or arugula (about 2 cups leaves)

Black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Slice the beets about ¹/₈ inch thick, using a mandoline, food processor, or sharp knife. Grease a couple of baking sheets with some of the oil. Spread the beet slices out in a single layer (it’s okay if they’re close) and sprinkle with salt. Bake, turning as needed, until they’re crisp and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes total. Remove them from the pans and cool on wire racks.

2. Combine the goat cheese if you’re using it with the pistachios and greens in a food processor. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and, with the machine running, drizzle in the 2 tablespoons oil. If the mixture doesn’t come together, add more oil until the filling is smooth and fluffy. Taste and adjust the seasoning; then cover and refrigerate it until you are ready to assemble the sandwiches (or up to a few hours ahead).

3. Transfer the goat cheese mixture to a pastry bag (or use one of the alternatives mentioned in the headnote). Squeeze dabs of the filling onto a beet chip, then top with another and press gently. Repeat until either the chips or the filling run out, then serve.

Stuffed Semi-Dried Tomatoes

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: About 1 hour

Tasty and colorful, these roasted plum tomatoes, stuffed with pesto, are year-round staples in southern France and much of Italy. You can use almost any stuffing you like here, or hollow out (for example) zucchini and treat them the same way.

½ cup olive oil, plus more as needed

1 pound Roma (plum) tomatoes, halved lengthwise and seeded

2 loosely packed cups fresh basil

Salt

½ garlic clove, or to taste

2 tablespoons pine nuts or chopped walnuts

½ cup grated Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, or other hard cheese

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Grease a large rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan with some of the oil. Put the tomatoes facedown on the baking sheet (it’s okay if they’re a little close) and drizzle with a little more oil. Roast (there’s no need to turn) until dry and beginning to shrivel a bit, about 30 minutes. (You can make the tomatoes up to a day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate but bring back to room temperature before proceeding.) Turn on the broiler; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire.

2. Combine the basil with a pinch of salt, the garlic, nuts, and about ¼ cup of the remaining oil in a food processor or blender. Process, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary, adding the rest of the oil gradually. (You can make the pesto ahead, too. Store in the refrigerator for a week or 2 or in the freezer for several months.) Stir in the cheese by hand just before assembling.

3. Spoon a little pesto into each tomato cup and broil just long enough for the filling to bubble and brown a bit, just a minute or 2 (so watch them). Serve hot.

Panisses (Chickpea Fries)

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 30 minutes, plus at least 1 hour refrigeration time

For a time, these were My New Favorite Thing, and you may have the same reaction. They’re based on the concept that any batter, porridge, or dough can be chilled, cut into shapes, and fried. When done right—either with chickpea flour or either of the grain-based variations—they’re velvety on the inside, crisp on the outside, and ten times more interesting than French fries. This recipe includes a sea salt topping with Spanish flavors, but you can also serve these fries with flavored mayonnaise (for homemade, see page 188), ketchup, salsa (for homemade, see page 46), chutney, pesto (for homemade, see page 197) … or any other condiment you can think of.

2 cups chickpea flour (besan)

Salt and black pepper

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt

½ teaspoon pimentón (smoked paprika)

½ teaspoon grated lemon or lime zest

1. Bring a quart of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the chickpea flour, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and smooth, about 10 minutes. Stir in a sprinkling of the regular salt, a little pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Pour the chickpea flour mixture onto a greased rimmed baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (leaving it in the refrigerator overnight is fine too).

2. Meanwhile, combine ½ teaspoon black pepper, the sea salt, pimentón, and lemon zest in a small bowl.

3. When the batter is firm, cut it into sticks about ½ inch by 2 to 3 inches. Put the remaining 4 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the panisses in the oil until golden and crisp on both sides. (You may have to work in batches, depending on the size of your skillet.) Drain the cooked panisses on paper towels. Serve immediately or at room temperature sprinkled with the salt mixture.

Polenta Fries. Nice served with All-Purpose Tomato Sauce (page 194) for dipping. Substitute 1 cup polenta and 3 cups water for the chickpea flour and water in the main recipe.

