Cheese

Going beyond the customary side dishes for beef (mushrooms and a gratin), we've combined all the luxurious flavor of wild mushrooms sautéed in cream with good buttered toast for these single-serving puddings, giving every guest a perfect mix of crisp, golden surface and warm, melting interior.

The zing of fresh lemon enhances both the peas' sweetness and the natural flavor of the spinach. The whole quick, creamy dish is bolstered by soft pillows of potato gnocchi.

The broiled disks of polenta in this dish bring to mind an extra-delicious version of johnnycakes, topped with a hearty, savory ragout that's ready before you know it.

This style of frying eggs results in crisp, crackly whites and beautiful, barely set yolks. The spicy garlic oil and smoked mozzarella make this dish an unusual but delicious brunch or light dinner.

Here, a classic Spanish pairing gets reinvented as a bite-size cheese course. We're particularly enamored of the added textural contrast provided by the sliced almonds.

These sexy little bites have a flavor as sharp as Dorothy Parker's wit. And because they're toasted with butter in the oven, they taste deliciously fried (only without the regret).

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Anne Willan's book The Country Cooking of France. La Truffade If you can't afford truffles, you indulge in Truffade, say the inhabitants of the Auvergne, notoriously among the coldest and most rugged areas of France. Often served with sausages, Truffade is a potato cake flavored with bacon and laden with cheese, a buttress against the worst weather. Nippy Cantal is the local hard cheese, and Gruyère may be substituted.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from James Peterson's book Cooking. Cakes like this carrot cake or banana bread are different than most cakes in that they call for oil, rather than butter. While the oil doesn't contribute much flavor, especially if you use vegetable oil, it does allow you to serve the cakes cold without them hardening, as they would if they were made with butter. Grate the carrot on the finest holes of a box grater that won't turn it to mush, or use the finest grater attachment on your food processor.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Jamie Oliver's book Cook with Jamie.

Start with a large platter.

Kristine Subido, chef at Wave in Chicago, makes you forget about pasta.

This twist on the Caesar salad is part of a healthy and delicious spa menu developed exclusively for Epicurious by Ananda spa in India. Iceberg lettuce is topped with a crispy buttermilk, cornmeal, and chickpea flour pancake, low-fat cheese made from yogurt and spices, and an anchovy-free dressing. Note that the raw garlic is rubbed on the croutons after rather than before toasting to preserve its volatile oils. Garlic—particularly when it's uncooked—has been attributed with numerous health benefits, including fighting cancer and killing harmful bacteria. If you are following an Ayurvedic diet, the experts at Ananda recommend this for vata and kapha doshas. Be sure to start this recipe at least one day ahead.

Use beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes for this dish. Serve with crusty bread and a chilled Pinot Grigio or a Provençal-style rosé.

Broiling the tomatoes adds rich flavor to the sandwich.

Be sure to drain the salad before adding to the sandwich.

SERVING SUGGESTION: With pre-dinner drinks or on a salumi platter.

The Italian answer to a French gratin: a dish baked with a crispy cheese (as in this recipe) or breadcrumb topping.

These fried cheese crisps are fun to make, so enlist a few guests to help if you decide to make them at the last minute.