Tomato

A favorite accompaniment is the rice-shaped pasta called orzo.

Active time: 50 min Start to finish: 50 min

(Adapted from The Keeper's House) Charmoula is a Moroccan fish marinade traditionally made with tomatoes, lemon, paprika, garlic, cumin, and cilantro.

This salad was inspired by a classic Salade Niçoise with its fresh anchovies, potatoes and green beans, and one offered to me by Alice Waters, owner of Chez Panisse, who comes to France every year to avail herself of, among other things, the fine green beans of summer.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

These sandwiches can be wrapped in foil for easy transport. Bring along some olives for nibbling and bottles of mineral water or a thermos of iced tea for drinking.

We took the feta cheese out of this classic dish and stirred it into the rice that accompanies it, for a yummy variation. A cucumber salad is the perfect partner. Buy your favorite cookies for dessert.

Good as an entrée or served in smaller portions alongside chicken or beef.

You'll notice that there's no wine or other braising liquid called for here. The veal cooks in the succulent juices exuded by the tomatoes and onions.

Romesco sauce, a piquant mixture of chilies, nuts, and tomatoes, is a typical seasoning for seafood in the Catalan province of Tarragona. Although fresh coriander is not an ingredient found in the traditional Spanish pantry, its flavor lends a nice touch to this dish.

Little polenta "tarts" are filled with tomatoes, pine nuts, and blue cheese, then popped into the oven until the cheese melts.

Market tip: All rainbow trout sold in markets are sustainably farm-raised.

Huevos Tirados One of Gran Café de la Parroquia's specialties is this unique omelet, made with black beans and served inside out. Make the omelets one at a time and serve them immediately (they will dry out and lose their tenderness if you try to keep them warm in the oven). If you don't have time to prepare dried beans, canned will do just fine (see the cooks' notes for black beans, this page). Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 2 3/4 hr (includes cooking dried beans)