Tomatoes a la Plancha
Tomatoes a la Plancha

If you don’t own a plancha, you can make this recipe on a stovetop using a cast iron pan with 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil. This recipe also works well with bell pepper halves (stem, slice vertically, and seed them).

Serves 4

Grilled shrimp salad with corn
Corn and Shrimp Salad with Serrano Salsa

This recipe uses a simple technique for grilling corn, but you can make the corn on the stovetop in a hot cast iron pan by cutting off the kernels and charring them in 3 tablespoons of olive oil; boil the shrimp if not grilling. Calamari, steamed mussels, or lobster chunks make delicious variations.

Serves 6

Smashed Beets and Greens Salad
Smashed Beets and Greens Salad

Perhaps you’ve had smashed potatoes. Beets also respond well to this technique. And we love the way the beet greens are incorporated in the salad rather than discarded. This recipe was inspired by the remarkable chef Francis Mallmann, whose restaurant Fuegos de Apalta has become a favorite of my wife and myself when we visit Chile.

Serves 4

Cheese-stuffed Focaccia
Cheese-Stuffed Focaccia

This recipe shows off the versatility of focaccia dough. Yes, you can top it with cherry tomatoes, onions, red pepper, and more, but you can also stuff it! If you’d like to use this dough for a more traditional focaccia, simply divided in half as directed, then bake in a single layer in two 13-inch-by-9-inch pans and starting checking after 25 minutes.

Yields 10 generous servings

Baked Potatoes & Béarnaise Sauce
Baked Potatoes & Béarnaise Sauce

This rich and flavorful sauce is traditionally an accompaniment for steak, but it’s also a wonderful break from sour cream on a perfectly baked potato—so satisfying it can be the entire meal! Note: Most béarnaise sauce recipes call for making it in a double boiler to avoid curdling the yolks from direct heat—two inches of water are kept at a simmer in the bottom pan while you whisk the ingredients in the top one. However, if you use a low heat and whisk constantly, you can make the sauce in a small saucepan over direct heat.

Yields 4 servings

Buffalo Cauliflower
Buffalo "Wings" Cauliflower Style

Chicken wings and cauliflower have one thing in common: They take on the flavor of whatever delicious ingredients you lavish on them. Now, here’s what they don’t have in common: similar nutritional benefits—cauliflower wins that game hands down. But nowhere is it written that good for you can’t taste good to you as well. This refresh of Buffalo wings will convince you.

Yields 4 servings

ASPARAGUS WITH OLIVE OIL SABAYON
Asparagus with Olive Oil Sabayon

Fresh asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables, especially when paired with a luscious olive oil sabayon. If not using the asparagus immediately, trim the ends (as you would cut flowers) and stand upright in a tall glass of water. Cover the tips with a plastic bag and refrigerate for a day or two.

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from saveur.com

Pisto Manchego
Pisto Manchego

The cuisine of the Iberian peninsula was heavily influenced throughout history by its many conquerors. This dish, a popular one throughout Spain, was no doubt introduced to the country by the Moors. The key to its texture and flavors is to cook each vegetable slowly and individually. Your patience will be well rewarded!

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from food52.com

Mango Gazpacho
Mango Gazpacho

Here’s a refreshing riff on classic gazpacho—perfect for a weekend brunch or as a prelude to lunch or a light supper. I like to serve it in small straight-sided Spanish sherry glasses called chatos.

Serves 6 — Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Spinach and Chickpeas
Spinach and Chickpeas (Espinacas con Garbanzos)

Especially popular in the Andalucían city of Seville, this dish can be served as a tapa, a light meal, or a satisfying side dish. Bagged baby spinach is usually sold washed. If your spinach is garden-fresh, rinse it well and drain itbefore adding to the chickpeas.

Serves 2 — Recipe adapted from spainonafork.com

Spanish Mixed Green Salad
Spanish Mixed Green Salad (Ensalata Mixta)

A large platter of greens studded with vegetables is a popular entrante (starter) in Spanish homes or restaurants. Depending on what you add to it (avocados, asparagus, corn kernels, etc.), it can be the meal itself. Feel free to customize it according to what you have on hand.

Serves 4 to 6 — Recipe adapted from thespruce.com

Spanish Marinated Carrots
Spanish Marinated Carrots (Zanahorias Aliñadas)

When coupled with pantry ingredients, the lowly carrot is transformed into a colorful tapa. These tangy carrots are also great on salads, charcuterie boards, or relish trays. They’ll keep for several days in the refrigerator.

Serves 4 to 6 — Recipe adapted from tarasmulticulturaltable.com