Blender

Usually made of mashed potatoes, garlic and olive oil, skordalia is a thick sauce served with meats, fish, fritters or greens.

Subscribing to the theory that epicurean cooking should, ideally, be easy and inexpensive, I submit this recipe, which I obtained during the summer I taught school on Guam. It's for a dressing of mine that is excellent on fruit salads and even makes an outstanding dressing for coleslaw as part of a summer picnic. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A delicious salad that can be partnered with some crusty bread to make a light main course. The recipe yields a generous amount of vinaigrette; if you have some left over, try tossing it with oriental noodles, dipping fried wontons into it or brushing some onto chicken breasts right before grilling them.

This is a sophisticated first course. The soup is also nice without the lobster. Uncork a Chardonnay or a French Sancerre.

You can also "grill" the steak in a ridged heavy-duty skillet set on the stove top.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.