Garlic

This pesto-like sauce would be great with just about any grilled seafood.

The colorful kebabs feature the popular Greek flavors of mint and oregano. Serve them over rice or with pita bread.

Besides garnishing lobster stew , tomalley croutons can be served as an hors d'oeuvre or if you wish to elaborate, as a topping for crostini or pizza. Lobster tomalley can be purchased separately from most lobster dealers. It is inexpensive and tasty.

Tangy and refreshing, this dip is called tzatziki in Greek. Here, it's served with crisp baked pita wedges, but it also goes well with crudités. Drain the yogurt a day before you plan to prepare the dip. And mix up a big batch of lemonade to pour throughout the picnic.

This creamy, garlicky tahini sauce also pairs wonderfully with lamb. Serve it as a dipping sauce, or as a spread on cold lamb sandwiches.

Crepas Rellenas de Hongos con Salsa de Chile Poblano Wild mushrooms stand in for cuitlacoche (corn fungus), which is a delicacy in Mexico.

Flat iron steak is a tender cut from the chuck top blade roast. If flat iron steak is unavailable, use flank steak.

Refried beans are typically made from pinto beans, but black beans work well, too. Add a dab of sour cream if you crave a little richness.

Noël McAlpine of Dallas, Texas, writes: "When I was in Florence for a business conference, I had the pleasure of dining at Trattoria Garga. I really enjoyed the scaloppine al carciofi (veal cutlets with artichokes) and would like to add the recipe to my collection."

Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes Sichuan cooking is popular throughout China, and in recent years, adventurous Chinese restaurant diners have discovered how delicious it can be. This is one of the best known dishes from that area.

The chicken is redolent of garlic, but not overly so; cooking the garlic cloves whole in their skins keeps the flavors in balance. What to drink: A spicy red from Spain's Ribera del Duero region. Try the 2000 vintage from this appellation, known for its rich blends of Tempranillo, Cabernet, and Merlot.

This vinaigrette is great on any type of mixed green, pasta, or marinated vegetable salads. This recipe is an accompaniment for Tuscan White Bean Salad with Spinach, Olives, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes.

Squid can vary quite a bit in size. If you get lots of little squid (under 2 inches each, not including tentacles), they'll need less preparation. Larger ones need to be scored to stay tender.

The secret to this Chinese favorite is not to let the noodles sit in the sauce very long — toss them together a few seconds before serving.