Potluck: Food and Drink to Share with Friends and Family

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Starters

CLASSIC HUMMUS

MAKES About 6 cups

TIME 1 hr 30 min plus overnight soaking

2 cups dried chickpeas

2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup tahini

¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. ground cumin

Kosher salt

Extra-virgin olive oil, sumac, pomegranate seeds, roasted chickpeas, thinly sliced radishes and fresh mint, for garnish

Pita chips, radishes, baby fennel and carrots, for serving

1. In a medium bowl, cover the dried chickpeas with 2 inches of water and stir in 1 teaspoon of the baking soda. Refrigerate the chickpeas overnight. Drain the chickpeas, then rinse them under cold water.

2. In a medium saucepan, cover the chickpeas with 2 inches of fresh water. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of baking soda and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat for about 1 hour, until the chickpeas are very tender. Drain, reserving ¾ cup of the cooking water. Rinse under cold water.

3. In a food processor, combine the chickpeas with ½ cup of the reserved cooking water. Add the tahini, lemon juice, garlic and ground cumin; season with salt and puree until creamy (add more cooking water if necessary). Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with olive oil, sumac, pomegranate seeds, roasted chickpeas, thinly sliced radishes and mint. Serve with pita chips, whole radishes, fennel and carrots. —Susan Spungen

MAKE AHEAD

The hummus can be refrigerated overnight.

VARIATION

Spinach-and-Herb Hummus Blanch 6 ounces of curly spinach in boiling salted water until wilted, about 10 seconds. Drain well and cool under running water. Squeeze the spinach dry and coarsely chop. Using a blender and working in batches, if necessary, add the spinach and 1½ cups mixed fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro or dill) to the other ingredients in Step 3 above. Garnish with olive oil, toasted pine nuts, chopped herbs and kale chips. Serve with harissa. —SS

BEET HUMMUS

MAKES 6 cups

TIME 2 hr 30 min plus overnight soaking

2 cups dried chickpeas

2 tsp. baking soda

3 medium beets

1 cup tahini

¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. ground cumin

Kosher salt

Toasted sliced almonds, crumbled feta, dukka, thinly sliced scallions and sliced watermelon radishes, for garnish

Pita chips, radishes, baby fennel and carrots, for serving

1. In a medium bowl, cover the dried chickpeas with 2 inches of water and stir in 1 teaspoon of the baking soda. Refrigerate the chickpeas overnight. Drain the chickpeas, then rinse them under cold water.

2. Preheat the oven to 425°. Wrap the 3 medium beets loosely in foil and set them on a baking sheet. Roast at 425° for 1 hour, or until tender. Let cool, then peel and chop.

3. In a medium saucepan, cover the chickpeas with 2 inches of fresh water. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of baking soda and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat for about 1 hour, until the chickpeas are very tender. Drain, reserving ¾ cup of the cooking water. Rinse under cold water.

4. In a food processor, combine the chickpeas with ½ cup of the reserved cooking water. Add beets, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and ground cumin; season with salt and puree until creamy (add more cooking water if necessary). Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with toasted almonds, crumbled feta, dukka, thinly sliced scallions and sliced watermelon radishes. Serve with pita chips, whole radishes, fennel and carrots. —Susan Spungen

MAKE AHEAD

The hummus can be refrigerated overnight.

CURRIED ONION AND CAULIFLOWER HUMMUS

MAKES About 5 cups

TIME 1 hr 30 min plus overnight soaking

2½ cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained

8 garlic cloves, peeled

1 tsp. baking soda

½ cup tahini

½ cup fresh lemon juice

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling

½ tsp. ground cumin

Salt

Canola oil, for frying

½ lb. cauliflower, cut into ½-inch florets

2 tsp. curry powder

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

1½ tsp. finely crushed pink peppercorns

Chopped parsley, for garnish

Pita or naan, for serving

1. In a saucepan, cover the chickpeas, garlic and baking soda with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring every 15 minutes, until the chickpeas are tender, 50 minutes; if necessary, add water to keep them covered.

2. Drain the chickpeas and garlic and transfer to a food processor; puree until very smooth. With the machine on, gradually add the tahini, lemon juice, ⅓ cup of olive oil and the cumin; season the hummus with salt.

3. In a skillet, heat ¼ inch of canola oil. Add the cauliflower and fry over moderately high heat, stirring, until tender and deeply browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined bowl to drain. Add 1 teaspoon of the curry powder and toss well. Season with salt and toss again.

4. Pour off all but ¼ cup of the oil from the skillet. Add the onion and a big pinch of salt and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until just starting to soften and brown in spots, about 5 minutes. Add the pink peppercorns and the remaining 1 teaspoon of curry powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Season with salt.

