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Shellfish and pork are a power duo. The salty-sweet pancetta soffritto is the backbone of this clam toast (a kitchen favorite during tastings). This recipe is from Hart's in Brooklyn, our #5 Best New Restaurant 2017. You have roughly a 73% of seeing someone from the Bon Appétit staff at the restaurant, eating this dish, if you go.

Clam Toasts with Pancetta

olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling

pancetta (Italian bacon), finely chopped

garlic cloves, 2 thinly sliced, 2 whole

½ medium sweet onion, finely chopped

fennel fennel fronds

lemon zest

bay leaf

fennel

dry white wine, divided

sourdough bread

clams

parsley leaves

red pepper flakes (for serving)

Shellfish and pork are a power duo. The salty-sweet pancetta soffritto is the backbone of this clam toast (a kitchen favorite during tastings). This recipe is from Hart's in Brooklyn, our #5 Best New Restaurant 2017. You have roughly a 73% chance of seeing someone from the Bon Appétit staff at the restaurant, eating this dish, if you go.

Bon Appétit

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crisp, 5–7 minutes. Add sliced garlic and cook, stirring often, until garlic is golden around the edges, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low and add sweet onion and chopped fennel. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and onion is translucent, 6–8 minutes. Add lemon zest, bay leaf, ground fennel, ½ cup wine and a pinch of salt. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until wine is mostly reduced but mixture is still a little bit saucy, about 3 minutes. Transfer soffritto to a medium bowl; discard lemon zest and bay leaf. Wipe out skillet.

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in same skillet over medium. Arrange bread slices in skillet and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Cut 1 garlic clove in half and rub one side of each toast with cut side of garlic. Wipe out skillet.

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in same skillet over medium. Crush remaining garlic clove with the side of a chef’s knife and cook, stirring often, until it begins to turn golden, about 1 minute. Add clams, soffritto, and remaining ½ cup wine. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until liquid is reduced by half and clams are open (discard any that do not open), 5–7 minutes. Add parsley and fennel fronds and cook 1 minute longer. Taste and season with salt if needed.

To serve, place fried bread on plates and spoon clam mixture and cooking broth over. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with red pepper flakes.

Do Ahead: Soffritto can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

A low, steady simmer makes this braise a great pork ragù to pour over your cavatelli.

Cavatelli with Pork Ragù

pork

salt and black pepper

olive oil,

½ medium onion, finely chopped

carrot, peeled, finely chopped

celery stalk, finely chopped

garlic clove, finely chopped

rosemary

oregano

tomatoes

dry red wine

black peppercorns

nutmeg

cloves

pasta

currants

Tuscan kale, ribs and stems removed, torn into 2” pieces

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

Parmesan,

Season pork with salt and pepper. Heat ¼ cup oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook meat, turning occasionally, until browned, 10–15 minutes; transfer to a large plate.

Drain all but 2 Tbsp. fat from pot. Reduce heat to medium and cook onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Tie rosemary, oregano, and bay leaf into a bundle with kitchen twine; add to pot along with pork, tomatoes, wine, peppercorns, nutmeg, and cloves. Add water just to cover meat and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, adding more water as needed, until meat is very tender, 1–1½ hours.

Discard herb bundle. Using 2 forks, shred meat in pot; cook, uncovered, over medium heat until sauce is thickened, 8–10 minutes.

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking liquid.

Add currants, if using, and kale to ragù; cook until kale is soft, about 4 minutes. Add pasta; cook, adding reserved pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta. Mix in butter and ½ cup Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Serve pasta drizzled with oil and topped with more Parmesan.

DO AHEAD: Pork can be cooked (do not shred) 2 days ahead. Let cool in braising liquid; cover and chill.

This irresistible chicken milanesa recipe featuring a matchup of crispy and creamy releases more dopamine than a bag of Cheetos.

Chicken Milanesa with Ranch Sauce

mayonnaise

crème fraîche

buttermilk

parsley

lemon juice

Maggi seasoning sauce (can swap with soy sauce)

garlic powder

onion powder

black pepper,

Kosher salt

all-purpose flour

eggs, room temperature

panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded ¼ inch thick

vegetable oil

½ English hothouse cucumber, thinly sliced lengthwise

red radishes, trimmed, sliced

white vinegar

sugar

Aleppo-style pepper (for serving)

This irresistible matchup of crispy and creamy releases more dopamine than a bag of Cheetos.

Whisk mayonnaise, crème fraîche, buttermilk, parsley, lemon juice, Maggi, garlic powder, onion powder, and ½ tsp. pepper in a medium bowl to combine. Season sauce with salt.