Oat Fries. Substitute rolled oats for the chickpea flour, pulsing them first in a food processor to grind them into a coarse meal. Cook in the water for 15 minutes instead of 10.

Crisp-Crusted Portobellos with Lemon Chutney

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Time: About 1 hour

Breaded, fried mushrooms have been a bar-and-grill staple since the 1970s, and when they’re good, they are really good. This pan-fried version is a consistent winner, thanks in large part to the bread crumbs, which should be either homemade or panko, the super-crunchy Japanese bread crumbs that make for impeccably crisp coatings (and are now available in whole wheat). I like to serve these with a quick lemon chutney, which contributes a salty sourness that fresh lemons just don’t have.

2 lemons

1 small red onion, chopped

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup sherry vinegar

Salt

About 12 ounces portobello or cremini (baby portobello) mushrooms

²/₃ cup whole wheat flour, for dredging

2 cups bread crumbs, preferably whole grain and homemade, or panko, for dredging

2 eggs

Black pepper

Olive oil, for frying

1. Trim the ends of the lemons, then cut them in half and remove the seeds. Chop the lemons up and put them in a saucepan along with as much of their juice as possible. Add the onion, brown sugar, vinegar, a large pinch of salt, and ½ cup water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat a bit and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is syrupy and the lemon peels have softened, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.

2. Heat the oven to 200°F. Clean and trim the mushrooms so that only the caps remain. If you’re using large portobellos, cut them into strips. Set out the flour and bread crumbs on plates or shallow bowls next to each other on your counter. Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl, add 2 tablespoons water, and season generously with salt and pepper. Have a stack of parchment or wax paper ready.

3. Dredge the mushrooms, one at a time, in the flour, then dip in the egg, then dredge in the bread crumbs. Stack the breaded mushrooms between layers of wax paper on a plate, then refrigerate the stack for at least 10 minutes or up to 3 hours.

4. Put about ¼ inch oil in a deep pan on the stove and turn the heat to medium-high; when the oil is ready (about 350°F), a pinch of flour will sizzle in it. Start to put the mushrooms in the pan, being careful not to overcrowd them. Cook the mushrooms in batches, turning when the first side gets brown, until they are evenly crisp and golden. The total cooking time should be 5 minutes or less. As each piece is done, first put it on paper towels to drain briefly, then transfer to an ovenproof platter and put the platter in the oven. Add more oil to the pan as necessary and continue until all the mushrooms are done. Serve hot with the chutney on the side.

Crisp-Crusted Baby Artichokes. Use 1½ pounds baby artichokes (or high-quality marinated artichoke hearts) in place of the mushrooms. If they’re very large, cut them in half. Drain the artichokes well and pat them dry before dredging them or the flour, egg, and bread crumbs won’t stick.

Crisp-Crusted Baked Portobellos. Aside from cutting down on the amount of fat in the recipe, baking the mushrooms in the oven requires less attention than frying; however, they won’t get quite as brown and crisp as their stovetop siblings. Heat the oven to 400°F. At the beginning of Step 4, put the breaded slices about 1 inch apart on one or more greased baking sheets. Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Sweet Potato and Corn Fritters with Thai Dipping Sauce

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Crazy good, crazy simple—and not to mention pretty—these pan-fried fritters are best with peak summer corn, but frozen works all right too. Or, since fresh sweet potatoes are available all year, you can just skip the corn and increase their quantity to 3 cups.

¼ cup lime juice

1 tablespoon nam pla (fish sauce) or soy sauce, or to taste

½ teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced ginger

Pinch of red chile flakes

Pinch of sugar, optional

2 cups grated sweet potato, squeezed dry if necessary

1 cup corn kernels (frozen are fine)

1 fresh hot chile (like Thai), minced

4 scallions, chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 egg or 2 egg whites, lightly beaten

¹/₃ cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour

Salt and black pepper

Vegetable oil, for frying

1. Combine the lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, chile flakes, and sugar if you’re using it in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon water.