5. Spoon the hummus into a bowl and top with the onion and cauliflower. Drizzle with olive oil, garnish with parsley and serve with warm pita or naan. —Alon Shaya

MAKE AHEAD

The hummus can be refrigerated overnight. Top with onion, cauliflower and olive oil just before serving.

WHITE BEAN DIP WITH HERBS

MAKES 3 cups

TIME 10 min

¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped

1 tsp. finely chopped sage

½ tsp. finely chopped rosemary

Two 19-oz. cans cannellini beans, drained

2 Tbsp. water

Salt

Cayenne

Pita chips, for serving

1. In a medium skillet, heat ¼ cup of the olive oil until shimmering. Add the garlic, sage and rosemary and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until fragrant and the garlic is just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add the beans and toss to coat.

2. Transfer the cannellini beans to a food processor. Add the water, season with salt and cayenne and process to a fairly smooth puree. Transfer the dip to a small serving bowl, drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil on top and serve with pita chips. —Grace Parisi

MAKE AHEAD

The dip can be refrigerated overnight. Drizzle with olive oil just before serving.

PIMENTO CHEESE

MAKES 1 quart

TIME 20 min

4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

2 oz. mayonnaise

1 roasted red pepper, peeled, seeded and chopped (about ¾ cup)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. salt

8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Crackers, for serving

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (or in a medium bowl), beat the cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Add red peppers, garlic, cayenne and salt. Mix just until combined, then stir in the cheeses. Chill. Serve with crackers. —Angie Mosier

MAKE AHEAD

The pimento cheese can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to one week.

CRUDITÉS WITH RANCH DRESSING

MAKES 12 servings

TIME 25 min

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion

½ cup unseasoned rice vinegar

2 cups mayonnaise

½ cup sour cream

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. onion powder

1 Tbsp. agave

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

Crudités, for dipping (radicchio leaves, sliced radishes, multicolored carrots, blanched green beans, snap beans, cherry tomatoes)

1. In a small nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Scrape the onion into a blender, add the rice vinegar and puree until smooth. Transfer the puree to a medium bowl and stir in mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder and agave. Season with salt and pepper and serve with crudités. —John Besh; Chris Lusk

CRUDITÉS UPGRADE

Best New Chef alum Grant Achatz shares his secrets to making a majestic crudités platter.

Season the vegetables like meat Achatz dresses carrots and blanched green beans in a basic vinaigrette to add dimension.

Break out your mandoline Vary the chopping style—wedges, matchsticks, slices—to add visual and textural interest.

Embrace the fruidité There’s only so much raw broccoli you can eat, says the chef, who advocates for fruit on every crudité platter.

Turn up the plumage It’s cliché, but you eat with your eyes first, says Achatz. Garnish your platter with bushy bouquets of herbs like tarragon, chive and chervil bundled up with lettuce.

"This classic ranch is the perfect creamy dip for crisp vegetables but is also light enough to use as a salad dressing. Serve crudités and dressing along with pickled shrimp and deviled eggs for a gorgeous appetizer platter. —ANNE CAIN, BOOKS EDITOR

DEVILED EGGS WITH CRAB AND CAVIAR

MAKES 24 servings

TIME Active 35 min; Total 1 hr

1 dozen large eggs

¾ cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp. minced shallot

2 Tbsp. thinly sliced chives plus more for garnish

1 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley

1 Tbsp. capers, rinsed and finely chopped

1 tsp. finely chopped thyme

1 tsp. sherry vinegar

¼ tsp. Tabasco

Kosher salt

3 oz. crabmeat, picked over

Caviar, for garnish

1. Fill a large bowl with ice water. In a large saucepan, cover eggs with water by 1 inch and bring to a boil. Cover and remove pan from the heat. Let stand for 10 minutes. Drain eggs and transfer to ice water bath to cool completely.

2. Peel and halve the eggs lengthwise. Transfer the yolks to a medium bowl and mash with the back of a spoon. Arrange the egg whites on a platter. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, shallot, 2 tablespoons of chives, the parsley, capers, thyme, vinegar and Tabasco to the bowl with the egg yolks and whisk until smooth. Season with salt. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and fill the egg whites (or use a small spoon). Top each deviled egg with some of the crabmeat and garnish with caviar and chives. —John Besh; Chris Lusk

MAKE AHEAD

The deviled eggs can be assembled and refrigerated overnight. Top with crabmeat and garnish just before serving.

Deviled eggs can go high or low. Here, we opt for the former and add a touch of elegance with fresh crabmeat and caviar. Serve them with Champagne. Heaven! —HUNTER LEWIS, EDITOR IN CHIEF

PICKLED SHRIMP WITH RED REMOULADE

MAKES 12 servings

TIME Active 25 min; Total 1 hr

PICKLED SHRIMP

1 small onion, quartered

1 qt. distilled white vinegar

1 cup sugar

¼ cup kosher salt

3 thyme sprigs

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper

2 tsp. mustard seeds

2 tsp. fennel seeds

2 whole cloves

24 jumbo shell-on shrimp (2¼ lbs.)

