Food Processor

"On a trip to Longboat Key in Florida, my fiancé and I ate at Pattigeorge's," writes Wendy J. Harbart of Forest Hills, New York. "The five-spice calamari was out of this world."

The recipe for this "sugar tart," a Belgian classic, comes from Auberge du Moulin Hideux. Similar to a rustic coffee cake, this treat is lovely for brunch or as an afternoon snack with coffee or tea.

We recommend using the freshest watercress possible — if not at its best, it can give the sauce a slightly bitter taste. (Try hydroponic watercress; it's generally better than conventionally grown supermarket cress.) Tanis suggests skimming all the fat from the cooking liquid and serving the broth as a first-course soup, garnished with toasted slices of French bread.

Tomatillos are the key ingredient in this alluring green sauce. They have an unusual and pleasant tartness that works well with a variety of dishes. I pair this mojo with a grand Fish in Foil . The sauce has the brightness of a lemon with the attendant complexity you'd expect of the other ingredients that go into making it.

All the appeal of traditional mincemeat pie—without all of the traditional work.

Roasted bell peppers, prosciutto, and olives are added to the classic Italian trio of tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Serve with plenty of crusty country bread.

Canned red bean paste is an acceptable product, but the homemade kind is obviously much tastier. In Chinese markets, you'll find small, plump dried red beans called _hoong dul,_not to be confused with adzuki beans, _zeck siu dul,_also small red beans that are oblong in shape. This recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups of red bean paste, just enough filling for Sesame Balls. Use regular brown sugar for this recipe.

This cake can be prepared one day ahead. Sweetened cream of coconut is available in the liquor section of most supermarkets.

Whether spread on sandwiches or served alongside roasts, this classic Provençal condiment of pummeled olives is always handy and delicious. However, it's during cocktail hour, when served simply with croutons, that people seem to love it best. A food processor replaces the traditional mortar and pestle for faster results. Refrigerate for up to a week.

Nice for breakfast on bagels or toast.

All the wonderful flavors and textures of summer berry pie à la mode in an ice cream sundae. For a casual party, offer the individual components buffet style and let guests make their own.

Chopped fresh ginger and cilantro give an exotic edge to the classic summer side dish.

Traditional Scottish shortbread is baked in molds. In this modern version, the dough is simply pressed into a pan, baked, and cut into squares. Grated lemon peel cuts the buttery richness, and semolina flour adds texture.

The shortbread cookie crumbs will hold together in the pan without any additional butter. Fromage blanc gives this cheesecake a light and silky texture.