Herbs & Spices

It's hard to imagine anything better than freshly picked ears of corn roasting to golden-brown goodness on the grill. One taste of our Honey-Ginger Barbecue Sauce and you'll be wondering why you ever stuck to plain ol' butter. This sweet and tangy sauce transforms the season's staple produce into a standout, flame-kissed favorite. Editor's Note: This recipe is part of Gourmet's Modern Menu for A Fourth of July Cookout. Menu also includes Grilled Shrimp with Honey-Ginger Barbecue Sauce and Red, White, and Blue Ice Cream Cake.

Of all the ways to prepare shrimp, the grill delivers the best flavor. Although unadorned "shrimp on the barbie" are great, an easily assembled gingery barbecue sauce makes them that much better. You can save time by buying already shelled and deveined shrimp, but our recipe developer, Alexis Touchet, who grew up in shrimp country in southwest Louisiana, thinks shell-on shrimp are better quality. Depending on where you live and what's in your market, you may not have much choice. Freshness trumps all, so don't hesitate to use your nose in deciding which shrimp to buy.

This sweet and tangy sauce is perfect for glazing grilled meats, seafood, and veggies. It was designed for our Grilled Shrimp and Grilled Corn recipes, as part of our Gourmet Modern Menu for A Fourth of July Cookout.

This salad of melon, sweet pepper, salty cheese and earthy basil recalls the watermelon salad that we all love so much, but its elegant components make it more refined. Salt is key to marrying the flavors, so be generous, tasting as you go. Be liberal, too, with a very good extra-virgin olive oil—it is very much a part of this salad.

Our dear friends, the Krutchiks, often lavish us with new food discoveries, like Wagyu pastrami—a luxe version of the delicious brined, spiced and smoked deli meat—which they buy at their NYC neighborhood shop, Grace's Marketplace. The richly marbled, melt-in-your-mouth meat inspired this twist on Italy's beloved bread and tomato salad. Use ripe, in-season tomatoes (their sweet juices form part of the dressing), and pick an airy light rye bread over the dark, dense sort; the latter is too chewy for this salad. Wagyu is certainly tasty, but any good pastrami works well here.

Trust us: No one will complain if you double the shrimp and omit the lobster in this tart and beachy seafood salad. Just be sure to sear the shrimp quickly on a hot grill: The char plays nicely with lime juice.

No room on the grill? Cut the kernels from the cobs and char with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast-iron skillet on the stove.

When added either before or after cooking, this aromatic seasoning imparts deep flavor to lamb, beef, pork, or duck.

This is our version of shichimi togarashi, the spicy Japanese condiment.

With a dish this simple, you need the freshest possible fish—and good technique. Score the flesh down to the bone to encourage even cooking, and be patient when making the first turn: If you oil the grill grate well and give the fish time to cook through, the skin won't stick.

We like vegetarian mains in summer; for a heartier dish, add shredded rotisserie chicken or sliced grilled steak.

This triple-decker amplifies the classic fLavors of a BLT with sliced hard-boiled eggs, chive mayo, and a bundle of fresh herbs.

A great addition to a brunch menu-serve with fruit and mimosas for an impressive display.

This recipe is one of eggland’s best’s most popular recipes.

A Strata is traditionally made with a base of bread and eggs, with other ingredients layered on top. Dress this recipe up with some of our great suggestion.

These chocolate-covered mint leaves have a fresh, wild flavor that sets them apart from other chocolate-covered treats. Serve as an after-dinner refreshment with tea or coffee.

As much as I like tabbouleh, to me fattoush has more zing—plus it's less time-consuming to make and more adaptable. Here's one version of fattoush you'll encounter all over Lebanon, but in any home or restaurant you'll notice slight variations, depending on the season or the cook's palate. You can either deep-fry or toast the pita croutons that give the salad its special character; the fried bread will taste better, but toasted is, obviously, healthier. When tomatoes are out of season, I like to substitute cherry or grape tomatoes since they're likely to be juicier and more flavorful. If you can find purslane, use it (a cup or two, chopped); it adds authenticity and a nice peppery bite.

Cooking the wings slowly over medium-low coals and turning them often makes for crisp results; the skin will brown while the meat cooks through. Be sure to begin 1 day ahead; the chicken needs to marinate overnight for the flavors to infuse.