REMOULADE

1 celery rib, finely chopped

1 cup mayonnaise

½ cup Creole or stone-ground mustard

¼ cup ketchup

2 Tbsp. jarred horseradish

2 Tbsp. hot sauce

2 tsp. celery salt

1 tsp. finely grated garlic

Kosher salt

Lemon wedges, for serving

1. MAKE THE PICKLED SHRIMP Fill a large pot with ice water. In a large saucepan, combine onion, vinegar, sugar, salt, thyme, garlic, red pepper, mustard seeds, fennel seeds and cloves with 2 cups of water and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the shrimp, remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer the shrimp and the cooking liquid to a large bowl. Set the bowl in the ice water bath and let cool completely.

2. MAKE THE REMOULADE In a medium bowl, whisk all of the ingredients and season with salt.

3. Drain, peel and devein the shrimp and arrange on a platter. Serve with the remoulade and lemon wedges. —John Besh; Chris Lusk

MAKE AHEAD

The shrimp and the remoulade can both be prepared ahead and refrigerated overnight. Arrange on the platter just before serving.

LIMA BEAN AND RICOTTA CROSTINI

MAKES 16 servings

TIME 30 min

1 cup fresh ricotta cheese

½ tsp. finely grated lemon zest plus 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

One 10-oz. package frozen lima beans

2 Tbsp. each finely chopped parsley and chives

1 Tbsp. finely chopped tarragon

1 dried chile de árbol, finely chopped with seeds, or ½ tsp. crushed red pepper

Sixteen ½-inch-thick slices of baguette, toasted

1. In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta with the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

2. In a medium saucepan of salted boiling water, blanch the lima beans until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and cool under running water, then slip off the skins and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the parsley, chives, tarragon, chile and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Spread the ricotta mixture on the crostini, spoon the lima bean salad on top and serve. —Justin Chapple

MAKE AHEAD

You can make the ricotta mixture and the lima bean salad ahead and assemble the crostini just before serving.

COUNTRY HAM AND PICKLE CROSTINI

MAKES 8 servings

TIME 15 min

Eight ¾-inch-thick, diagonally cut baguette slices

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing

Kosher salt

8 oz. thinly sliced country ham, preferably Edwards

Sliced pickled vegetables, such as cauliflower, carrots and cucumbers, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Brush the tops with oil and season with salt. Toast until golden and crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and let cool slightly.

2. Top the toasts with the ham, then garnish with pickled vegetables. —Justin Croxall

MAKE AHEAD

You can assemble the crostini 1 to 2 hours ahead, cover and let sit at room temperature until you are ready to serve.

HERBED SALMON TARTARE WITH CHIPS

MAKES 8 servings

TIME Active 15 min; Total 45 min

1 English cucumber—peeled, seeded and cut into ¼-inch pieces

Fine sea salt

8 oz. skinless salmon fillet, finely chopped

8 oz. skinless hot-smoked salmon fillet, finely chopped

½ cup finely chopped chives

½ cup finely chopped dill sprigs

12 cornichons, finely chopped

1 small shallot, finely chopped

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

¾ cup crème fraîche

Freshly ground pepper

Potato chips or crostini, for serving

1. In a colander set over a bowl, toss the cucumber with 2 teaspoons of sea salt and let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse the cucumber well and pat dry with paper towels.

2. Transfer the cucumber to a medium bowl and stir in the fresh salmon, hot-smoked salmon, chives, dill, cornichons, shallot and lemon juice. Gently fold in the crème fraîche until just incorporated. Season with salt and pepper and serve with potato chips or crostini. —Nadine Levy Redzepi

MAKE AHEAD

You can make the salmon tartare ahead and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.

DEVILED CRAB DIP

MAKES 8 to 10 servings

TIME Active 20 min; Total 40 min

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

⅓ cup crème fraîche

¼ cup packed tarragon leaves, chopped

½ cup packed parsley leaves, chopped

1 Tbsp. toasted benne or sesame seeds plus more for garnish

2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest plus 4 tsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. smoked paprika

¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 lb. lump crabmeat, picked over

Saltine crackers and crudités, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat cream cheese, crème fraîche, tarragon, parsley, benne seeds, lemon zest, salt, paprika and pepper on low speed until smooth. Using a spatula, gently fold in crab. Transfer to a 1-quart baking dish and bake until heated through and the edges are bubbling, 20 minutes. Garnish with more benne seeds and serve with crackers and crudités. —Joe Kindred

MAKE AHEAD

The unbaked crab dip can be refrigerated overnight. Take the unbaked dip to your gathering and bake for 20 minutes after you arrive.

VEGETABLE-CHICKEN SUMMER ROLLS

MAKES 8 rolls

TIME 40 min