Smoked Salmon & Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

• 1/2 cup crème fraîche
• 3 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• One-half medium English cucumber
• 8 large slices pumpernickel bread, each cut into four 2-inch triangles
• 1/4 lb. thinly sliced cold-smoked salmon, cut into 16 pieces

In a small bowl, mix the crème fraîche with the dill and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Peel the cucumber. Then, using the peeler, shave 16 wide strips from several sides of the cucumber (discard the seed core). In a medium bowl, toss the cucumber strips with 1/4 tsp. salt and let sit until softened, about 10 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.

Spread the creme fraiche generously on one side of each bread triangle (you may not use it all). Top half of the triangles with a folded cucumber strip, a curl of the salmon, and a grind of black pepper. Set the remaining bread on top and serve.

Herb-Buttermilk-Marinated Salmon with Cucumber Salad

The salmon is delicious either warm or at room temperature.

For the salmon

• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions (about 6 medium scallions)
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 2 Tbs. honey
• 1 Tbs. ground ginger
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 sides of salmon (3 lb. each), skin and pin bones removed

For the cucumber salad:

• 3 large English cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise, seeded, and sliced crosswise (about 9-1/2 cups)
• 1 large red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, cut in half
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Marinate and roast the salmon:

In a food processor, combine the buttermilk, basil, cilantro, scallions, vinegar, honey, ginger, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Set aside 3/4 cup for the salad.

Thirty minutes before roasting the salmon, pour the remaining marinade over the salmon in a large rimmed dish and let sit at room temperature. (For the best texture, don't marinate longer than 30 minutes.)

While the salmon is marinating, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. When ready to roast the salmon, remove it from the marinade and set on the baking sheet. Bake until just firm to the touch and opaque in the center (use a paring knife to peek), 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest in the pan for 10 minutes.

Make the salad:

In a medium bowl, mix the cucumbers, onion, olives, cheese, and 1-1/2 tsp. salt. Toss with the reserved buttermilk dressing and season to taste with more salt and pepper.

Serve:

Use two large spatulas to carefully move the salmon to a platter. Spoon some of the cucumber salad around the salmon and serve the rest in a bowl on the side.

Shrimp Skewers

• 36 shrimp (21 to 25 per lb.; about 1-1/2 lb. total), peeled (tail segment left on) and deveined
• Twelve 8-inch bamboo skewers, soaked in water
• 1 recipe Pimentón Vinaigrette 

Thread three shrimp onto each skewer. Lay the skewers in a large Pyrex baking dish (or other large nonreactive container) and pour the pimentón vinaigrette over the skewers, turning them to coat completely. Marinate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Heat a gas grill to medium high or prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire. Grill the skewers (covered on a gas grill, uncovered on a charcoal grill), flipping once, until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 4 minutes total.

Crabmeat Empanadas with Grilled Corn Salsa & Poblano Cream Sauce

For the grilled corn salsa:

• 6 medium ears corn
• 3 Tbs. fresh lime juice (from 1 medium lime)
• 2 Tbs. sunflower or vegetable oil
• 2 Tbs. thinly sliced chives
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the poblano cream sauce:

• 3 medium poblano peppers
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbs. sunflower or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup small-diced white onion
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher salt

For the empandas:

• 1/2 lb. lump crabmeat, picked over for shells
• 2 Tbs. thinly sliced scallion greens
• 1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large egg
• 4 sheets frozen packaged puff pastry (preferably Pepperidge Farm brand), thawed overnight in the refrigerator

Make the grilled corn salsa:

Soak the corn (with husks) in cold water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a medium-high gas or charcoal grill fire.

Wrap each wet corn cob separately in aluminum foil. Space them at least 1 inch apart on the grill and cook, covered, rolling each ear a quarter turn every 8 minutes until the cobs have made a complete rotation, 32 minutes total. Remove the foil, let the ears cool enough to handle, and remove the husks and silk.

Set one ear aside and put the remaining five back on the grill. Cook, turning the cobs once, until they are lightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes. Cool the corn on a rack.

Cut the charred corn from the cobs and put it in a medium bowl. Stir in the lime juice, oil, and chives and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make the poblano cream sauce:

Char the poblanos on the grill, turning them with tongs as soon as each side becomes fully blackened, 6 to 10 minutes. Put the charred poblanos in a bowl and cover. When cool enough to handle, peel and seed them.

In a heavy-duty 2-quart saucepan, bring the cream to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes.

Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Put the onion mixture, poblanos, and 2 Tbs. water in a blender and puree until smooth. Stir the poblano puree into the reduced cream and season to taste with salt. Keep warm.

