Broil

This will delight vegetarians—and carnivores, too. The warm, meaty mushrooms are so satisfying, especially when topped with pickled chiles, arugula, and Parmesan shavings. Fragrant fresh rosemary, which too often overpowers, adds a subtle depth of flavor to homemade mayonnaise, which is key here.

This pie combines all the gooey goodness of s’mores—chocolate, marshmallow vanilla cream, and toasted marshmallows—wrapped up in a graham cracker shell. The only part of the camping experience you’ll miss is the smell of the fire (and maybe a few mosquito bites!).

Come into the Dinosaur any night after work and eat this salsa at the bar with freshly fried tortilla chips. Back home, make it with the best tomatoes you can get your hands on.

Cabernet Franc, with origins in the Bordeaux region of France, is rapidly gaining recognition as a definitive Finger Lakes red. The wine’s dark fruit and spice act as liaison between the tomato/garlic flavors and the earthy mushrooms.

Here is another great dish from the repertoire of Nicolas Jongleux. We used to scoff at people who said they knew how to make a great dessert that wasn’t too sweet. But as you get older and the espresso and the social cigarillos have started to erode your taste buds, you find yourself liking bourbon, lemon, and dandelion. This is a perfect little dessert in that fashion. It’s zingy and alive. We burn it with a blowtorch. If you don’t have one, just use your broiler. Heat it to the max and put whatever is holding the grapefruit right under it. Don’t forget dry rags or oven mitts and an ovenproof vessel.

According to argumentalist extraordinaire John Bil, these are actually called “stuffies.” Everyone seems to agree that this is a great way to eat razor clams, as it’s not uncommon for us to sell one hundred pounds (forty-five kilograms) per week at Joe Beef. We get our clams from the elusive fisherman John Doyle, who lives on the northern coast of the Saint Lawrence. To our knowledge, no commercial fisheries in Canada sell razor clams. If you want to prepare clams this way, but can’t find razor, quahog will do.

Occasionally we refer to Le Repertoire de la Cuisine, the little brown book of classic French recipes, to find inspiration for the Joe Beef menu. It’s a gold mine of forgotten culinary knowledge, including the sauce paloise, a classic variation on sauce béarnaise that uses mint instead of tarragon. You decide on the meat. If you freak on kidneys, use kidneys. We like it on a mutton chop, one chop per person.

No offense to salsa, but come on, who doesn't love a gooey, cheesy bean dip, bubbling hot like lava from the broiler? If you're a chile head, you'll probably want to up the number of chiles and leave the seeds in. If your friends are more, ahem, delicate, then stick with one chile and remove the seeds and ribs.

There's no reason why you can't have your Guinness two ways at once: Enjoy as the day's beverage of choice, and while devouring one of our favorite nuggets of meat—lamb rib chops—which we bathe in an intriguing glaze made from the very same stout cooked down with coriander and black peppercorns. Be sure to look at the Cooks' Notes for more information about Guinness, the spices and the lamb chops.

Broiling the apricots with a touch of brown sugar draws out their sweetness. Look for apricots that are deep orange, fairly plump, and soft enough to yield to gentle pressure (avoid any that are bruised, mushy, or shriveled).

When cooking stuffed chops and roasts, it is important to check the internal temperature of the stuffing to determine doneness. To accompany the pork, use a good-quality store-bought chutney, and serve a simple green salad on the side.

Nothing complements pork like the flavor of apples; here the fruit is sautéed with leeks and honey. This recipe calls for roasting an extra tenderloin; serve one with the apples, and reserve one for use in a recipe on the following page.

Butterflying a steak is actually quite simple and can be done quickly at home, but you can also ask your butcher to do it.

Broiling is a great year-round method for preparing steaks, since the high heat browns the meat quickly without overcooking the interior. For a Spanish variation, substitute an equal amount of smoked paprika for the regular variety used in the spice rub.

You don’t always need a grill to cook skewers (or kebabs); here, they are conveniently broiled instead. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for fifteen minutes to keep them from scorching.

Milanese, which means “in the style of Milan,” refers to meat (chicken, pork, or veal) that is pounded to an even thickness and then breaded. In this more healthful (and spatter-free) version of the classic Italian dish, the cutlets are baked, not pan-fried.

Chicken thighs are a more flavorful (and economical) alternative to breasts, and just as versatile. A spice-and-ginger rub flavors the meat, while the heat of the broiler crisps the skin.

The salmon and green beans are equally good served warm or cold. If chilling, prepare recipe through step 3; refrigerate fish, green beans, and dressing separately, then proceed with step 4 just before serving.

A favorite sandwich is updated as a main-course salad, with a tangy buttermilk dressing standing in for the mayonnaise spread.