Gourmet

Far from being little more than crisp vehicles for the prosciutto , these have the flavor of a freshly baked olive-oil bread.

This classic appetizer showcases prosciutto's buttery texture and oaky sweetness. Simply wrapping it, unadorned, around thin, crisp grissini allows you to focus your attention on nuances you might otherwise miss. Its success will depend on your prosciutto, so look for imported Parma such as prosciutto di Rotondo or San Daniele or an excellent domestic brand such as La Quercia.

You'll reach for this recipe again and again for its stunning simplicity and for how well it works with any aperitif. Roasting the hazelnuts in the oven results in a deep nuttiness, which is then brought firmly into the savory realm with a sprinkling of salt and thyme.

The sidecar takes a wonderful turn toward autumn, with Calvados, Normandy's apple brandy, standing in for regular brandy. Coating the rims of the glasses with sugar tames the drink's lemony potency.

The first thing you'll notice about a glass of this aperitif—besides its festive sparkling sugar cube—is its amazing aroma, a little like having a ripe pear waved under your nose. And yet it's a deliciously dry, grown-up drink that perfectly complements the flavorful hors d'oeuvres.

Sparkling cider, rather than sugar, gives our batter its touch of sweetness. The cider also ramps up the apple flavor and adds to the beignets' lovely golden hue.

Like tsatsiki, but with cilantro standing in for the mint, this tangy sauce packs a sneaky cayenne kick and makes an ideal accompaniment to grilled shrimp as well as the rice pilaf and the chicken kebabs.

Soaking the chicken overnight in a yogurt marinade results in pillow-tender chunks faintly flavored with garlic. Turmeric adds a spark of Middle Eastern flavor and a happy orange hue.

This lamb-rich, Uzbek-style pilaf is typical of the fare served by northern Afghans to mark festive occasions. Despite the absence of spices and herbs, it is a surprisingly complex dish.

This pastry recipe was one of those rare revelations that send shock waves through our test kitchens: How utterly brilliant to make extra dough, freeze it, and then just grate it directly into the pans when you need it! Rowe makes these adorable little tarts with damson plums, but we've found that prune plums work just as well. Although the pastry and compote make enough for twice this many tarts, they keep beautifully and they are so good you will be glad to have extra on hand.

Tiny bow-tie pasta takes this supreme comfort dish into another realm—it's kind of like fancy macaroni and cheese with bacon, and what could be better than that? At Zazu, the bacon is house-made and the eggs in the pasta and sauce come from their own hens. To stay true to that ideal, you might want to track down some local eggs and artisanal bacon when you make this dish at home.

No need to worry about why this Dominican burger shares a name with the Argentinean sauce—nobody knows. Instead, just call it a chimi, grab a cold beer, and enjoy!

Though the presentation of this cake— all white-glazed and topped with undulating ribbons of toasted coconut—will take everyone's breath away, we promise that it will only get better from there. (And the cake's rich, coconutty, rum-nipped flavor will never hint that it was a one-bowl effort.)

This gorgeously scented, lush dessert radiates the tropics: As the guanabana—otherwise known as soursop—sherbet melts on the tongue, it releases notes of exotic fruits and flowers that are beautifully complemented by the other fresh fruits served with it.

Buttery chunks of avocado, little hits of radish heat, and a simple, lemony vinaigrette make this salad a crisp and refreshing balm.

Meaty yet melt-in-the-mouth and with slightly caramelized edges, butternut-reminiscent calabaza comes alive with a squeeze of lime.

Common in Latin American cooking, this orange oil infuses dishes with instant depth and quite often with their signature golden color. We've made three times the amount you'll need for the yellow rice with pigeon peas because annatto oil is also called for in our recipes for arroz con pollo and Ecuadoran potato cakes with peanut sauce .

Barely a day goes by at the Puerto Rican table without rice and beans making an appearance, but this version is pull-out-the-stops-special rather than everyday—you won't believe how much flavor can be packed into such an understated dish. The secret is an abundantly seasoned sofrito—the flavor base—and the slight crust, called pegao, that forms on the bottom of the pot.

We love it whenever an inexpensive cut of meat is coaxed into a glorious showstopper, and this pork masterpiece is perhaps the best example we can think of. Even the sight of it is delightful, as it glazes over with a sheen in shades of rose and amber. The garlicky adobo—that's the marinade, not the commercial powder—is pushed into slits in the meat to penetrate to the deepest layers; the outer layer, rubbed on the roast, forms a sticky crust of irresistible caramelization; and the skin becomes a rich, crunchy chicharrón, the last pieces of which everyone will surely fight over.