Make the empanadas:

Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.

Cut the uncharred corn from the cob. In a medium bowl, stir together the corn, crabmeat, scallion greens, lime juice, 1 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper.

Beat the egg in small bowl with 1 Tbs. of water.

Cut each puff pastry sheet into four 3-1/2-inch squares. Drop 1 rounded Tbs. of the crab mixture in the center of each pastry square. With a pastry brush, brush two adjoining edges of each square with the egg and fold the opposite corner over to form a triangle, sealing all the way around with your thumb. Press a fork down on the sealed edges at regular intervals to form small ridges. Transfer the empanadas to two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking.

To serve:

Pour 1 Tbs. of the warm poblano cream sauce in a circle around a small plate. Put one empanada in the center of the plate and spoon a little corn salsa to the side. Serve immediately.

Shrimp with Spicy Asian Peanut Dipping Sauce

• 2 medium limes
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (preferably natural)
• 2 tsp. Asian garlic chile paste (like Huy Fong Foods' Tuong Ot Toi Viet-Nam); more to taste
• 3 Tbs. chopped fresh mint; more for sprinkling
• 1 lb. poached, grilled, or steamed shrimp (16 to 20 per lb.), peeled, with tails left on

Grate 1/2 tsp. zest from one of the limes and then juice both limes. In a food processor, blend the lime zest and 1/4 cup juice with the peanut butter, chile paste, and 1/4 cup cold water. Add more lime juice and chile paste to taste, plus 1 or 2 more Tbs. water as needed to loosen the mixture to a thin dipping sauce consistency. Transfer the sauce to a medium bowl and stir in the mint. Sprinkle the sauce with additional mint and serve with the shrimp.

Lemon Poached Shrimp Cocktail

Shrimp are much more flavorful when poached with their shells on. Don't rinse the cooked shrimp or you'll lose the delicious flavor of the poaching liquid.

• 2 cups dry white wine
• 1 cup water
• 6 black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• Kosher salt
• 1 large lemon, cut in half
• 1-1/2 lb. jumbo shrimp (16-20 count), unpeeled
• Cocktail Sauce with Red Onion & Jalapeño 

In a 10-inch straight-sided sauté pan with a lid, combine the wine, water, peppercorns, bay leaves, and 1 tsp. kosher salt. Gently squeeze the lemon halves over the liquid and then drop in the halves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium low, and let the liquid simmer gently for 10 min. Add the shrimp, cover, and poach for 4 min. Turn off the heat and let the shrimp sit in the covered pan for another 2 min. Transfer the shrimp to a colander with a slotted spoon; discard the poaching liquid. Let the shrimp sit in the colander until they're cool enough to handle, about 15 min., and then shell them and devein them, if necessary. Chill for at least 2 hours or up to a day. Serve cold with the cocktail sauce.

Bacon-Wrapped Ginger Soy Scallops

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 Tbs. dark brown sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
• 6 very large “dry” sea scallops (8 to 10 oz. total)
• 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
• 12 slices bacon, cut in half crosswise

Tip:

Ask for “dry” sea scallops—they haven’t been treated with a solution to maintain their shelf life, so they brown better, have a nicer texture and flavor, and tend to taste fresher than treated or “wet” scallops.

Set a rack in the upper third of the oven. Line the bottom of a broiler pan with foil, replace the perforated top part of the pan, and put the whole pan on the oven rack. Heat the oven to 450°F.

In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, and ginger. If the muscle tabs from the sides of the scallops are still attached, peel them off and discard them. Cut each scallop into quarters. Marinate the scallop pieces in the soy mixture for 15 minutes. Reserve the marinade.

To assemble, stack 2 slices of water chestnut in the center of a piece of the bacon. Put a piece of scallop on top of the water chestnuts. Wrap each end of the bacon over the scallop and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with the remaining bacon, water chestnuts, and scallops (you may not use all of the water chestnuts).

Remove the broiler pan from the oven and quickly arrange the bacon-wrapped scallops on the hot pan so that an exposed side of each scallop faces up. Drizzle the scallops with the reserved marinade. Bake, turning the scallops over once after 10  minutes, until the bacon is browned around the edges and the scallops are cooked through, about 15 minutes total.

Greek Salad Skewers

• One-quarter English cucumber
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 lb. feta cheese, cut into 16 small cubes
• 8 pitted Kalamata olives, halved
• 8 ripe grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Cut four 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices from the cucumber and then quarter each slice. Set the cucumber pieces on a large serving platter and season with 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Top each with a piece of feta and then an olive half. Stab a toothpick through a tomato half and then thread through one of the cucumber stacks, pushing the toothpick down to secure it. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with some more black pepper, and serve.

