Broil

These flavorsome burgers are ideal for relaxed family meals and offer a good hit of mood-lifting tryptophan.

Watercress is the green of choice in Cuba, its peppery taste a perfect foil for the avocado and the sweet pineapple in this classic Cuban salad. I serve it with shrimp in a spicy tomato sauce called enchilado de camarones. In Cuba, the pineapple is never roasted, but this technique adds another dimension of flavor I find very appealing.

This dish is the result of a kind of friendly competition I had with my friend Jeremy Marshall of Aquagrill restaurant in downtown Manhattan. We wanted to develop crusts for salmon: His is falafel, mine is hummus. The lemon oil will be best if you start it a day ahead, so there's time for the flavors to mature.

The frittata will be easier to remove from the skillet if it sits for a few minutes—the top will deflate and the edges will pull away from the pan.

Corn husks can be transformed into a surprisingly flavorful oil. At Seäsonal, this vinaigrette is tossed with Bibb lettuce, radishes, and crisp pumpernickel croutons.

An aggressively seasoned marinade delivers big flavor.

Juicy lemon segments balance out the salad of briny olives, salty capers, and fragrant oregano that tops this quick and easy fish dish.

"The only thing better than pimiento cheese dip? Melted pimiento cheese dip, laced with chopped pickles for a little zip." —Janet McCracken, deputy food editor

Not your standard deviled eggs, these are bright from the addition of vinegar and horseradish and are broiled just before serving.

Using chicken thighs instead of breasts ensures juicy cutlets.

It's the crispy fried skin that makes wings a diet no-go. Using chicken tenders keeps 'em healthy.

The smoky-tart flavors of this sauce pair well with the inherent sweetness of seared scallops or roasted pork tenderloin.

Plump Medjool dates stuffed with creamy herbed goat cheese and wrapped in fresh basil and crispy prosciutto make for seriously addictive eating. Plus, these salty-sweet bundles are quite possibly the easiest hors d’oeuvre you’ll ever make. Stuff and wrap the dates a couple of hours ahead, then arrange on a baking sheet, cover with plastic, and refrigerate until party time. When your guests arrive, pop the dates under the broiler and serve immediately.

Rosemary and garlic are often used to season lamb, but rarely are they part of such a complex taste arrangement as this recipe produces. The powerful duo is sprinkled on lamb chops that are quickly broiled. Garlic also flavors a hearty side of sautéed chard, while additional rosemary is simmered in balsamic vinegar, creating a beautiful, aromatic syrup to drizzle over the chops and greens. With only 35 minutes of prep time, this recipe is perfect any night of the week.

Freshly husked and oven-broiled, roasted tomatillos provide a smoky warmth you just won’t find in jarred salsa. To reduce the sodium here, use half the suggested amount of salt; the flavor will pick right back up with tortilla chips. While fresh tomatillos are an end-of-summer through fall item, you can use the canned variety to whip this up; and play around with the pepper selection to personalize your dip and control the heat.

Sam Hazen, the former executive chef of New York celebrity hangout Tao, created this broiled fish dish seasoned with the Japanese trifecta of sake, mirin, and miso. A great riff on beef satay, this appetizer can be marinated up to a day ahead for a quick weeknight snack or full meal when served with rice. Avoid unsustainable Chilean sea bass; look for white sea bass from California, black cod, Pacific or Alaskan halibut, or striped bass.

This traditional take on broiled oysters is an elegant way to begin a dinner party—just multiply the servings by the number of guests. The French mignonette sauce offers an acidic complement to the briny shellfish, while Champagne grapes lend fruity sweetness. If Champagne grapes are unavailable, use seedless red table grapes instead. If you feel unsure about how to shuck an oyster, just purchase them on the half shell.