Gourmet

The vegetables in this simple side dish meld flawlessly because of the broiling, which tenderizes the peppers and intensifies the tomatoes' sweetness.

This raw dish is all about the best ingredients you can find. A great goat cheese and a fruity, high-quality olive oil will result in flavor that's as stunning as the presentation.

The charm of this simple dessert is obvious: It takes sweet summer fruits and cooks them down so that everything good about them becomes even better.

The tang of citrus and the refreshing flavor of fennel give this side dish a lightness that other rice preparations just can't match.

Full of sweet corn, smoky bacon, and delightfully briny clams, this light summer chowder is like having a whole New England clambake in a bowl.

Once you've tried ice cream made with fresh mint leaves — a far cry from the neon-green stuff — you'll never go back. Here, it's enclosed in a thick robe of rich bittersweet chocolate.

Bourbon lends depth to the sauce and extra sweetness to the cream filling, but this dessert is fantastic even without it.

The best desserts are those that manage to be sweetly satisfying while also containing an element of surprise, and this unique granita certainly fits the bill. We first had a version of it at Manhattan's Wallsé, and were stunned by the interplay among the bright, verdant mix of apple and celery with the richness of olive oil and the heat of grated horseradish. (Here, we've substituted wasabi for the horseradish.) It's a truly sophisticated way to end a meal.

If you're searching for a showstopping dessert (that is secretly easy to make) to serve company, look no further. Each gorgeous — and delicious — tricolored slice is a canvas of decorative swirls: vibrant orange, deep purple, and creamy white.

This chilly treat may well make your freezer more popular than the neighborhood ice cream truck. The lemony ice cream center is a bright contrast to the surrounding chewy coconut macaroons — and the sandwiches are easily held by eager little hands.

This creamy semifreddo captures the heady flavor of ripe summer peaches. It's also a gorgeous showpiece that's perfect for entertaining, since it can be made well in advance of a dinner party.

Although chocolate and raspberry are a luxurious combination, these beautifully layered ice pops are surprisingly light. They're a refreshing dessert after an alfresco meal, or a perfect treat on a hot afternoon.

This recipe makes lots of big cookies, but don't even think of saving half the dough for another day, because you won't want to stop eating them. Food editor Paul Grimes, who tested the recipe, has already slipped it into his personal recipe file. "Next time I need a peanut butter cookie," he says, "I'm turning to this." Happily, the recipe works with either conventional or natural creamy peanut butter.

Just saying the words "Dungeness crab" creates a sense of place. Its juiciness and depth of flavor is the secret to this salad because it strikes a perfect balance with the sweet-tart dressing. Don't substitute Atlantic blue crab here; its delicacy won't work to the salad's advantage.