Baked Brie with Dried Cherries & Thyme

• 1/2-lb. wheel of Brie (about 4-inch diameter), at room temperature
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1/3 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.

Slice off the top rind of the Brie and discard. On a sheet of waxed paper or parchment, roll the pastry out to a 12-inch square and cut two 6-inch rounds from it. Put one of the rounds on a small rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle with half of the dried cherries and thyme, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge, and gently press so they adhere.

Set the Brie, rind side down, on top of the pastry, sprinkle with the remaining cherries and thyme, and cover with the other pastry. Crimp the edges together to seal in the cheese. Brush the top of the dough with the butter. Bake until the pastry browns, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes and then serve.

Quince Paste

In Spain, slices of this sweet, fragrant paste, called membrillo, are served atop wedges of rich Manchego cheese as an hors d’oeuvre. Try it with goat cheese as well—or just put it out for breakfast in place of jam.

• 2 lb. quinces (about 4 medium), peeled, cored, and chopped into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped out
• 2 strips lemon zest (each 1/2 x 2 inches)
• 2 cups granulated sugar; more or less as needed
• 2 T bs. fresh lemon juice
• 1 T bs. unsalted butter, softened

Put the quinces, vanilla bean pod and seeds, and lemon zest in a 4-quart saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the quinces are tender when poked with a knife, about 40 minutes.

Drain the quinces in a colander and discard the vanilla bean. Purée the fruit and lemon zest in a food processor. Measure the purée by volume, return it to the saucepan, and add an equal volume of sugar. (For example, if you have 2 cups of purée, add 2 cups of sugar.)

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice and reduce the heat to low. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the purée becomes a very thick paste, about 1-1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 125°F. If your oven doesn’t go this low, use the lowest temperature possible and expect a shorter cooking time. Line an 8x8-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with parchment and grease with the butter. Pour the quince paste (don’t scrape the pot) into the dish and smooth the top with the wooden spoon. Bake until slightly dried and firm enough to slice, about 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Invert onto a cutting board and cut the quince paste into four 2-inch-wide strips. Wrap each strip in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Greek Salad Skewers

• One-quarter English cucumber
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 lb. feta cheese, cut into 16 small cubes
• 8 pitted Kalamata olives, halved
• 8 ripe grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Cut four 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices from the cucumber and then quarter each slice. Set the cucumber pieces on a large serving platter and season with 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Top each with a piece of feta and then an olive half. Stab a toothpick through a tomato half and then thread through one of the cucumber stacks, pushing the toothpick down to secure it. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with some more black pepper, and serve.

Tiny Twice-Baked Potatoes

You can also twice-bake little fingerling potatoes, and they’ll look just like miniature baked potatoes. The round shape of Yukon Golds, however, makes those potatoes much easier to hollow out.

• 24 baby Yukon Gold or red potatoes, each about 2 inches across (2 to 2-1/4 lb.)
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 oz. bacon (about 3 thick slices), cooked until crispy and crumbled
• 6 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh chives
• 1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
• 1/2 cup coarsely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Heat the oven to 425°F. Put the potatoes on a large baking sheet and toss with the olive oil. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. of the thyme, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, and toss again. Bake the potatoes until they feel perfectly tender when pierced with a skewer, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. If not working ahead, increase the oven temperature to 450°F.

Carefully hollow out each potato: Begin by slicing off the top; use a small spoon or a melon baller to scoop out most of the flesh inside, transferring it to a large bowl. Discard the tops. Mash the potato flesh with a masher or a fork, then combine it with the bacon, 1/4 cup of the chives, the crème fraîche, the remaining 1 tsp. thyme, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Season to taste with more salt and pepper.

Using a small spoon and your fingers, fill the hollowed potatoes with this mixture; it should mound a bit. Sprinkle on the cheese.

Return the potatoes to the 450°F oven and bake until the filling heats through, 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining chives and serve warm.

Shrimp with Spicy Asian Peanut Dipping Sauce

• 2 medium limes
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (preferably natural)
• 2 tsp. Asian garlic chile paste (like Huy Fong Foods' Tuong Ot Toi Viet-Nam); more to taste
• 3 Tbs. chopped fresh mint; more for sprinkling
• 1 lb. poached, grilled, or steamed shrimp (16 to 20 per lb.), peeled, with tails left on

Grate 1/2 tsp. zest from one of the limes and then juice both limes. In a food processor, blend the lime zest and 1/4 cup juice with the peanut butter, chile paste, and 1/4 cup cold water. Add more lime juice and chile paste to taste, plus 1 or 2 more Tbs. water as needed to loosen the mixture to a thin dipping sauce consistency. Transfer the sauce to a medium bowl and stir in the mint. Sprinkle the sauce with additional mint and serve with the shrimp.

