Starter

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Cream of tomato soup should be gentle and soothing. This is a perfect example. Adding baking soda to the tomatoes keeps the milk from curdling.

The following chunky potato soup was inspired by a smooth version that one of our food editors enjoyed at The Bernerhof Inn in Glen, New Hampshire.

For bigger matzo balls in this soup form mixture into 12 rounds and cook them for one hour ten minutes.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Porcini mushrooms smooth out the intense flavors of this traditional sauce of tomatoes, olives, anchovies and capers. Although puttanesca sauce is typically served with penne or spaghetti, fusilli holds the sauce better.

Not so many years ago dried "exotic" or wild mushrooms could be found only in fancy specialty shops, but no longer. Many good urban and suburban supermarkets now carry little packages of various varieties. And Asian markets are a great source for dried shiitake, also known as Chinese black mushrooms. The dried mushrooms are an optional addition to this soup, but they do add a deeper, woodsier flavor.

This versatile salad can also be made with leftover beef, lamb or chicken.

The seafood is cooked in lime juice and fish sauce, making this oil-free salad perfect for a low-fat lunch.

Ouzeries are Greek cafés that specialize in mezedes, or appetizers, as well as in ouzo, the strong, anise-tinged drink after which the cafés are named. Saganaki gets its name from the two-handled pan in which it is made, but it can be prepared in any heavy small skillet. For a final flourish, the cheese is often splashed with ouzo and flamed.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less, but requires additional unattended time.