Place flour in a shallow bowl. Lightly beat eggs in another shallow bowl to blend. Place panko in a third shallow bowl; season all three with salt and black pepper. Working one at a time, season cutlets with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Transfer to bowl with egg and turn to coat, letting excess drip off. Coat with panko, pressing to adhere.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Working in 2 batches, cook cutlets, shaking pan occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack; season with salt.

Toss cucumber, radishes, vinegar, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl to combine; taste and adjust seasoning with more vinegar, sugar and/or salt as needed.

Drizzle cutlets with sauce, top with vegetables, then drizzle with a little more sauce. Sprinkle with Aleppo-style pepper.

Chilling the filled pie before baking helps it keep its shape; preroasting the apples packs in more flavor.

Apple–Brown Sugar Pie

salt

all-purpose flour,

(1¾ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

shortening,

Granny Smith apples, peeled,

unsalted

½ cup (packed) light brown sugar

cinnamon

egg,

crème fraîche or whipped cream (for serving)

Mix salt and 2¾ cups flour in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment on low speed to combine. Add butter and shortening and beat on medium-low until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Drizzle in ⅓ cup ice water, then beat, adding splashes of ice water as needed, until dough just comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently press together and flatten a couple of times, about 30 seconds. Divide dough in half; pat into disks. Wrap in plastic; chill at least 2 hours.

Do Ahead: Dough can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Preheat oven to 350°. Toss apples, 1 cup granulated sugar, and ¼ cup flour in a large bowl. Divide between 2 rimmed baking sheets; bake, rotating baking sheets once, until apples are just tender, 25–30 minutes. Let cool, then transfer apples and accumulated juices to a large bowl. Add butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and 1 heaping Tbsp. flour; toss to combine. Chill at least 1 hour.

Let dough sit at room temperature to soften slightly, about 5 minutes. Roll out 1 disk on a lightly floured surface to a 13" round. Transfer to a 9" pie dish. Lift up edges; let dough slump down into dish. Trim, leaving ½" overhang. Roll out remaining disk. Scrape apples into dish and place dough over top; trim, leaving 1" overhang. Fold edge of top crust under bottom crust, press together to seal, and crimp. Cut 8 slits in top to vent, brush with egg, and sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar. Chill pie in freezer until crust is firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°. Place pie on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet; bake 30 minutes (crust should be slightly golden). Reduce oven temperature to 350° and continue baking until juices are bubbling and crust is deep golden brown, 50–60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool at least 4 hours before slicing. Serve with crème fraîche.

Do Ahead: Roasted apples can be made 1 day ahead; keep chilled.

Don't psyche yourself out. Just because Coq Au Vin is French and it takes time (it really does), that doesn't mean it's out of reach. It's worth it.

Coq Au Vin

vegetable oil, divided

chicken legs

bacon,

carrots, peeled, chopped

celery stalks,

onion, minced

dry red wine,

tomato paste

chicken broth

thyme

assorted wild mushrooms,

Preheat oven to 350°. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in an ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook chicken in batches until browned, 5-6 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Add bacon to pot; cook until rendered. Add carrots, celery, and onion; cook until onion is translucent, 7-8 minutes. Stir in 1 cup wine and tomato paste; simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add remaining 3 cups wine. Boil until wine is reduced by half, 15-20 minutes. Return chicken to pot.

Add broth. Tie thyme and rosemary sprigs together; add to pot. Bring to a boil and cover pot. Transfer pot to oven and braise until chicken is tender, about 1 1/4 hours.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until browned, about 5 minutes.

Transfer chicken from sauce to pot with mushrooms; keep warm. Simmer sauce over medium heat until reduced by 1/3, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add mushrooms and chicken to sauce. DO AHEAD Coq au vin can be made 3 days ahead. Chill uncovered until cold. Cover; keep chilled. Rewarm before serving.

If you don’t have a Belgian waffle iron for this recipe, use a regular one, but you probably won’t need as much batter.

Coffee-Flavored Belgian Waffles

¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar

baking powder

baking soda

whole-milk ricotta, room temperature

espresso

unsalted butter, melted,

Pure maple syrup and whipped cream (for serving)

Belgian waffle iron

If you don’t have a Belgian waffle iron, use a regular one, but you probably won’t need as much batter.

Whisk flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl to combine. Whisk eggs and ricotta in a large bowl just to incorporate, then add buttermilk and 2 Tbsp. espresso powder; whisk until smooth. Whisk in 5 Tbsp. melted butter, then fold in dry ingredients with a rubber spatula, being careful not to overmix (some lumps are okay). Let batter sit uncovered at room temperature 30 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate.

Preheat oven to 200°. Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. Heat waffle iron and brush with butter. Pour 1 cup batter onto iron and cook until waffle is golden brown and cooked through, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to wire rack in oven. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing iron with more butter as needed. (Waffles will be limp at first but will crisp up as they sit.)