2. Heat the oven to 275°F. Put the sweet potato, corn, chile, scallions, cilantro, egg, and flour in a bowl and mix well; sprinkle with salt and pepper. (You can do this ahead of time and refrigerate the batter for a couple of hours before cooking.)

3. Put about ¹/₈ inch oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, drop spoonfuls of the sweet potato mixture into the oil and spread them out a bit. (Work in batches to prevent overcrowding and transfer the finished fritters to the oven until all are finished.) Cook, turning once, until golden on both sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature with the dipping sauce.

Sweet Potato Fritters with Walnut-Sage Dipping Sauce. For the sauce, put ¼ cup walnuts and 2 or 3 roughly chopped sage leaves in a food processor and process until the nuts are coarsely ground. With the machine running, add ¼ cup olive oil through the feed tube and continue processing until you have a smooth sauce. Transfer the sauce to a small pan and warm it over medium heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and keep warm. For the fritters, use 3 cups grated sweet potato, omit the corn, and use olive or vegetable oil. Proceed with the recipe.

Zucchini Cornmeal Fritters with Yogurt Dill Sauce

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Zucchini and dill complement each other beautifully, so there’s dill in the dipping sauce here as well as in the batter. The cornmeal ensures a nice crispy crust; for a bit more chew, try the variation made with whole grains.

½ cup plain yogurt, preferably whole milk

1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, or 1 teaspoon dried

Salt and black pepper

3 medium zucchini, grated (3 packed cups)

½ small onion, chopped

1 egg or 2 egg whites, lightly beaten

¹/₃ cup cornmeal (fine or medium grind)

Olive oil, for frying

1. Heat the oven to 275°F. Combine the yogurt, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the chopped dill (or ½ teaspoon dried). Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then taste and add more salt or lemon.

2. Squeeze the zucchini dry with your hands or a towel and put it in a large bowl. Add the onion, remaining 1 tablespoon fresh (or ½ teaspoon dried) dill, egg, and cornmeal; mix well and sprinkle with salt and pepper. (You can prepare the batter ahead of time to this point and refrigerate for up to a couple hours before cooking.)

3. Put about ¼ inch oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, drop spoonfuls of the zucchini mixture into the oil and spread them out a bit. (Work in batches to prevent overcrowding and transfer the finished fritters to the oven until all are finished.) Cook, turning once, until golden on both sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature with the yogurt sauce.

Hummus Pancakes with Mediterranean Spice Mix

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: About 30 minutes with cooked or canned chickpeas

These taste a lot like falafel—but they’re smoother, more delicate, and don’t require any soaking or deep-frying. The spice mix here is fantastic, but the pancakes also go great with Green Apple-Cucumber Salsa (page 46), Chimichurri (page 460), or a dollop of yogurt. You can also make pancakes from any bean; check out the variations below for some ideas.

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon coriander

2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved

½ cup tahini

Juice of 1 lemon

1 egg

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for cooking the pancakes

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Salt and black pepper

½ cup whole wheat flour, more or less

1. Put a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Heat the oven to 200°F. Combine 1 teaspoon of the cumin with the paprika, chili powder, and coriander in a small bowl.

2. Combine the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, egg, oil, garlic, remaining 1 teaspoon cumin, and a little salt and pepper in a food processor or blender and process until very smooth; you may need to add a bit of liquid from the chickpeas (or water) to get the mixture moving. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the flour, a little at a time (you might not need all of it), until the mixture drops easily from a large spoon.

3. Start cooking when a drop of water dances on the surface of the skillet or griddle. Work in batches, greasing the surface with a little oil before adding more batter to the pan. Spoon on the batter to form 3- to 4-inch pancakes. Cook until the edges of the pancakes look set, then turn and cook the other side until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Keep the finished pancakes in the oven if you like while you cook the others. Serve hot or at room temperature sprinkled with the spice mixture and a little more salt.

White Bean Pancakes with Orange Pepper. Use white beans and the juice of ½ orange instead of the lemon juice. Replace the cumin in the pancake batter with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley. In place of the spice mixture, garnish the pancakes with 1 teaspoon black pepper mixed with the grated zest of 1 orange.

