Ian Knauer

You can tell this recipe hails from a tropical environment because of the way the first bite of chiles causes a light sweat to break out on your brow. Then a breeze blows by, and— ahh—you're instantly cooled off and refreshed, able to fully enjoy the sweetness of plump shrimp and an evolving harmony of spices.

A perfect introduction to the allure of chiles, this Italian classic balances the cherry peppers' piquancy with roasted bell peppers, lemon, and parsley. It's a bright, summery dish that you'll hanker for all year long.

The combination of condensed milk and lime gives this dessert a bit of tropical flair.

Simmering the cobs lends depth to a cool essence-of-corn soup, enhanced with a swirl of sour cream and a sprinkling of chives.

The trees of Hansel and Gretel's forest surely had bark like this, sparkling with sugar crystals and tasting of sylvan honey. Though the biscuits pair wonderfully with blueberries in gin syrup, they also make an excellent accompaniment to a cheese course—particularly with a nice triple-crème.

Channel your inner charcuterie artisan with this rolled pork, which is stuffed with garlic, spinach, and bacon and served in thin slices, either cold or at room temperature. The end result is a sort of fancy cold cut that will have the guests at your next picnic raving.

Though they're quite irresistible right out of the oven, these moist and juicy drumsticks (with a slight kick) are perfect picnic food, since they're also terrific cold or at room temperature

An aromatic syrup that calls to mind the clean smell of the forest enhances the flavor of fresh blueberries. Also, since it's poured over the berries while hot, it colors them a gorgeous sapphire and softens them, making their burst in the mouth even more intense.

A double layer of bread crumbs is the key to these extra-crispy homemade bar snacks.

Rib roast is everything you want in a cut of beef: It is impressively sized and naturally flavorful, and it pretty much takes care of itself (leaving plenty of time for side dishes).

Rich skirt steak begs for an assertive, acidic accompaniment. The tomatillo twofer showcases the fruit’s different personalities: In the cooked salsa, its flavor is round and lemony; in the salad, fresh lime juice sharpens the tomatillos’ raw brightness.

We make this super-easy, super-tasty dish all year long. The bold combination of soy sauce, balsamic, and maple syrup works its magic on the meat quickly, so it only needs to marinate for as long as it takes to get your grill fired up. In the fall and winter, we pair this steak with maple-sweetened butternut squash. Come summer, it's a natural with a tomato salad and corn on the cob.

Tri-tip is flavorful and well-marbled, but because it’s really a roast rather than a steak, salt and seasonings don’t affect it the same way they do a thinner cut. That’s where this Mediterranean-inspired relish comes in. The combination of roasted red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, and capers adds savor to every bite.

A Chinese-inspired five-spice blend amps up a simply broiled hanger steak.