Broil

A staple of many tapas bars, and among the most elementary of appetizers, this is a surefire crowd pleaser—as long as your crowd isn’t vegetarian. Even if some members are, you can skewer plain mushrooms or mushrooms and other vegetables—like red peppers and zucchini, for example.

I had the best Japanese-style chicken wings at the Gonpachi Restaurant in Tokyo. They arrived at the table crackling on a little hibachi grill. Salty, sweet, and aromatic, they were great with chilled sake. To me, this is perfect contemporary Japanese cooking.

This delicious snack from Trinidad and Guyana is the perfect accompaniment to any cold cocktail, and if you think of it while you’re cooking chickpeas for another recipe, it’s incredibly easy. If you’re curious about Old World origins of New World foods, you’ll be interested to know that, in India, one of the many words for chickpeas is chana.

In Mexico, guacamole is traditionally made in a molcajete, a mortar made from volcanic rock. It’s a lovely tradition, but since you probably don’t have a molcajete, use a bowl and fork or a potato masher. The admittedly more complicated variation that follows is superior but not nearly as quick.

Any time you add olive oil, salt, and pepper to asparagus, you’re off to a delicious start. This dish calls for both whole eggs and egg whites, which cuts down on the calories but not on the flavor. Feta is also a low-fat, low-calorie cheese. So no excuses—a slice of this light vegetable delight will be irresistible to any mother.

I love broiling Kusshis not only because they have a lovely, delicate texture and a good brininess, but also because they have deeply cupped shells that hold both liquid and a lot of delicious breadcrumbs. Cherrystone clams would be a great substitute, and Totten Virginica, Barron Point, or Shigoku oysters would also work well, because they are the right size to hold up to the heat. Save tiny Kumomotos for eating on the half shell.

This dish was an accidental smash hit. Like many of our best sellers, it began as a special and was created in a moment of resourcefulness when we had an overabundance of mushrooms. It quickly became a signature, and it remains one of our most popular items. To achieve the best flavor and texture, it’s essential to sauté the mushrooms in a very hot pan, so they will be nicely browned and crispy.

My mother learned this dish when we lived in Holland in the late ’50s. It was part of the rijstafel—an Indonesian take-out feast of many dishes—that my parents used to have delivered to the house. We used to watch wide-eyed as a flurry of delivery guys carried in dish after dish stacked in round metal containers. When we gather as a family on Christmas and other special days, we rarely have turkey or ham, but more often rice and curry or bami goreng, a noodle dish, with these satés as an appetizer. It is still the favorite family snack. The pork marinade is effortless to put together. While the meat absorbs the flavors, you can stir together the spicy peanut sauce. I tend to grill the satés, but my mother actually cooks these on an old waffle iron that has a smooth side, not unlike a panini grill.

Because these crispy bean cakes are broiled rather than fried, the recipe doesn’t call for much oil, so the cakes contain less fat; they are also easier to prepare than fried versions.

Rather than eliminating yolks altogether, we used fewer—to reduce fat and to avoid the rubbery texture that can be obtained by using only egg whites.

Sautéed Bok Choy and Broccoli (page 249) and a big bowl of white rice are all you need to accompany these tasty—and remarkably easy—fish steaks.

We like to prepare these steaks in the broiler throughout the winter months, but you can also prepare them any time on an outdoor grill or in a grill pan.

Freshly roasted peppers impart a smoky taste to this hearty pasta. If you like, you can use jarred peppers, thinly sliced, instead of making your own, and skip step one.

Quinoa adds protein as well as a chewy texture to this meatless main dish. The heat of the cooked quinoa and mushrooms helps wilt the spinach; the dressing and feta pull this warm salad together.

The cooking time for lentils can vary widely depending on their age, as older lentils require more time. For the best results, buy a fresh, new bag. A mustard vinaigrette boosts the flavor of this Mediterranean-inspired dish.