Daniel Humm

Daniel Humm varies the ingredients for this lovely appetizer depending on what he finds at the farmers’ market—on good days, beautiful heirloom tomatoes. He tosses them with briny oil-and-vinegar-marinated white anchovies, also known by the Spanish name boquerónes, which are available at the deli counter of many specialty-food stores.

Hearty and easy to make, this creamy dish never disappoints.

Switzerland has been making Sbrinz—a hard, aged, cow's-milk cheese—for centuries. Daniel Humm uses the pleasantly salty Sbrinz to top a gratin made with a ratatouille-like mix of sautéed zucchini strips, bell peppers and tomato. Parmigiano-Reggiano, another hard, aged, cow's milk cheese, is a fine substitute.

To make the dressing for this pretty salad, Daniel Humm takes the zesty poaching liquid for shrimp—flavored with coriander seeds, garlic, peppercorns and orange zest—and reduces it. The salad is wonderful as both a first course or a light main course.

For this fun cross between a salad and a cheese course, Daniel Humm grills apricots to give them an alluring smokiness, then serves them with goat cheese, arugula and a toasted–pine nut dressing.

Daniel Humm's broiled open-face cheese sandwiches make a terrific snack or a decadent lunch. They evoke classic Swiss fondue because they combine bubbling hot Gruyère with white wine and kirsch, a cherry-flavored spirit.

If Daniel Humm were cooking in the northern, more Germanic part of Switzerland, he'd probably serve this spectacular roasted veal with spaetzle, but because he's in the southern, Italian region, he makes a luscious risotto with porcini mushrooms.

"Every house has an herb garden," says Daniel Humm of Ticino, the southern region of Switzerland. Accordingly, he infuses roasted peaches with honey-rosemary syrup. The mascarpone in the ice cream reveals the strong Italian influence on Ticino's cuisine.