Gourmet

Barbara Edwards, the reader who sent us this recipe, wrote that every time she served this salad, the men in the group would "lick the platter clean." We found the women in our test kitchens were crunching on it as happily as the men. The creaminess and tang of cottage cheese and mayonnaise offset the edge of onion and the crispness of cabbage.

This bistro classic is enriched by rounds of smoky, spicy sausage. All you need is a leafy salad and a glass of red wine. The French green lentils that we prefer are prized for their finesse; they also hold their shape better than some other varieties and are less starchy.

There are many ways to stuff these iconic New Orleans sandwiches, but doing it with fried oysters is arguably the best. This preparation highlights the bivalves at their zenith, with all their briny juiciness retained inside a supercrisp cornmeal shell. The key to a really great sandwich is a smear of mayo, just a little lettuce, and loads of these delicious fried oysters.

For a festive, interactive meal, serve our version of the Aloha State's take on curried chicken. Let your guests customize their plates with a choice of toppings — from toasted coconut to fresh pineapple. Some editors preferred it with the optional sugar, others did not. The choice is yours.

None of us were familiar with clam pie, but we did notice various versions of it printed and reprinted in our early issues. We had to see what all the fuss was about. It turns out to be a superlative potpie, hearty with chunks of vegetables and bacon and sweet with briny clams. Inspired by legendary French chef Paul Bocuse, we updated these pies by substituting puff pastry for piecrust.

It's been decades since this dish was considered ethnic. Now we just think of it as down-home American food of the best kind. The moist, tender meat takes on a deep tomatoey flavor that suggests it's been slowly cooking for days rather than for less than 2 hours.

Get ready for the most deliciously tangy adult nibbles that have ever made you lick your lips. These are not only easy to prepare, but the dough can be frozen and kept for when guests drop by unexpectedly.

We ran many jelly recipes in the 1940s, but this one impressed us the most. Sophisticated and subtle, it makes a light, delicious alternative not only to the shocking-green mint jelly that often accompanies lamb but even to gravy: Try it with any roasted or grilled meat. It's also an indispensable condiment for blue cheese.

Here, the beloved grits of the South are baked into a tender, cheesy roll that embraces all the elements of a country-style breakfast. Just slice and serve.

Nouvelle cuisine, for all its annoying pretension and fussiness, did return acidity to the table. Instead of leaning on cream sauce, cooks excited the senses with the interplay of sweet and sour. When first introduced, it seemed edgy and refreshing; now it seems timeless.

There may be no better way for a yeast-phobic (or time-pressed) cook to put a fetching basket of fresh bread on the table. The secret is a biscuit dough so simple to make and handle that you'll find yourself baking these twists for weekday family meals as well as special dinners.

We've run recipes for this classic salad in various incarnations every few years as far back as the 1940s — with and without raw egg, with and without anchovies, changing up the cheese and even mixing in pasta or shellfish. This version is simply the best.

A boneless center-cut pork loin is incredibly versatile. Infused with the deep sweetness of prunes, it takes on the rich, robust flavors of southwestern France.

Inspired by chef Robert Del Grande of Cafe Annie, in Houston, we combine the succulence of short ribs with the bitter undertones of coffee and the mellow heat of two kinds of chiles, along with maple syrup and lime juice to cut the spiciness. We recommend serving these meltingly tender ribs over soft polenta.

Stracci di Pasta Alle Mille Erbe Rags to riches takes on new meaning when such strange bedfellows as basil, tarragon, mint, thyme, marjoram, and rosemary mingle with pasta to create totally new flavors. Every ingredient matters, so don't skimp on quality: If you have time, you owe it to yourself to use homemade pasta.

Among the many stories regarding the origins of this dish, the one we deemed "most likely, and most likely to succeed" came to us in 1944. E. Clarke King of Dayton, Ohio, sent us "the original recipe," which he claimed had been invented by George Greenwald, head chef at New York's Brighton Beach Hotel, for his parents (who owned the hotel) in the early 1900s. This time, we've lightened Greenwald's dish with stock and added red, yellow, and orange bell peppers. Even with the changes, though, the dish will likely evoke childhood taste memories for those of a certain age.

With their light, tangy sesame dressing, these delicious little spinach cakes needn't only accompany a Japanese meal. They also make a delightful prelude to a hearty entrée like steak or chops.

Nasi Goreng
Chicken, shrimp, and fried rice combine in this traditional version of the classic Indonesian one-dish meal, made intense and spicy with fish sauce and plenty of chiles. On the side, cucumber slices cool things down, hard-boiled eggs provide a neutral foil, and shrimp crackers add crunch.