Serving Southern Comfort is in Woodland Plantation’s DNA. An image of the stately plantation in West Point a La Heche, Louisiana, has graced the Southern Comfort bottle since 1934, and this is its signature blend.

Get your hands on the freshest crab available for this brightly flavored salad—Chef Link used just-caught crab from Louisiana’s Lake Hermitage. The crabmeat may ‘weep’ a bit, but that’s just an excuse to savor the juices by sopping them up with toasted bread. Zest the lemon and lime before juicing—although the juice comes first in the recipe, it will be easier to zest ahead when the fruit still has its shape.

If you need to store your fresh oysters, says Chef Stryjewski, put them in the refrigerator with a wet towel draped over them so the shells don’t dry out. And when the oysters are cooked, you’ll want to sop up every last drop of the spicy compound butter, so serve a loaf of good crusty bread toasted on the grill alongside. Learn all about cooking with oysters here.

Paella is so iconic in Spain, says Chef Mullen with a grin, that “families have been torn apart in arguments about what the right paella is.” The traditional method, he says, involves cooking it over a fire of orange-tree wood. Mullen used a charcoal grill, and it does add depth of flavor, but an oven works just fine. 

Capacolla is another name for the Italian dry-cured meat known as coppa, which comes from the neck and shoulder of the pig. Chef Bloomfield appreciates the gentle aroma and delicate flavor of authentic coppa di Parma. You can substitute olive oil (or puréed pork back fat, as Chef Bloomfield did) for lard to rub the loin if you prefer.

This buttery blend of seasonal vegetables can be eaten warm or at room temperature. Peeling fava beans can be labor intensive—check out our fava tips and step-by-step instructions to make it easier. If fresh favas aren’t in season, you can substitute lima beans or shelled edamame.

To keep the duck legs extra moist, Chef Evans adds a bit of chicken or duck stock to the baking sheet, but just enough so that the skin still gets beautifully crisp. (You can also make homemade duck confit.) Thyme and duck just go together, says Evans, who liberally adds the fresh leaves, along with parsley, to this hearty salad.

Chef Mullen’s salad calls for preserved lemons, an essential ingredient in Moroccan dishes that is simple to prepare and have on hand. Check out our Preserved Lemons recipe. Juicy, sweet kohlrabi is also a key ingredient in the salad. Learn all about this member of the cabbage family here.