"Devil" Foods for Halloween

Four kinds of chile—whole and in hot sauces—combine to make the spicy, sweet sauce for these salmon fillets. The sauce caramelizes as it cooks, so be sure to grill the fish over a not-too-hot fire to avoid over-charring.

"This is basically a cold buttered rum," says mixologist Jeff Berry. "You could serve it during the holidays in lieu of eggnog."

Salvatore Denaro's pollo alla diavola ("devil's-style chicken") is intensely seasoned. Two days prior to cooking, Denaro infuses white wine vinegar with a big bunch of dried Sicilian oregano for a marinade. Then he seasons the marinated chicken with an exotic herb mixture, or condimento, that includes Turkish bay laurel ("the only kind to use," Denaro says) and myrtle leaves. Feel free to experiment with a variety of herbs for the condimento. Pollo alla diavola is traditionally grilled over wood embers, but the chicken may also be grilled over a charcoal or gas fire, or broiled in an oven.

Chef Ford Fry's deviled eggs get their terrific flavor from goat cheese, Dijon mustard and cornichons, plus a topping of country ham from Benton's in Madisonville, Tennessee.

Mixologist Phil Ward is obsessed with traditional recipes, which he learns by heart (he has a photographic memory), then tweaks. At Death & Co, one of the first places in the country to offer old-fashioned punch-bowl service, he cools his Kill Devil Punch with a block of raspberry ice that releases berries into the bowl as it melts.

Pairing Suggestions: A juicy Italian Rosato is full of fruity flavor—delicious with the salty, smoky deviled ham.

"I can't have a party without deviled eggs," says Katie Lee, whose cooking often reflects her Southern roots (she was born in West Virginia). Here, she deconstructs the retro hors d'oeuvre, blending hard-boiled eggs with mustard and mayonnaise so it's more like an egg salad that she can spread on toasts. "Simplicity is key," she says. "To me, it's more about tasting the egg than anything else."

Instead of making bite-size cupcake snacks, bake full-size cupcakes in standard muffin pans. Sprinkle the frosted cupcakes with a bit of cocoa powder mixed with instant espresso.

Joanne Chang's mother used to make hard-boiled eggs for dinner: She would add them to the beef or chicken she was braising in soy. This is Joanne's riff on those eggs, made spicy with hot sauce and wasabi.