Pinto Bean Pancakes with Mole Powder. Use pinto beans, lime juice instead of lemon juice, and pumpkin seeds instead of tahini. Garnish with a mix of 1 teaspoon cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon ground ancho chile (or chili powder), and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

Lentil Pancakes with Pimentón. Use brown lentils, the juice of ½ orange instead of lemon juice, almond butter instead of tahini, and pimentón instead of cumin in the batter. Dust with a little more pimentón if you like.

Spinach-Bulgur Patties with Skordalia

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: ½ hours

Skordalia is a thick, garlicky dip with the creaminess of mayonnaise but no eggs. Make it from almonds or any other nut, and it’s a wonderful accompaniment for these tender but robustly flavored Spinach-Bulgur Patties, which combine several traditional Mediterranean ingredients into one delicious dish. For the patties, try any sturdy green—kale, chard, or collards.

5 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for frying the patties

1 tablespoon minced garlic

About 8 ounces (1 pound before trimming) spinach leaves, chopped

1 cup bulgur

4 to 4½ cups vegetable or chicken stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140) or water

Salt and black pepper

1 thick slice day-old bread, preferably whole wheat

1 cup whole, skin-on almonds (not raw)

3 garlic cloves, or to taste

¼ teaspoon cayenne or 1 teaspoon not-too-hot ground dried chile, or to taste

1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste

1. Put 3 tablespoons of the oil in a pot over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the minced garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and stir until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the bulgur, 2½ cups of the stock, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook until the grain is starchy and thick like porridge, 45 to 60 minutes. Add another ½ cup stock if the grain becomes too dry. Let the bulgur-spinach mixture cool to room temperature.

2. Meanwhile, make the skordalia. Put the bread in a food processor and saturate it with some of the remaining stock. Wait a couple minutes, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the almonds, 3 garlic cloves, and cayenne. Process the mixture until the almonds are ground. With the machine running, pour in enough of the remaining stock to form a creamy sauce. Add the lemon juice and some salt and pepper and pulse one last time.

3. When the bulgur-spinach mixture is cool, put a thin film of oil in a skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Form the bulgur mixture into 1-inch balls and flatten the balls into patties. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, fry the patties until crisp and golden, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Drain the patties on paper towels and serve warm or at room temperature with the skordalia.

Baked Mushroom-Sesame Rice Balls

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 2½ hours, largely unattended

This spin on onigiri, Japanese sticky white rice balls, combines the earthiness of brown rice and mushrooms with the crunch of a sesame seed crust. The key is cooking the rice until it releases all of its starch, then chilling it in the fridge so you can easily roll it into balls before baking.

If you have any sheets of nori (seaweed) lying around, you can cut them into strips and wrap them around the rice balls before or after baking.

1½ cups short grain brown rice

Salt

Boiling water, as needed

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the pans

8 ounces fresh shiitake or button mushrooms, chopped

Black pepper

1 cup sesame seeds or finely chopped nuts, plus more as needed

Soy sauce, for passing at the table

1. Put the rice in a large pot along with a big pinch of salt. Add enough water to cover by about 1½ inches. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently.

2. Cook, stirring occasionally and adding more boiling water if the rice begins to stick to the bottom, until the grains are very tender and burst, about an hour.

3. Meanwhile, put the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until dry, lightly browned, and almost crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. When the rice is starchy and very thick, stir in the mushrooms, transfer to a bowl, and let cool in the fridge, at least 45 minutes and up to 24 hours.

4. When you are ready to bake the rice balls, heat the oven to 375°F and grease two large baking sheets. Pour the sesame seeds into a shallow bowl. Roll the rice mixture into 1½-inch balls, dip each ball into the sesame seeds to coat it completely, and put the balls 2 inches apart on the prepared pans. Bake the rice balls, turning them as needed, until crisp and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately, passing soy sauce at the table.

Tabbouleh-Stuffed Chard Leaves

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: About 1 hour

A new take on Greek dolmades, grape leaves which are usually stuffed with rice and meat or lentils. This version is easy enough to be part of any Mediterranean-style spread, since the herb-based stuffing comes together in minutes and requires no cooking.

