Starter

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 15 min

A little bit of smoked mozzarella goes a long way in boosting flavor without adding much fat. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 2 hr

This is a refined version of classic split pea soup. It has a thinner consistency than other recipes (though it's still very hearty), and the addition of frozen peas brightens up the flavor.

Try this side with trout or lamb chops, then apple upside-down cake.

"Recently I had dinner at a fine restaurant with a peculiar name: The Place Next to the San Juan Ferry," says Beth Fogarty Day of Redmond, Washington. "It's right by the water in Friday Harbor, Washington. I'd love the recipe for the mushroom and goat cheese appetizer."

Sephardim (Jews of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean extraction) eat peas during Passover; those from eastern European Jewish backgrounds do not. Feel free to omit the peas — the soup is just as delicious without them. It's important to use a flavorful chicken stock for this recipe, so if you have a stash of homemade stock in your freezer, this is the time to use it. Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 4 hr (includes making stock)

This dip was inspired by a recipe for bissara, a garlicky purée from Egypt made from dried broad beans, in Claudia Roden's Mediterranean Cookery.

When adding the flour, it's important to do so delicately. It must be cooked to remove any raw taste. This thickens the soup nicely.

"The bruschetta topped with portobello mushrooms and caramelized onions at Tapas 177 is one of the best things I've eaten in this town," writes Laurence Schacht of Rochester, New York. "I'd like to re-create this dish at home for my friends." The restaurant-style results of this recipe are worth the effort. Use roasted red peppers from a jar instead of roasting fresh ones, if desired, and note the do-ahead steps.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 hr

"For a dinner with company, I often pop these in the oven with a roast, then serve them on dressed mixed greens as an appetizer," writes Elsie Wollaston of Vancouver, Canada. "I also like to serve them directly from the ramekins as a brunch dish."

"My girlfriend and I had our first date at The Bridge Café in Westport, Connecticut," writes Terrel Korik of St. Louis, Missouri. "We both enjoyed the corn and basil soup while looking out over the Saugatuck River. I would love to have the soup recipe to try at our new home in St. Louis."

Food editor Melissa Roberts-Matar figured out what makes The Harrison's clams so special: the lightness of the coating. That's achieved by draining the buttermilk-soaked clams well and shaking off the excess coating after you dredge the clams. One restaurant touch that we loved was the delicious addition of fried thin lemon rounds and parsley sprigs; another was Joey Campanaro's accompanying Lemon Coriander Aïoli .