Tomato

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The mushroom and herb topping is similar in texture to bread stuffing. After baking, the fish has a moist center and a delicately crisp top. Partner it with a chilled Viognier.

Fragrant smoke from the mesquite wood chips makes a fine counterpoint to the sweetness of the lobster in this salad. Finish the meal with lemon ice drizzled with tequila, and pass a plateful of sugar cookies.

The delicious sauce is also very nice with chicken and shellfish.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Baked egg roll wrappers make a crisp, low-fat base for the roasted mushroom topping.

Stifado, a hearty Greek stew, can be made with almost any kind of meat, though beef is most common. Here we use lamb. It always involves either red wine or red-wine vinegar or both, herbs, and copious quantities of small whole onions.

This recipe comes from my 86-year-old grandmother, a northern Italian from Faenza, who picked it up during her travels as a piano teacher in southern Italy. I've watched her make it my whole life and know the recipe from memory.

Becky Johnson of Nonesuch, Kentucky, asks, "Can you request the recipe for the tomato soup with garlic croutons from Gramercy Tavern in Manhattan? It’s a delicious reminder of a lunch I had there with friends."

This idea comes from The Mercer Kitchen, a great restaurant in New York City's SoHo district that serves innovative, bold-flavored food. Color, as well as taste, is important here, so arrange the veggies carefully.

Caponata is a Sicilian antipasto; its bold flavors usually include eggplant, anchovy, olives, and capers. We call our version a "caponatina," because we've finely diced the ingredients for a more refined hors d'oeuvre. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Nam Prik Ong Relishes are a cornerstone of Thai cooking, playing a crucial role in the balance of hot, salty, sour, and sweet that Southeast Asian cuisine strives for. The vegetables are traditionally dipped into the relish and then eaten, but you might find it easier to use a plate. Because this dish is quite spicy even with just a few chiles, we suggest using the least amount the first time you make the recipe. Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Eric: If you have to make mussel broth for another recipe and don't know what to do with all the leftover mussels, this dish is the perfect solution. On the other hand, if you want to make this salad and don't have a use for the broth, just freeze it. Maguy: The crunchy diced vegetables contrast perfectly with the softness of the mussels, even though it's not the wonderful moules marinière of my childhood.