If chard is unavailable (or tired looking), use kale, cabbage, or large spinach leaves (you’ll need more of these though). Or, to save even more time, use grape leaves, sold in jars in most supermarkets. Green Barley Pilaf (page 297), Farro or Wheat Berries with Grapes and Rosemary (page 309), and Chickpea Tagine with Chicken and Bulgur (page 388) also make good fillings for this recipe.

These are delicious alone, but Fresh Tomato Sauce (page 195) makes a really nice accompaniment for dipping.

½ cup bulgur

Salt

¹/₃ cup olive oil, or more as needed

¼ cup lemon juice, or to taste

12 to 16 whole chard leaves, any size

2 cups chopped fresh parsley

1 cup roughly chopped fresh mint

½ cup chopped scallions or red onion

Black pepper

Lemon wedges

1. Soak the bulgur in hot water to cover until tender, 15 to 30 minutes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Have a large bowl of ice water handy. Drain the bulgur, then squeeze out as much of the water as possible. Toss with the oil and lemon juice and season to taste.

2. Put half of the chard in the boiling water and count to 20 or so. When they’re just pliable, carefully fish the leaves out and immediately plunge in the ice water. Repeat with the remaining leaves. When cool, drain. Carefully remove the toughest part of each chard stem by cutting close along either side of it (scissors are good for this), chop them, and add them to the bowl of bulgur.

3. Add the parsley, mint, and scallions to the bulgur and toss gently. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

4. On a clean towel, lay one of the leaves in front of you and bring together the cut center of the leaf so the sides overlap a bit, closing the gap. Put a couple tablespoons of the tabbouleh on top of that seam (more if the leaves are large) and roll the leaf about a third of the way up; fold in both ends to enclose the filling like you would a burrito and then roll up the entire leaf. Put each stuffed leaf, seam side down, on a serving plate. Repeat with the remaining leaves and serve with lemon wedges.

Summer Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: About 1 hour

I’ve made summer rolls with Vietnamese grandmothers and been laughed at for my technique, but believe me—they were fine. Since they’re nothing more than salad wrapped in moistened rice paper, there’s only one technique to master, and it’s not that difficult. The components, which might include a fair share of leftovers, can all be made ahead.

It takes a little practice to soak the rice paper for just the right amount of time (too short and it won’t be pliable enough, too long and it’ll fall apart), so you might want to have a few extra sheets on hand. What you use inside hardly matters, but don’t overstuff them or they’ll be difficult to roll up. After one or two, I promise you, you’ll get it right.

½ cup roasted peanuts

½ cup coconut milk

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Salt and black pepper

1 head butter lettuce, 8 leaves left whole and the rest torn

1 cup shredded Napa cabbage

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro or mint

½ cup chopped fresh basil, preferably Thai

½ cup grated, shredded, or julienned carrot

½ cup chopped or slivered cucumber

2 scallions, cut lengthwise into slivers

8 ounces cooked shrimp, fish, chicken, pork, or tofu, chopped up or sliced into slivers, optional

Hot water as needed

8 sheets rice paper, 8 to 10 inches in diameter

1. Process the peanuts, coconut milk, lime juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, and garlic in a food processor until fairly smooth; taste and add salt and pepper as you like. (You can make the dipping sauce up to a day ahead; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.)

2. Prepare the other ingredients and set them out on your work surface. Set out a bowl of hot water (110° to 120°F) and a clean kitchen towel.

3. Put a sheet of rice paper in the water and let it soak for about 10 seconds, just until soft (don’t let it become too soft; it will continue to soften as you work). Lay it on the towel. (You can soak them all and stack them between layers of towels if you like; they’ll keep in the refrigerator that way for up to several hours.)

4. Lay a lettuce leaf toward the bottom third of one rice paper and top with a small amount of each filling ingredient (using no more than ½ cup per roll). Roll up the rice paper to enclose the filling, then tuck in the sides as you would a burrito; keep it fairly tight and continue rolling, then press the seam to seal. Serve whole or cut in half with the dipping sauce on the side.