Photograph by Chris Leaman.

When we asked Solar Crêpes founders Camille Dierksheide and Danna Andrews for a tip on how to replicate the savory chicken crepe from their solar-powered truck, they replied in unison: “Don’t be afraid!”

True, making the thin, French buckwheat pancakes may seem daunting. But in reality, it’s not as difficult as those Parisian creperies make it out to be. Dierksheide and Andrews warn that the first one never comes out right, even if you’re a veteran crepe maker. Luckily, the recipe makes enough batter for lots of trial and error. (It keeps well in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for three months.)

If you source your ingredients as carefully as the Solar Crêpes crew, the fillings also won’t need much manipulation. Dierksheide and Andrews are committed to sustainable, local, and organic produce, and they seek out chicken from Polyface farm, cave-aged cheddar from an Amish producer, and local vegetables. The result is flavorful roast chicken, sharp melted cheddar, and a sweet-savory caramelized-onion compote.

We’ve included recipes for all the components you’ll find at Solar, including what Andrews calls “the perfect roast chicken,” a recipe from her French mother-in-law that her husband has eaten once a week since childhood. Most of these recipes can be made a day, or even a week, ahead, and any leftover ingredients can be incorporated into on-the-fly dinners.

Photograph by Chris Leaman.

Most cooks consider olive oil a savory ingredient, but anyone who’s tasted the moist, citrusy olive-oil cake at Bread & Brew knows that it can also shine in desserts. Lightly fruity Spanish oil works subtly in pastries, and it gives this cake a tender crumb and golden hue instead of a pronounced olive flavor. Glazed with a light frosting and topped with a spice-infused orange compote, the dessert is a bright finish to a meal or a good teatime treat. Thankfully, it also falls under the category of (nearly) foolproof. “I haven’t seen one fail,” says Teri Van Goethem, owner of Bread & Brew.

As a certified-green establishment, Van Goethem relies on organic oranges and lemons and local ingredients such as milk and eggs from Trickling Springs and Polyface and Tuscarora farms. These ingredients aren’t better only for the environment but also for the quality of the dessert. The rind of the organic citrus isn’t coated with wax and chemicals, which mars the zest, and Van Goethem swears that the recipe hits “exemplary” levels only when rich, fresh milk and eggs are used. The topping at Bread & Brew changes with the seasons: Rhubarb compote makes a tangy addition in spring, and fresh blueberries work well in summer. One thing always remains constant: the excellent cake.

Photograph by Chris Leaman.

St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland is more about food and family than about green beer. Whatever your celebration style, this sandwich from Irish chef Cathal Armstrong (Restaurant Eve, Majestic, Eamonn’s)—a variation of his bar-menu BLT—works for an at-home gathering or to soak up the Guinness after a pub crawl. Armstrong notes that, stuffed with rashers—a less fatty cousin of American bacon—as well as eggs and cheese, the simple concoction is best when you cure the pork at home and mix your own mayonnaise. For those short on time, Whole Foods carries packaged rashers and Duhallow cheese.

Whisking your own mayonnaise may seem daunting, but once you’ve tasted the lush, creamy result, you’ll never use Hellman’s again. Armstrong says to measure the canola oil in a pouring cup so you can add it to the egg mixture in a thin, steady stream, which makes it emulsify perfectly. Whether using a whisk or a food processor, it also helps to add a few drops of canola first, then more when the mayo begins to thicken. If the mayonnaise does happen to break up because too much oil is added too quickly, it’s not a wash: Add a teaspoon of lukewarm water to a clean bowl and start the process again by dribbling in the broken sauce while whisking constantly and slowly adding oil.

Before winter gives way to spring and squash gives way to strawberries, we’ve got one more winter-produce recipe for you. San Francisco-based chef Michael Mina of the Georgetown restaurant Bourbon Steak gave us three ways to use the same ingredients: Brussels sprouts, bacon, and apples (Mina likes Fujis). He explained why those ingredients go so well together: “Bacon adds a beautiful smoky fat content to the dish. Apple is going to give it some sweetness and acidity, and the Brussels sprouts give it an earthy tartness.” Watch Mina demonstrate the dishes in the video, then find the recipes below.

