Andrew Friedman

These savory potato pancakes are fried in butter and oil for a crisp, golden brown crust. Serve with applesauce or sour cream at your next holiday gathering.

I can't think of a better sandwich to take along to the beach, enjoy next to the pool, or keep on hand in the fridge than these wraps. The combination of olives, goat cheese, frisée, and red pepper reminds me of the Mediterranean Sea, making any summer occasion seem slightly more exotic. Thanks to the durable flour tortillas, which can hold alot of heft and moisture without soaking through and tearing, these sandwiches can be made ahead of time.

This recipe is a tribute to the chickpea salad they sell at the prepared-foods counter at Zabar's market in New York City, which my wife, Beverly, and I have always enjoyed.

The key to this recipe is letting the beans soak after they've cooked. Rather than seasoning the beans while they're cooking, which keeps them from softening, you season them after they've cooked and then give them time to absorb the salt and garlic. Ideally, this recipe should be made a day or so ahead of time to let the flavors develop even further.

Alot of people use parsley as a "default herb" to garnish a dish without really thinking about whether another herb might work better. But the flavor of parsley here truly matters; it completes the balance of the salad.

I come from a Hungarian-Czech background, which means I grew up on lots of things with poppy seeds, like poppy seed cakes and poppy seed rolls. I still look forward to visiting my parents in New Jersey during the holidays and getting my annual fix.

These portable bars combine my love of lemon desserts, specifically lemon meringue pie, with my culinary heritage. You can make them ahead of time, chill them, and then cut them up at the picnic. They hold together very well and are fun to eat.

This is one of my favorite soups. It has to be served really cold so that you can appreciate the buttermilk and yogurt tang and the sharpness they add to the cucumbers. The Tabasco is optional, but I recommend it to give a little kick at the end; it won't register as spicy, but you'll miss it if it's not there.

This recipe, from my old sous chef Mitch SuDock, makes the best fried chicken ever. We used to make brined pork at JUdson Grill, and he started using the brine to make fried chicken for our nightly staff meal. The benefit of brine is that the batter keeps the seasoning from penetrating the meat, but the brine works its way in. Keep a close eye on the thermometer when frying; try to maintain a temperature of 300°F, which will cook the chicken through without burning the exterior.

This recipe originally accompanied Curried Lamb Samosas with Apricot Chutney .

This recipe originally accompanied Mushroom and Thyme Risotto Cakes with Roasted Tomato and Arugula Salad . If you're not keeping kosher or serving this salad with meat, you could top it with crumbled blue cheese.

In order to be kosher when served with meat, the risotto in these cakes is dairy-free. It gets its creaminess exclusively from the starchy rice, so it's important to cook it slowly, stirring continuously, to release as much starch as possible.

If you don't need to avoid dairy, you could replace half the vegetable oil with melted unsalted butter and stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese with the mushrooms and thyme for extra flavor.

If fresh peas are out of season, look for high-quality frozen brands such as Cascadian Farm.

A great way to use beans and corn from your own garden or the farmer's market, this is the perfect dish for a warm summer's evening. Gently poached salmon, its flakes swollen and pillowy, is paired with a lightly glazed combination of fresh shell beans and corn. The poaching liquid is perked up with lemon juice, reduced, enriched with butter, and spooned over the fish to unite the salmon and the vegetables.

This dish is especially lovely with green and purple basil, another summer staple.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from White House Chef: Eleven Years, Two Presidents, One Kitchen by Walter Scheib and Andrew Friedman.

This is the snack mix President Bush brought with him from the Texas Governor's mansion. It's a Texas twist on an old American favorite, and we had to have it on hand at all times. In addition to eating it at the White House, the President never traveled without it.

These tasty treats were inspired by steakhouse flavors. For those who observe the kosher prohibition against serving meat and dairy together, they're delicious on their own. If you don't keep kosher, try them alongside grilled and roasted poultry and meat.

Cod and potato are the cornerstones of one of the classics of American cooking: fish chowder. Here they take on a new form as the basis for these distinctly New England potato pancakes.

This very traditional tartar sauce is better after resting a day or two in the refrigerator, giving the flavors a chance to meld.

The addition of sour cream makes this creamed spinach extra-tangy and echoes the traditional sour cream served with classic potato pancakes.

Inspired by aloo paratha, Indian potato bread, these pancakes are loaded with flavorful herbs and spices.

Lime juice and curry powder enliven this simple yogurt dipping sauce. It's so quick and easy that you can make it while the pancakes are cooking. For best results, use full-fat yogurt. In a pinch, low-fat will do, but do not use nonfat.

In this recipe, a long marinating time allows many powerful ingredients to penetrate the skirt steak: the acid in balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce doesn't just flavor the meat; it also breaks down connective tissues, making the meat tender. Serve this with tabbouleh salad or stewed tomatoes.