Serve waffles topped with whipped cream, drizzled with maple syrup, and sprinkled with more espresso powder.

This grilled broccoli and arugula salad recipe can be made hours ahead of a party; wait until the last minute to toss together.

Grilled Broccoli and Arugula Salad

broccoli,

olive oil

anchovy

garlic

chervil

tarragon leaves

chives

Dijon mustard

mature arugula, tough stems removed, leaves torn

smoked cheddar, grated

An unexpected side dish that can be made hours ahead of a party; wait until the last minute to toss together.

Cook broccoli in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green and crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain; transfer to a bowl of ice water. Let cool, then drain. Pat broccoli dry; place in a large bowl.

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Drizzle broccoli with oil and toss to coat; season with salt. Grill broccoli, turning occasionally, until charred in spots, 5–7 minutes. Return to bowl and let cool, tossing occasionally.

Purée anchovy, garlic, mayonnaise, buttermilk, chervil, tarragon, chives, lemon juice, and mustard in a blender until smooth; season dressing with salt.

Add arugula to broccoli and toss to combine. Drizzle salad with ¾ cup dressing and toss to coat; season with more salt if needed.

Arrange salad on a platter and top with cheddar.

Do Ahead: Dressing can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

RockSugar uses the juice of calamansi, a delicious but hard-to-find citrus fruit. We approximated its flavor for this sangria with a mix of other citrus.

Blood Orange Sangria

lemongrass stalk, tough outer layer removed, finely chopped

dry Riesling

blood orange juice

grapefruit juice

lime juice

Champagne or sparkling wine

Blood orange wheels (for serving)

RockSugar uses the juice of calamansi, a delicious but hard-to-find citrus fruit. We approximated its flavor with a mix of other citrus.

Muddle lemongrass and lemon juice in a pitcher. Stir in Riesling and blood orange, grapefruit, and lime juices. Chill at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours; strain into a clean pitcher.

Pour ¾ cup citrus mixture into each ice-filled wine glass; add ¼ cup Champagne. Garnish with blood orange wheels.

No disrespect to the frozen tots these are based on, but making your own is way more fun than opening a bag (and they taste better, too).

“Tater Tots” with Spicy Mayonnaise

adobo sauce from canned chipotles in adobo

gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)

smoked Spanish paprika (optional)

russet potatoes (about 2 lb.), scrubbed

scallions, chopped

breadcrumbs

heavy cream

sour cream

unsalted butter, room temperature

black pepper

kosher salt,

eggs,

Vegetable oil (for frying; about 3 cups)

Combine mayonnaise, adobo sauce, gochujang, and paprika, if using, in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper.

DO AHEAD: Mayonnaise can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 400°. Prick potatoes all over with a fork and bake directly on oven rack until very soft when squeezed, 60–75 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Cut potatoes in half and scoop flesh into a medium bowl; discard skins. Mash, then mix in scallions, breadcrumbs, cream, sour cream, butter, granulated garlic, pepper, 2 tsp. salt, and 2 Tbsp. Parmesan. Mix in eggs just until combined. Roll 1-tablespoon portions of potato mixture into balls.

Pour oil into a medium skillet to a depth of ½" and heat over medium heat until bubbles form immediately when a little potato mixture is added. Working in batches, fry tots until deep golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels; season with salt. Serve with spicy mayonnaise.

Served warm, these not-too-sweet brownies beg to go a la mode.

Brownies with Salted Caramel Sauce

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

natural unsweetened cocoa powder

(1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

unsweetened chocolate, chopped

bittersweet chocolate, chopped

espresso powder

eggs

vanilla extract

chocolate chips

unsalted butter,

Gray sea salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat an 8x8x2-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess. Place butter, unsweetened chocolate, and bittersweet chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring occasionally, until melted. Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, whisk flour, espresso powder, kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder in another medium bowl; set aside.

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl until pale and thick, about 2 minutes; beat in vanilla. Fold in warm chocolate mixture, then dry ingredients, just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top.

Bake brownies until a tester inserted into the center comes out with some moist crumbs attached, 20-25 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let brownies cool in pan. Cut brownies into 16 squares.

Bring sugar and 2 tablespoons water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and cook without stirring, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush, until sugar is a deep amber color, 5-8 minutes. Remove caramel from heat.

Add cream and butter (mixture will bubble vigorously) and whisk to combine. Let cool slightly in pan.

Drizzle caramel sauce over brownies and sprinkle with sea salt. DO AHEAD: Brownies can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep at room temp-erature. Caramel sauce can be made 1 week ahead. Let cool. Cover and chill. Reheat before using.

These crunchy cookies are just enough salty-meets-sweet to make them downright addictive.

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