Sautéed Mushrooms with Garlic & Parsley

• 5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. white or cremini mushrooms, washed well, trimmed, and cut into quarters (or sixths, if large)
• Kosher salt
• 5 to 6 medium cloves garlic, minced (1-1/2 Tbs.)
• 1 Tbs. sherry vinegar
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until it’s hot and shimmering. Add the mushrooms, season with 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, stir to coat in the oil, then let the mushrooms cook undisturbed until the liquid released by the mushrooms evaporates and they’re deep golden brown, 5 to 7 min. Stir and continue sautéing, stirring occasionally, until most sides are nicely browned, 3 to 5 min. more.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic, and cook just to soften it, 15 to 30 seconds. Add the vinegar and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the vinegar evaporates, about 15 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and toss in the parsley. Season to taste with more salt, if you like. Transfer to a dish and serve with toothpicks for spearing the mushrooms or a serving spoon for putting on individual plates.

Sautéed Chorizo with Red Wine

You’ll need a softer cured chorizo here, not the very firm types that are meant to be eaten without cooking. You can find domestic cured chorizos in Hispanic markets and gourmet markets.

• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1-1/2 lb. cured but soft chorizo, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1/3 cup dry red wine
• Good country bread, cut into large cubes

Heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add the chorizo slices and cook until they begin to turn a deep brown on one side, 3 to 5 min. Stir and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the chorizo is deeply browned all over, about 5 min. more. Carefully add the wine (be ready in case it flames) and let it simmer, scraping the pan to deglaze it, until it has reduced somewhat but is still saucy, 1 to 3 min. Pour the chorizo and juices into a dish. Serve with the bread, for dipping into the sauce.

Crab & Scallion Stuffed Shrimp

For this recipe, avoid shrimp that's already been deveined; because it's been slit down the back, it can't be butterflied properly.

• 3-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter; more for the baking sheet
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions (white and light-green parts only; from 5 to 6 scallions)
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• Two drops Sriracha hot sauce (or other Asian chile sauce)
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh parsley, plus 20 whole leaves or small sprigs
• 1-1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 lb. backfin crabmeat, drained and picked over for shells
• 1-1/4 cups fine fresh breadcrumbs
• 16 jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per lb.), butterflied
• 1 small head frisee lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1-1/2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Make the stuffing:

In a small saucepan, melt 2 Tbs. of the butter over medium-low heat. Add the scallions and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes (don't brown). Take the pan off the heat and stir in the Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, 1 Tbs. of the chopped parsley, 1 tsp. of the lemon juice, the lemon zest, the mustard, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Stir in the cooled scallion mixture. Add the crab and mix gently but thoroughly.

In a 10-inch skillet, melt the remaining 1-1/2 Tbs. butter over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and mix in the remaining 1 Tbs. chopped parsley and 1/4 tsp. salt.

Stuff the shrimp:

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and rub lightly with butter. Arrange the butterflied shrimp on the baking sheet. Using a spoon or your hands, mound a heaping tablespoon of the crab mixture onto each shrimp. Sprinkle and pat the breadcrumbs over the crab. (This will be messy; don't worry if there are crumbs on the baking sheet.) Flip the tail of each shrimp up and over the crab.

Bake the shrimp:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Bake until the shrimp are cooked through, the crabmeat is hot, and the crumbs are golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. While the shrimp are in the oven, toss the frisee and the whole parsley leaves with the remaining 1/2 tsp. lemon juice, the olive oil, and a pinch of salt. On 8 small plates, arrange a small pile of the salad and two shrimp. Serve right away.

Seared Shrimp with Pimentón & Sherry

• 1-1/2 lb. large (31 to 40 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined, patted dry with paper towels
• Kosher salt
• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 medium cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
• Heaping 1/4 tsp. sweet pimentón (or paprika)
• Heaping 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 Tbs. fino sherry
• 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1-1/2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives
• Fresh lemon juice to taste

Sprinkle the shrimp with 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, toss, and let sit for 10 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 1 hour).

In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the olive oil on high heat. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and add them to the skillet. Sprinkle with 3/4 tsp. kosher salt and sear until they’re pink and a little golden on one side, about 1 minute. Sprinkle the garlic, pimentón, and red pepper flakes over the shrimp, and sauté, stirring, until the shrimp are almost completely pink, about 1 minute. Add the sherry and cook, stirring to deglaze the bottom of the pan, until the shrimp are pink all over (the sherry will evaporate quickly but you should still have some juices in the pan)

Remove from the heat. Toss with the lemon zest and chives. Pour the shrimp and juices into a serving dish, squeeze on lemon juice to taste, and serve.

