Arugula

These sandwiches can be wrapped in foil for easy transport. Bring along some olives for nibbling and bottles of mineral water or a thermos of iced tea for drinking.

An elegant and simple main course.

This midsummer fare is adapted from a dish I enjoyed at 192, our favorite wine-bar-restaurant in London's Kensington: its inspiration is, I am sure, from Spain. You can buy a whole chunk of chorizo sausage — or a string of smaller ones — to slice yourself. Most good gourmet stores stock chorizo (mild or spicy), and many supermarkets do, too.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Quiche made its way from France to our shores in the sixties, but it was in the seventies that its popularity soared.

For this dish, fresh spring-summer zucchini are imperative. I use a 1-mm. food processor-blade as if it were a mandoline to hand-slice the tender zucchini. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Cornmeal in the dough gives the bread an appealing, slightly crunchy texture.

Fresh strawberries and cookies from the bakery round out the meal nicely. Pour a dry white wine or iced tea. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Start with tomato soup garnished with chopped fresh basil. Have deli potato salad with the main course, and for dessert, pears with Gorgonzola and biscotti.

Here’s a great way to use leftover grilled steak. The arugula adds a peppery finish.

Prosciutto is more familiar in this type of appetizer, but bresaola, beef fillet cured in a similar fashion, gives it a fresh interpretation. When paired with golden Spanish Manchego, the combination is deliciously bold in flavor.

A lovely side dish with big flavors‑and only a single teaspoon of oil.