Jill Mulcahy, Recipe Tester

Very high heat achieves a perfectly crisp skin. An unexpected herb and caper vinaigrette adds a piquant counterpoint.

Crumpets with butter. How very English. And how very enticing according to everyone who’s tried this authentic homemade version.

This is definitely NOT the roast chicken of our childhood. And with all due respect, we couldn’t be happier about that.

So what if salmon isn’t from Italy? Cookbook author Giuliano Hazan is and he says to toss chunks of the rich fish with pasta, tomatoes, and cream. We’ll happily oblige.

There’s one foolproof way that we can think of to get avowed Brussels sprouts loathers to eat them. Hint: Frying makes EVERYTHING better.

Dead-ripe tomatoes, herbs, Cheddar cheese, and mayo in a flaky pastry crust. Sorta like a tomato sandwich but in a savory warm pie incarnation. You’re welcome.

An American classic. This chicken and dumplings recipe is made with chicken, creamy gravy, and buttery, feather-light dumplings.

This chicken chili is called black and white because of the of black beans and cannellini beans. The chicken makes the chili lighter but it’s still hearty.

These Roquefort walnut shortbreads are an elegant appetizer. The shortbreads can also serve as cocktail nibbles. Use a quality Roquefort for best results.