Seeded Crackers

The dough can be refrigerated for two days or frozen for up to a month, and then thawed for two hours at room temperature.

For the topping:

• 1 Tbs. sesame seeds
• 2 tsp. poppy seeds
• 2 tsp. fennel or caraway seeds
• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt

For the dough:

• 6-3/4 oz. (1-1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for rolling
• 2 oz. (scant 1/2 cup) whole-wheat flour
• 1 tsp. table salt
• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.

Make the topping:

In a small bowl, stir the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and fennel or caraway seeds. Fill another small bowl with water and set it aside along with a pastry brush and the kosher salt.

Make the dough:

In a large bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, and table salt. Add the olive oil and 1/2 cup water to the flour; stir with a rubber spatula until it collects into a soft, crumbly ball of dough. Use the spatula or your hands to press the dough against the sides of the bowl to gather all the stray flour.

Set the dough on a lightly floured work surface and portion it into thirds. Pat each portion into a square. Set two squares aside and cover with a clean towel. Roll the remaining dough into a rectangle about 1/16 inch thick and 7 or 8 inches wide by 14 or 15 inches long. Whenever you feel resistance, lift up one edge of the dough and sprinkle more flour underneath before you continue rolling.

With a pastry brush, brush the dough lightly with water and sprinkle about a third of the seed mix evenly over the surface. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. of the kosher salt. With a dough scraper, pizza cutter, ravioli cutter, or sharp knife, cut the dough in half lengthwise and then cut across to make rectangles roughly 2 by 4 inches. Don’t bother trimming the edges; rustic edges add character.

Transfer to an unlined baking sheet. Bake until nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

While each batch is baking, clean your work surface as needed and repeat the rolling and cutting with the remaining portions of dough. Store the cooled crackers in a zip-top plastic bag. They’ll keep for up to a week.

Goat Cheese, Lemon & Chive Turnovers

• 4 oz. fresh goat cheese (about 1/2 cup), at room temperature
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh chives
• 1/4 cup minced yellow onion
• 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Flour for dusting
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed overnight in the refrigerator

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400ºF.

In a medium bowl, mash the goat cheese with a fork. Add the chives, onion, lemon zest, 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Stir until well combined.

On a lightly floured surface, unfold the pastry sheet and lightly dust with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll the sheet into a 12-inch square. Cut the dough into 9 squares. Put equal amounts of the filling (about 1 Tbs.) onto the center of each square. Moisten the edges of a square with a fingertip dipped in water. Fold the dough over to form a triangle, gently pressing to remove air pockets around the filling and pressing the edges of the dough together. Use the tines of a fork to crimp and seal the edges of the turnover. Repeat this process with the other dough squares.

Arrange the turnovers on a cookie sheet and bake until the turnovers are puffed and golden all over, 15 to 18 minutes. Let them cool on a rack for a few minutes and serve warm.

Warm Black Bean & Chipotle Dip

This is a great party dip that can be fully assembled up to two days ahead. Keep covered and refrigerated until ready to bake.

• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; more for the baking dish
• 2 medium tomatoes, cored and cut into medium dice
• 2 tsp. kosher salt; more as needed
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs. chili powder
• 2 15-1/2 oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained well
• 2 canned chipotles en adobo, minced (about 1 Tbs.),  plus 3 Tbs. adobo sauce
• 3 Tbs. cider vinegar
• 1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (if frozen, thaw first)
• 1-1/2 cups (6 oz.) grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1-1/2 cups (6 oz.) grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Tortilla chips for serving

Heat the oven to 425ºF. Grease a 1-1/2 qt. baking dish with oil and line a baking sheet with foil. Set the tomatoes in a colander over the sink and sprinkle with 1 tsp. of the salt.

Heat the oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt, and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and chili powder and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add half of the black beans, the chipotles and adobo sauce, and 3/4 cup water and bring to a boil. Cook until the liquid reduces by about half, 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the bean mixture to a food processor, add the vinegar, and process until smooth. Let cool for a couple of minutes and then transfer to a large bowl. Add the rest of the beans, the tomatoes, corn, half of each of the cheeses, and 1/2 cup of the cilantro. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer to the baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake on the foil-lined baking sheet (to catch drips) until the cheese melts and browns around the edges, about 15 minutes (longer if refrigerated). Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve with the tortilla chips for dipping.