Dairy

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from I Like Food, Food Tastes Good: In the Kitchen with Your Favorite Bands by Kara Zuaro. To read more about the book, see the related story. Patrick Phelan
from Patrick himself Singer-songwriter Patrick Phelan crafts dreamy, lingering music, studies human rights, and has spent time in Italy to focus on his cooking, as he has been a chef for more than eleven years. This decadent dish is something you should save for a special occasion because (a) you're going to have to drop a lot of cash to make it happen, (b) you're going to need to kill a pair of lobsters in the process, and (c) it'll make your special day that much more special. This is a challenging recipe, but if you follow the directions carefully, you'll end up with a dish that's as fancy as it is comforting — and big enough to feed a crowd. If you're cooking for two, just make half — you'll still savor the leftovers for lunch the next day. "This recipe comes courtesy of the great influences of David Shannon, one of my many teachers over the years." —Patrick Phelan

For a quick defrost, microwave the veggies in bowls for one to two minutes on high.

A balsamic vinaigrette flavors the chicken and dresses the salad.

Great with soup or salad — or alongside Linguine with Spicy Leek and Tomato Sauce.

This classic, heart-shaped dessert is basically a no-bake, crustless cheesecake. Coeur à la crème molds are perforated, heart-shaped, and available online at fantes.com. You can also rig up makeshift molds by cutting the sides of four 12-ounce paper cups to 3 inches high. With a toothpick, poke 12 holes in the bottom of each. Line with cheesecloth; fill as directed.

There's enough dough for one more pizza, so freeze the extra. The vital wheat gluten flour is high in protein and helps create a chewy crust. It's sold at some supermarkets and natural foods stores. Bread flour will also give great results.

These easy enchiladas have a bright, lively flavor thanks to lots of tomatillos, fresh herbs, and two kinds of chiles.

We're all for those simple dishes in which every ingredient tastes radiantly of itself. Sometimes, though, we're reminded of how ingredients can become even more special from their interaction. This veal preparation is definitely one of those reminders — you don't taste cheese or anchovy or wine or butter, just gorgeous meat with a green freshness from the spinach. You'll want some good crusty bread to soak up every last drop of the incredibly flavorful sauce.

These lacy, savory, funnel-cake-like squiggles, made with the mild Swiss cheese known as Appenzeller, are unbelievably light because of the carbonation of the beer in the batter. They are wonderful when hot — and they're still amazing at room temperature or even a few days later (if you can keep them around for that long).

Aligot gratin with horseradish cream Peasant ingenuity triumphs in this simple, soul-satisfying dish from France's mountainous Auvergne region. It's the perfect foil for grilled or roasted meat.

Contrasting textures — crunchy salad and creamy chickpeas spread over freshly grilled pita — make this vegetarian meal something truly special.

Cutlets get an indulgent topping of rich ham and nutty melted Gruyère in a contemporary take on chicken Cordon Bleu.

Roasted vegetables and Italian Fontina lend this lush-tasting lasagne a more intense flavor than than you'd get with the usual spinach and ricotta filling.

Flavorful smoked mackerel (a nice change from tuna) stars in an effortless combination of crisp, refreshing ingredients that require no cooking.

Fresh marinara sauce makes all the difference in these robust sandwiches. Look for it near the cheeses and fresh pasta at the supermarket.

This quick and healthy shake is a great breakfast on-the-go.