Nut Free

The intensely flavored soffrito is the foundation of this rich pasta; double the ingredients and freeze half for next time.

Pera learned the art of arepas from his sister-in-law. Now, they're his easy Sunday meal of choice, packed with leftovers or farm-fresh produce. "My wife is a surgeon and works even longer hours than I do," he says, "so brunch is now my favorite meal to cook for her." These are some of Pera's go-to fillings—but anything tastes good in an arepa.

Says Headley of these crisp, buttery-sweet biscuits, "Serving them hot is all that matters."

Fleer's family enjoys indoor picnics with brandade (made here with a shortcut: smoked trout) and storebought fixings. "We just sit on the floor and chat and chew," he says.

Cakey on top, pudding-y on the bottom, tart all the way through.

David Chang's buttermilk dressing is our kind of ranch. Use the freshest beans possible: You want that tender snap.

Top this thickened, spreadable yogurt with a drizzle of olive oil and some spices (we're suckers for za'atar).

The caramelized milk jam makes for a decadent little sandwich, but these cookies are amazingly good simply eaten on their own.

Charred to a crisp: Not a statement usually associated with salads, but delicious nonetheless in this Mexican-inspired romaine number.

You can find labneh at Middle Eastern markets and specialty food stores.or you can make your own.

The vinegared shallots and fresh herbs cut through the richness of the steak.

Watson, who's from Louisiana, grew up on his mom's dirty rice; that dish helped inspire this bastardized fried version. The chicken-liver base tastes very concentrated and intense on its own, but becomes nicely balanced in the finished dish.

We're now obsessed with this snail-shaped pasta (which is made from scratch at Tosca).

Nilou Motamed, Epicurious Editor-in-Chief, swears by this herb-infused lobster roll recipe inspired by her father-in-law Michael DePorte. When available, Nilou prefers soft-shell lobsters, or “shedders”, for their easy-to-crack shells (no tools required!) and sweet, tender meat. If you choose soft-shell lobsters, reduce the cooking time by 2 to 3 minutes. She also prefers filtered seawater as a cooking liquid, so if your fishmonger has it available, give it a try! Boiling lobsters in well-salted water is the next best thing.

Let colorful, sweet heirloom tomatoes shine in a simple side salad.

If you don't happen to have eight ramekins, you can assemble the sauce and eggs in a single baking dish and increase the baking time if needed.

Zucchini may not be the most loved vegetable, but when shallow-fried into patties, even kids will go crazy for them.