Fry

Nothing says “Southern” like the smell of okra frying in a cast-iron skillet atop an angry flame.

Served on a bun or pita, this sweet potato and grilled cheese burger will lighten up your summer barbecue.

A sausage patty topped with feta, cilantro, sweet pickled peppers, and a sunny-side-up egg make for a hearty sandwich that’s perfect for brunch, lunch, or dinner.

A heap of basil, tossed through just to wilt, adds a punchy, cooling element to this dish of chile- and garlic-marinated shrimp. Spoon it over a fluffy pile of white rice for a fuss-free summertime dinner.

Inspired by the flavors of kefta, these protein-packed vegetarian bites are equally good tucked into a pita or served on their own.

Quickly shallow-frying chicken halves locks in their juices and yields crispy, golden-brown skin. Serve them with garlicky potatoes, fried shallots, and dill.

Shallow-fried scallops get extra crispy on the outside and super tender inside when double-dredged in an Old Bay–seasoned cornmeal mixture. Bonus: they’re gluten-free.

A ubiquitous staple on Filipino tables, this rice dish is heavily perfumed with garlic oil and tossed with crispy sautéed garlic chips.

This recipe has all the makings for your new favorite classic fish sandwich.

With all due respect to diner breakfasts and box mixes, the average pancake is about as satisfying as a bag of marshmallows. We’ll take ours skillet-size, burnished from whole wheat flour and studded with cooked grains, because we want them flavorful and with a hardy texture.

Cutting slits into the bologna before cooking helps it brown evenly across the surface.

Serve this bacon as part of a vegan brunch feast, or pile onto English muffins with a tofu egg and toppings for the best breakfast sandwich ever.

This savory oatmeal is reminiscent of cheesy grits: very creamy and rich with little bits of crisp bacon. An egg on top is terrific if you like your lilies gilded.

Polenta is often used as a neutral carb canvas for a rich sauce or braised meat, but here the creamy ricotta-and-spinach-enriched polenta is the centerpiece, with a simple little tomato salad on top for freshness. An egg on top is great, but optional.

This is a typical Sichuan technique for dry-frying beef. Unlike most meat stir-fries, the beef is not marinated; instead it is stir-fried immediately then cooked for a few minutes longer to intensify the beef flavors and to give give the meat a slightly chewy texture.

Trouble finding kefir? Plain yogurt—or sour cream thinned with a little water or lime juice—works just as well in this hearty Tex-Mex dish.

Our version of this dip uses spinach, but it can be made with cooked beets or roasted eggplant, too.