Starter

In a large menu, the salad is often served after a number of hearty dishes, so the portions are scaled down. For a smaller meal, this amount would serve 4 to 5 hearty salad eaters.

To cut down on prep time, use cooked lobster meat, available in some fish markets and supermarkets, or follow the directions below for cooking frozen lobster tails.

These delicate fish dumplings are steamed and chilled between layers of cabbage leaves to keep them moist. Leftovers can be refrigerated for a couple of days.

Located in a century-old coal warehouse that stoked the train coming from Albuquerque, the Zia Diner is in the National Register of Historic Places—and on many lists of favorite neighborhood restaurants. Regulars fuel up with such popular dishes as chicken-fried steak and meat loaf with green chilies and pine nuts. The latter provided the inspiration for another Zia Diner classic: spaghetti with chili and pine nut meatballs.

What's better than fresh, creamy tomato soup on a Sunday night? Ground cloves add the flavor we all remember as kids. Just go very easy, as it is a strong spice.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min

Offer these as a starter or as a light lunch with a salad of greens tossed in vinaigrette.

Ceviche de Dorado con Chile Jalapeño y Coco The fish is marinated in fresh lime juice (and therefore partly "cooked").

The oil-free dressing is delightfully tangy.

A fresh and colorful accompaniment to simply poached salmon.

This crowd-pleasing dip is a natural with potato chips and good with crudités, too.

Pink grapefruit can be used if you can't find the blood oranges.

Unlike their big brothers, baby artichokes are almost completely edible and require minimal preparation. For this first course, sautéing the artichokes instead of steaming adds good flavor. Some people don't like to have artichokes with wine because they can make the wine taste either metallic or strangely sweet. In Italy, though, artichokes and wine are usually served together. A crisp, steely Pinot Grigio does the trick.

Don't assemble these hors d'oeuvres until the last minute, or the chips will get soggy. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 2 hr

Named for a friend of my mother who was a wonderful cook, this recipe is very quick and easy and always elicits lots of requests for copies," Cindy Vogels of Littleton, Colorado. " I often serve this dish as a first course, leaving the shrimp whole, but here they are blended in a food processor to form a delicious spread." Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

A lovely dish that's a snap to prepare.