Cheese

**What to drink:**A glass of bubbly would be perfect with the olives. Try Domaine Chandon Brut Classic (California, $20).

Feel free to swap in store-bought pizza dough here—the most important part of the recipe is grilling the pies.

Why you'll make it: Because it's the simple version of the omelet, and works as well for breakfast as it does for lunch, a late dinner, even with drinks.

Why you'll make it: Because it's everything that's good at the market right now in one good-for-you salad.

Why you'll make it: Because it's the perfect summer pasta — few ingredients, easy prep, big flavors.

This can be tossed with a pound of pasta (serve warm or chilled), used as a topping for grilled chicken, or spread onto toasted slices of baguette or focaccia.

One of the things we love about pesto is its versatility: Peas can take on basil's traditional role without missing a beat.

As in the classic recipe from Richard Olney's Simple French Food that inspired this one, two key innovations ensure a moist, incredibly succulent chicken. First, the birds are spatchcocked, meaning they're butterflied and spread flat so that both the white meat and the dark can be perfectly cooked; second, an herbed-ricotta filling is pushed under the skin, puffing slightly during cooking and extending the meat's flavor in a creamy direction. Actually, you'll notice how much we liked the filling — we call for extra to be baked in a separate dish so that everyone gets a helping. The filling becomes a cross between a popover and a soufflé in texture, with oregano and parsley supplying a suggestion of the Provençal countryside.

The classic cold soup seems almost restrained next to this lusty dish — gazpacho ingredients are grilled, then tossed with pasta and cheese (some of the vegetables are puréed to make a tangy sauce that lightly cloaks the whole). The sausages are cooked separately, so this recipe will come in handy when there are vegetarians around.

If a bite of this clean, bright "pâté" transports you to a sunny beach on Nantucket, that's because it's inspired by a similar spread offered at the island's Straight Wharf Fish Store. This rendition can be whipped up effortlessly, but it's a substantial and statement-making appetizer nonetheless.

This thick, cheesy dip is delicious with broccoli spears or bread sticks, or even as a spread on slices of bread. Serve any leftovers on baked potatoes or tossed with potato salad.

Use one, two, or all three toppings.

These newfangled burgers are stuffed with feta cheese. Pressing the center of the raw hamburger to form a slight indentation prevents the burger from puffing up in the center when cooking.

Fattoush is a Middle Eastern take on panzanella, Italian bread salad. In fact, rustic Italian bread is a good alternative to the pita.

Pink peppercorns and peppercorn mélange (a mixture of black, pink, green, and white peppercorns) are available at many supermarkets.

This recipe is a great excuse to buy heirloom tomatoes in different colors and varieties — they'll look beautiful here.