Spring

Making your own flavored vinegar and oil might seem like a crazy thing only chefs in the Hot 10 would do, but once you make them (which is easy), your salads will enjoy instant upgrades.

Don't obsess over getting these exact ingredients in this precise combination. Any nut you like will work here for crunch, and you're looking for a mix of bright herbs and enough cooked grains to make it substantial.

Mix up your summer sides with this bright grain salad tossed in an Asian-inspired vinaigrette.

In the state of Chiapas, these are made with chewy dried shrimp and called tostadas turulas. Use the most flavorful shrimp and best tomatoes you can find.

The classic combination of peaches and cream takes a trip south of the border in these cinnamon-spiked ice pops.

We use this rub on just about everything that we smoke at the restaurant, but you needn't follow the recipe exactly. Feel free to improvise on the ingredients and amounts, reducing the sugar for a less-sweet "bark" (crust), increasing the cayenne for a spicier one, and so on.

Roasting cherry tomatoes with maple syrup enhances their natural sweetness, making them an ideal partner for rich, tangy goat cheese.

Tomatoes and fresh corn salsa add a Mexican twist to the classic avocado toast. To add a smoky flavor to the mix, grill the corn first.

At Selamat Pagi, our Balinese restaurant, lime, ginger, and lemongrass are mainstay ingredients, appearing in many dishes. We were thinking about making a sorbet that reflected some of these ingredients and wondered what would happen if we threw all of them together. Our initial taste transported us back to the lush green hills of Bali, after which we were all too disappointed to find ourselves standing in our test kitchen. Along with lemon sorbet, this might be our go-to refreshment when we desperately need to cool off.

This Asian-inspired recipe contains ground pork and a velvety peanut sauce (made with the very same peanut butter that you use to make PB&J sandwiches when no one's looking) accentuated with sharp ginger, lime juice, and fresh herbs. Wrapped up in crispy lettuce, these cups can be eaten like tacos.

Most people think of ambrosia salad as a cloud of chunky white fruit in a glass bowl with neatly arranged canned mandarins on top. But we've evolved from those dark ages, and it's high time this salad got a makeover. Ambrosia can be reeeaally delicious, if made with the best, freshest ingredients. If you are even thinking about using dried coconut flakes from a bag, don't bother with this. Sweet fresh coconut meat is what makes it a standout. I don't usually go for aperitifs, but a chilled glass of Lillet is perfect with this salad.

When it comes to marinating these steaks, go long. Time adds intense flavor, the wine helps tenderize, and you can get it going before you hit the road.

If you have any doubts about your fish-cooking skills, put an end to them by using a nonstick skillet.

Parsley, mint, and lemon zest make this herbed oil a versatile condiment for a number of dishes.

This pretty green soup is creamy, cool, and refreshing. Top each bowl with a flavorful mix of parsley, mint, olive oil, and lemon zest.