Dena Eran, Recipe Tester

A slightly heretical take on a French classic, this riff involves onion soup, bread, and cheese, but not quite like you’ve experienced it before.

Chicken, water chestnuts, and scallions take a bath in ginger and soy sauce before being wrapped with butter lettuce leaves. Did we mention on the table in 20 minutes?

Made with bacon and onion and buttermilk, these savory scones are traditionally served with soup, though when you let go of expectations, you’ll find they make a swell breakfast, too.

Forget plain old peanuts. This titillating take on spiced nuts adds paprika and chili powder without subtracting anything from their beer friendly quotient.

Popular in Lebanon and Syria, these sweets are rich semolina cookies shaped around a date paste perfumed with orange-flower water and rose water. Delicate.