Dairy

If this were our party, we'd get all the grilling out of the way early in the day and toss this Mediterranean fantasy of a salad together in our caftans.

The usual slaw suspects get a modern upgrade thanks to a salty-cheesy walnut pesto.

Choose a mild and creamy Gorgonzola for this dip.

Nectarines, all types of plums, or apricots are easy swaps for the peaches.

Once cooked, slick fried chicken with a potent spiced-chile oil, for an extra punch of heat and flavor.

You wouldn't blanch tender herbs such as basil, but doing so here softens the collards and kale.

Serve this ultra-creamy tahini sauce with grilled meats or roasted vegetables, or use it as a base for a silky avocado dip or an herby salad dressing.

Grilled fennel, tomatoes, and scallions, plus cumin-rubbed grilled steak, turn this quinoa salad into a one-dish dinner you'll want to keep serving all summer long.

Ask your butcher for a whole leg, which will include part of the sirloin.

When not using this pesto to dress this very green salad, you could schmear it on just about any sandwich, or stir it into scrambled eggs.

This decadent, delicious burger, featuring a 6-ounce patty, clothbound cheddar cheese, and the requisite "special sauce," comes from Ralph Lauren's restaurant (yes, that Ralph Lauren) in Chicago.

Who doesn't love a wedge? Ask your butcher to cut slab bacon into thick slices (about 1/4") to yield nice meaty pieces once they're crisped on the grill.

Any fairly thin cut of beef will work with this marinade; try flank or New York strip.

Bursting with the big, brash flavors of green olives, anchovies, and capers, this herbaceous pasta sauce isn't afraid to bite back.

Cooking corn this way adds a depth of flavor from the husk and keeps the kernels from drying out. Tossed together with zucchini and scallions, these quesadillas make for a super-satisfying vegetarian dinner.

This standard diner salad may have petered out in the early '90s, but this version reminds us why it was popular in the first place. Smoky chicken and pork stand in for the typical drab turkey and ham, and the addition of herb-packed chimichurri dressing makes this salad fresh again.

This is a great one for midweek as it takes no more than 20 minutes from slicing the leeks to serving the finished dish, but it is good enough for weekends as well-filling, fresh and very tasty.

Competition for the best burger in London has gone mad. Some burgers are gourmet and piled high with toppings, whereas others are thinner, simpler, wrapped in paper, steamy and sloppy. All I can say is my insanity burger is going to be right up there—the method is almost ritualistic in what it requires you to do to get close to burger perfection. I've also used the brilliant technique of brushing the burgers with mustard and a dash of Tabasco Chipotle sauce as they cook to build up an incredible gnarly layer of seasoning.