4th of July Food Ideas

This is Michael Psilakis's modern take on the traditional Greek combination of watermelon and feta cheese. It features the creamy yogurt he grew up eating in New York's Long Island: "My mom made it at home all the time, and we'd snack on it with honey after school."

The Fourth-of-July tomato plant produces smallish fruit (about 3 inches) with a nice tartness--perfect for salsa. And, yes, they really do ripen early: in time for Independence Day. That holiday is also a good time to have incendiary firecracker chiles, which are ornamental as well as delicious and grow well in pots.

Celebrate the Fourth of July with this fun and festive creamy fruit salad.

Peak-season tomatoes make all the difference in this simple bruschetta from author Susan Spungen. They're the perfect accompaniment to a bowl of soup or a large salad, or, to turn them into two-bite hors d'oeuvres, simply cut the bruschetta crosswise into strips.

Warm, tender, milky mozzarella is easier to make than you might think. Plus it takes just 20 minutes.

In this lightened version of guacamole, tomatillo puree replaces some of the rich avocado, adding a bit of sweetness and tang; roasted poblano contributes a little heat. Stretching the recipe with roasted peppers, cherry or grape tomatoes, or diced jicama, mango or papaya would lighten it even more. This dip deserves the best homemade, oven-baked tortilla chips: Cut stacked corn tortillas into wedges, spray or brush them lightly with oil, then bake at 375? until curled and crisp.

The spirit of Jamaica's popular jerk sauce comes through in this superspicy, fragrant grilled chicken. To punch up the flavor even more, let the marinade sit for an additional 24 hours before adding the meat. To lower the heat, swap out Scotch bonnet chiles (among the world's hottest) for jalapenos.

Marcus Samuelsson drew on African staples like yams and okra to create this completely original recipe of roasted sweet potatoes tossed with red potatoes, wilted spinach and sauteed okra. Toasted mustard seeds and a caper vinaigrette give this delicious salad a nutty, tangy flavor.

Bruce Aidells, author of Bruce Aidells's Complete Book of Pork, loves to barbecue spareribs, but his favorite way to prepare them is to generously season the ribs with a mix of aromatic herbs and spices and slow-roast them until tender and crisp. Like his favorite Tuscan cooks, he finishes the ribs with a simple balsamic glaze.

"In my hometown of Orosei, bitter greens like arugula and dandelion grow alongside watermelons, so this salad is a natural combination for me," says chef Efisio Farris. The recipe is a fabulous blend of juicy (watermelon) and crunchy (red onions and walnuts). For anyone who thinks raspberry vinegar went out with the '90s, this fruity vinaigrette will be a revelation.

A few years ago, I went to Malaysia for the first time and spent every second I could on New Lane in Penang. It's arguably the single greatest street-food stroll in the world. Among the hundreds of stalls are a few that turn out chicken wings and chicken quarters glazed with the classic Chinese master sauce that I can't eat enough of. Sticky and fatty, the best versions of this dish emulsify the chicken fat into the sauce as it reduces. Think of it as a schmaltz version of beurre monte! I wish I could insist that you fly to Penang to enjoy the best version of this yummy concoction, but that would be lying.—Andrew Zimmern

Bill Kim's thin, triple-stacked burgers, loaded with ginger, lemongrass, cilantro and basil, are inspired by a lemongrass pork sausage he often serves at his restaurant in Chicago, BellyQ.

Chef Nancy Silverton adores Antica Macelleria Cecchini, Dario Cecchini's famous butcher shop in the Tuscan town of Panzano, where she buys thick porterhouses to make this classic recipe. Chef Matt Molina and his entourage prepared the dish on their last night in Italy, marinating the meat in olive oil, balsamic vinegar and rosemary.