Photograph by Chris Leaman.

The goat-cheese macaroni at Town Hall is one of those dishes that chef Paul Madrid can’t take off the menu without protests. Madrid, an alum of Paolo’s, invented the creamy concoction for the grilled-pork-chop entrée when the Glover Park restaurant opened six years ago. The only place the mac and goat cheese has gone since is onto the list of side items for anyone to order.

Madrid still serves the macaroni with Duroc pork and sautéed apples, but he says you can make it a quick main event by adding shredded rotisserie chicken, diced Virginia ham, and/or frozen peas just before tossing the cheese sauce with the pasta. It’s also one of those handy dishes that can be made ahead if you’re entertaining: Cool the sauce and keep it covered in the fridge overnight, then reheat it over a low flame with two or three tablespoons of water mixed in while you boil the pasta. Madrid uses cavatappi pasta at Town Hall but says that elbows, shells, or any kind of pasta will do.

Photograph by Chris Leaman.

Meatballs are a tradition in chef Nick Stefanelli’s Italian family. On Sundays, his father made “Sunday gravy”—meatballs and sausages cooked in tomato sauce—or his aunts concocted their own recipes. At home, the family serves the same tomato sauce tossed with pasta for one course, and the meatballs for another. At Bibiana, Stefanelli showcases his own version: Veal meatballs cooked in sugo finto, a ragu of vegetables, water, and tomato paste that translates to “fake sauce” in Italian because it traditionally lacks meat. The dish is finished with creamy polenta and given a quick turn in the restaurant’s stone hearth for what Stefanelli calls “bubbly, cheesy polenta goodness.”

While the recipe is straightforward, Stefanelli recommends taking time with each step. He advises first-timers to fry the meatballs in batches so that the veal browns thoroughly and the caramelized drippings don’t burn in the bottom of the pan. If the sauce is too thin at the end, take the meatballs out and reduce the sauce slowly—otherwise, you’ll overcook the meat (you want the meatballs tender but not falling apart like in a braise). He also recommends cooking the meatballs a day or two before you plan to serve them. You won’t feel rushed, the flavors will have time to meld, and you can easily skim the solidified fat from the top of the dish.

Like the Stefanelli family, you can adapt the meatball recipe in many ways. Stefanelli says to try broth or stock instead of water for a richer sauce. As for the meatballs, you can serve them over pasta or tucked into a sandwich. Or better yet, make a large batch and try both variations with the leftovers.

Have a recipe you'd like sniffed out? E-mail recipesleuth@washingtonian.com.

Photograph by Chris Leaman.

Chef Haidar Karoum’s spice-grilled chicken isn’t one of the most traditional Spanish dishes on Estadio’s menu, but it is one of the most popular. Karoum marinates chicken thighs in a zesty yogurt blend overnight before grilling the meat, and it’s served with a cilantro-spiked sauce and crunchy, bright slaw.

“I was craving Persian flavors,” Karoum says of the dish’s origin. “The south of Spain is like a mixing bowl of ethnicities—North African and Moorish—and it gave me the creative license to fit it in.”

The ingredients don’t require traveling far. Sambal, an Indonesian chili paste, is available at most supermarkets, as is labneh, a strained Lebanese yogurt, similar to Greek yogurt (Karoum recommends using the common Fage brand). The only trick in the recipe is to marinate the chicken at least 12 hours, if not overnight, to get the right tenderizing effect and balance of flavors. The meat will cook beautifully on the grill, or you can brown the thighs in a nonstick skillet and then finish them in a preheated, 400-degree oven for ten minutes. For the full Estadio effect, Karoum suggests serving it with any pilaf-style rice and, of course, a cold Spanish beer such as Moritz.