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Author Notes: Balsamic reduction and freshly ground pepper are wonderful complements to this summery salad made with grilled romaine, peaches, garlic scapes, and skirt steak.
—Elizabeth Stark

Serves 4

For the balsamic reduction:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (use an economical variety and save the good stuff for other uses)

For the grilled salad:

2 small heads romaine lettuce
6 garlic scapes, tips trimmed
4 to 6 peaches, halved (for clingstone varieties, leave pits intact)
1 1/2 pounds skirt steak
sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To make the balsamic reduction, pour balsamic vinegar in a heavy-bottomed medium-sized saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stirring all the while, maintain a constant but gentle bubbling, edging the heat down a bit as needed. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until mixture has reduced by half. Reduction should be thick, but it should still easily drip off the back of a spoon. Set it aside while you grill the vegetables.
Prepare a hot grill.
Prep the romaine. Leave the core intact, but slice the reddish tip off the very end of the bunch. Next, working from end to top, halve the romaine. Immerse in water, and shake to dislodge any sand, paying close attention to the very base. Shake out and pat dry. Set aside.
Grill the garlic scapes over the hottest part of the grill, cooking each side for 1 to 2 minutes. Slice into 4-inch sections and set aside.
Grill the peaches on each side for 2 to 3 minutes. Use a sharp paring knife to slice out the pits and then cut each half in half (to make quarters).
Grill the romaine for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Cut out the core and chop the leaves into bite-size pieces.
Arrange grilled vegetables on plates.
Next up, season both sides of the skirt steak with a generous pinch of sea salt. (Adding salt just before cooking leaches less moisture from the meat and makes for an excellent sear.) Cook for 3 to 4 minutes a side, let rest for 5 minutes, and then slice into 1/4-inch slices.
Lay several slices of steak on each plate and finish with a drizzle of balsamic reduction and several twists ground black pepper.  

This cake doesn't care whether you're a buoyant baker or a ham-handed one. Despite its gilt, it's democratic. The recipe calls for cake flour, but you can use a combination of all-purpose flour and cornstarch to substitute. Improvise the buttermilk by combining milk and vinegar (or lemon juice). And as for the caramel Goliath, there's more wiggle room than you think. If you let it get a bit too hot, that just means it will drape over your cake in fat ribbons (and harden into more of a candy the next day).

This recipe is lightly adapted from Deb Perelman at The Smitten Kitchen (http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2007/12/caramel-cake/) and, in turn, from Gourmet magazine. (less) - Sarah Jampel

Makes one 8-inch square cake

For the cake:

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, brought to room temperature for 30 minutes
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk

For the caramel glaze:

1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment: a candy thermometer

Preheat the oven to 350° F and place a rack in the middle. Butter an 8-inch square cake pan and line it with a square of parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper. (I know you do not want to do this, but do take these precautions: These extra steps are worth it in the end.)

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. (You can also get away with whisking these dry ingredients together in a bowl, make sure to thoroughly aerate and incorporate them.)

Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla, then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Turn the mixer to low speed and beat in the buttermilk until just combined (don't worry if your mixture looks curdled). Add flour mixture in 3 additions, mixing until each is just incorporated.

Spread the batter evenly into your prepared pan, then knock it on the counter several times to get rid of any air bubbles.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden. A toothpick or thin knife inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean, but be careful not to overbake the cake. It should feel moist on top and be springy to touch.

Cool the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, invert the pan onto the rack, and cool completely, at least 1 hour. If you want to eat the cake tomorrow, you can store it in an airtight container (or wrapped in a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil) at room temperature until the next day.

Once the cake is cool, make the caramel glaze: Attach a candy thermometer to a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan and pour in the cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, and a pinch of salt to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Boil, without stirring, until the glaze reaches 210 to 212° F on thermometer, about 12 to 14 minutes, then stir in vanilla. If you want a thicker caramel topping -- more like a coating of candy rather than a thin glaze -- boil the caramel so that it's hotter. But be careful so that it doesn't burn! And know that the caramel topping will be much harder the next day.

Put the rack with the cake in or over a shallow baking pan and pour the hot glaze over top, allowing it to run down the sides. Do not worry if it puddles in the bottom of the pan -- you can eat this leftover caramel with a spoon later on. Cool until the glaze is set, about 30 minutes.