Green Cabbage

These multispiced patties are a step up from basic backyard burgers, infused with a laundry list of herbs and chopped veggies. Grab a handful of napkins and prepare for a messy masterpiece.

A great recipe is like a strong friendship—it gets better with age. Epicurious member Sooz Wolhuter of Laguna Beach, California, crafted this cabbage salad years ago, riffing on a coleslaw recipe. The blend of ribboned cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, and green onions mixed with spicy soy and chile garlic is perfect for large gatherings. If peanuts aren’t enough protein for you, add some seared Ahi tuna or grilled sliced chicken to bulk it up.

Rae: What I love about our updated version of this peasant soup is that it's based on an actual beet broth—not beef stock, as in a lot of Russian borschts, and not even vegetable stock to which beets have been added. This is a really beet-y, and surprisingly hearty, borscht. And it's completely vegetarian.

Hot ribs, meet cool slaw. Yogurt magically lightens the dressing.

Save time by purchasing sliced stemmed shiitake mushrooms and wasabi paste in a tube. If the paste isn't available, mix 2 teaspoons wasabi powder with 1 tablespoon water.

Amaranth is a small herb seed, not a cereal grain, that tastes a bit peppery and is rich in protein and high in fiber. Here, it is toasted until it pops, much like popcorn. The lemon juice is not only for flavor; it also keeps the apples from turning brown.

Low in calories and saturated fat, tofu provides a healthful source of protein and makes an energizing snack. Pressing the tofu extracts some of the liquid so it will crisp in the oven.

This colorful relish is delicious with grilled chicken or shrimp. It also pairs well with the piquant flavors of quesadillas and crab cakes.

Leeks should be cleaned thoroughly. After slicing, place the pieces in a large bowl of cold water. Let stand about 10 minutes, then remove them with a slotted spoon.

The broth left over from poaching chicken breasts makes a delicious soup base. Refrigerate it in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 weeks; bring to a boil before using.

This slaw can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Refrigerate the cooked bacon separately, wrapped in paper towels, in a resealable plastic bag; reheat it on a baking sheet in a 325°F oven until it’s warm and crisp.

Every year, we celebrate the heart of summer with a Sunday barbecue feast at Lucques. This annual tradition always includes at least four different barbecued meats, baked beans, long-cooked greens, grilled cornbread, and former Lucques chef Rob Chalmers’s infamous coleslaw. The first year he made it, he miscalculated “slightly” and made enough for about six hundred people! It became a running joke to tease Rob about his coleslaw, and for about a year after the barbecue, the servers and busboys used to greet every staff meal with the predictable, “What, no coleslaw?” Here is a manageable-sized recipe for Rob’s light, crunchy, and always satisfying slaw.