Amazing Glaze

If the thought of cooking something big — really big — scares you right out of the kitchen, then Chris Schlesinger can help. He's the chef and owner of two New England restaurants and the co-author of How to Cook Meat. "When I entertain," he says, "I find that preparing one large piece of meat is actually easier than doing lots of individual pieces, like steaks."

In fact, the hardest part about making Schlesinger's special-occasion entrée is carrying home the 16-pound bone-in ham from the market. Once you start cooking, there's no special equipment needed, and preparation is super easy.

The secret is the tropical glaze and curried pineapple chutney, which provide a deliciously modern twist to the classic spring ham. Together, they balance the slight saltiness of the ham with sweet, tart, and spicy flavor combinations. The chutney can even be made days in advance to streamline the dinner prep even more.

After your guests rave about this dish, you may be tempted to create "special occasions" a whole lot more often.

English Roast

While culinary trends come and go, certain traditions are reassuringly steadfast. The Sunday roast, for instance, is a British institution that has outlasted monarchies and dynastic wars and nouvelle cuisine. There are as many variations on the roast as there are Sunday suppers; for a contemporary version, we went to Thane Prince, a London cooking teacher and the food columnist for The Daily Telegraph. She rubs a pork loin with Indian spices, then roasts it along with some root vegetables and serves it with a simple sauce enriched with bacon and red currant jelly. Thanks to an entrée as delicious as this, the tradition of the Sunday roast should outlive us all.

Pan-Fried Steak

For a while there, steak lovers practically had to head underground to enjoy their red meat. But the tide has turned, as it always does: Steaks are back, and steak houses are packed with eager carnivores, relishing their dinners all the more now that beef is once again in vogue.

It's easy to prepare a good steak at home. Merle Ellis, the author of The Great American Meat Book (Knopf, 1996), knows his way around a cut of beef, and he gave us this remarkably simple and remarkably good recipe for rib-eye steaks. Rib eyes are tender, flavorful and readily available — and they cook so quickly and taste so great, there's no need to wait in line at a crowded restaurant if you're hungry for a fabulous steak dinner.

Grilled Salmon

It's no secret that grilling fish is a breeze — if we're talking about small fillets and steaks, that is. But most people shy away from barbecuing a whole side of salmon; turning such a large piece of fish on the grill is downright intimidating. However, with the right technique — which seems to be a well-kept secret — it's actually pretty effortless.

Take it from us: We've been turning fish with ease in the Bon Appétit test kitchen for years now. In fact, there are two ways to do it, and contributing editor Lane Crowther has outlined both here. She has also included a recipe for a refreshing salsa.

Chicken Curry

When temperatures fall, hearty comfort food becomes a necessity. The chicken curry pictured above — hot enough to ward off any chill — comes from Neela Paniz, chef-owner of the Bombay Cafe in Los Angeles. Her bonus: a green apple and fresh coconut chutney that complements the flavorful sauce. Served with some steamed rice, this delicious dish is sure to make winter welcome.

The Best Fried Chicken

Picture a big picnic table tucked away by a shady stream and piled high with old-fashioned summer food: potato salad, coleslaw, watermelon, peach pie. In the center of the table is the crowning glory, an immense platter of crunchy, tender fried chicken. Sound good? Then have we got a recipe for you. Selma Brown Morrow, one of Bon Appétit's assistant food editors, created the crispiest, juiciest fried chicken ever, thanks to a buttermilk marinade and a spicy coating. This perfectly cooked chicken is the incontestable star of any summer spread.

Roasting

Practicality is the hallmark of my cooking classes. The menu below, for example, is classic family-style stuff. But not everyone is confident about simply roasting a chicken, so they want to know the best way to roast a chicken, not the fastest way. I tell them to round out the menu with simple bistro-style dishes; I discuss some options, and show the class how to do them. As soon as people see something big — the Thanksgiving turkey, the Easter ham — completed step by step, they feel confident. It's just a matter of making it approachable.