Sandwich

Wong uses Fontina cheese and includes a slice of foie gras in each of these improbably luxurious grilled cheese sandwiches. At the restaurant, they are served with a Martini glass filled with swirled, chilled red and yellow tomato soups that the waiter instructs you to down in one gulp. Salud!

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 50 min Pasta wasn't always the carbohydrate vehicle of choice — in the '40s, lots of saucy things were spooned onto toast. These mushrooms appeared in one of our stories about Katish — the Russian cook immortalized by Gourmet's Wanda E. Ivanoff — who liked their versatility as a side dish or main course, and who often made a big batch to keep on hand for impromptu snacks.

Sound familiar? OK, we admit it —when we're on the road we're partial to this well-known breakfast sandwich. But at home we like to prepare it this way.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Other herbs — such as tarragon, thyme or basil — would also work well in this recipe.

Steve Silverman of South Burlington, Vermont, writes: "In my cooking I tend to be very quick and health-conscious. During the summer, my wife, Mary, and I usually grill chicken or fish and make salads. I'll use whatever fresh vegetables and ingredients I have on hand and come up with a wonderful meal for the two of us." Serve this party appetizer with the toasted-baguette rounds or your favorite crackers. You can also double the tomato topping for a great pasta salad.

The artichoke puree has a nice tarragon flavor that is a lovely complement to the beef. Use the remaining puree as a dip for crudités or pita bread.

Fontina cheese is available at cheese shops and some supermarkets.

If you cannot find smoked chicken, use smoked turkey instead.

These sandwiches would go well with the vegetable and bean chili.

The freshest greens and a blend of sweet and savory ingredients are the secrets to the appealing first course for this Italian dinner.

Leaping off the backs of onion-soup-mix boxes and showing up at cocktail parties everywhere, Lipton’s sour cream-and-onion dip took the country by storm. Convenient and quick, the dip also tasted great on potato chips, without which, in the fifties anyway, it wasn’t a party. These days it isn’t a party without little toasts topped by something Mediterranean-hence this zesty update.

Seared beef tenderloin with Mustard-Horseradish sauce. Guests place the beef atop baguette slices to make miniature open-face sandwiches.

Short of time? Then skip the broiling, and serve the crostini cold.