Peppers

F&W Best New Chefs 2017 Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson, of Kismet in Los Angeles, grill all kinds of peppers before tossing them in this delicious and compelling salad that includes grapes, cucumbers, purslane and a lemon and Urfa pepper dressing.

At Staplehouse in Atlanta, chef Ryan Smith makes his own version of the Japanese spice blend furikake that includes a housemade scallop powder and dried fermented mushrooms. A store-bought blend, however, will work perfectly here. Look for one without wasabi, as that flavor can be a bit intense on these shishitos.

Mimi Thorisson tops sweet roasted peppers with her deliciously garlicky and salty homemade breadcrumbs.

Mario Batali tops crisp, garlic-rubbed bread with tender, sweet peppers enlivened with chiles and anchovy paste.

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.

Celia Brooks Brown lives in London near Green Lanes, an ancient thoroughfare now famous for restaurants that serve Turkish dishes, like these stuffed peppers. She replaces the usual green bell peppers with yellow ones, which deliver more than twice the vitamin C: One yellow pepper provides a whopping 500 percent of the recommended daily intake.

"This butter bean gratin is based on an amazing flageolet bean gratin that one of my mentors, Frank Stitt, makes. His recipe was originally inspired by one from Richard Olney," says Hugh Acheson. ("Butter bean" is a common Southern term for limas.) "It's an ode to the marriage of Southern vegetables and French know-how."

Colorful and delicious, this stir-fry recipe with loaded with red bell peppers and healthy kale.

Sweet bell peppers add delicious flavor and beautiful color to this classic cheese lasagna recipe.

Spanish cooks traditionally fry sweet-hot Padron peppers (available at melissas.com) and toss them with salt. Adding prosciutto and mint makes the peppers extraordinary.

Tia Keenan's unconventional, Greek-accented sandwich has just four ingredients, among them feta cheese and dill.

F&W's Kay Chun cooks a mound of sweet peppers with onion and garlic, then tosses them with tomatoes and parsley for this hearty vegetarian pasta sauce.

These genius hors d'oeuvres from Colby Garrelts (an F&W Best New Chef 2005) call for just three ingredients. The recipe can be made ahead of time, so it's great for parties.

A plate of red and yellow bell peppers tossed with a tangy dressing pleases both the eye and the palate. You can use peppers of only one color, if you prefer, or include an orange and a green bell pepper for a truly spectacular effect.

F&W's Justin Chapple makes this superfun and quick spicy slaw for topping hot dogs, burgers and grilled salmon.

Finger-long and typically mild (one in 10 is spicy), shishito peppers are sauteed, simmered, grilled and eaten raw all over Japan in the summer. This charred version from farmer Tadaaki Hachisu gets a salty, earthy, spicy hit from brown rice miso and fresh ginger.

The secret to this speedy soup is buying ingredients with lots of built-in flavor, like hummus and jarred piquillo peppers.

This recipe is a fast and excellent way to dress up arugula; the mini peppadew peppers are stuffed with an herbed goat cheese filling that's delicious with balsamic vinegar.

Navarrese piquillo peppers are prepared creatively at many of Pamplona's tapas bars. In this simple, vibrant recipe from Baserri, they're served as a carpaccio with splashes of aged balsamic, fruity olive oil and a sprinkling of grated cheese.

At his sleek Houston bar, chef Justin Yu pairs blistered shishito peppers with bright green, zesty garlic-herb oil, a take on persillade. You’ll want to keep this stuff around—it’s fantastic drizzled on salads or tossed with hot pasta.