Avocado

These superb tacos are from chef Alex Castro at the Old Mexico Grill in Santa Fe.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The miso dressing — which has the body of an egg yolk dressing without all the fat — lends depth of flavor to sweet persimmon and creamy avocado.

If you don't want to cook a live lobster for this recipe, buy 2/3 pound cooked lobster meat from your seafood shop. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 2 3/4 hr (includes chilling)

Salpicón de Res Not truly a salad but a dish of seasoned cold shredded meat, a salpicón is usually eaten folded into hot tortillas or piled onto crispy tostadas. It is a refreshing party dish ideal for a summer buffet.

Fresh mint makes this starter all the more cooling. Use Haas avocados for the creamiest texture. What to drink: Throughout the meal, go with the classics — beer and Margaritas.

Serve with jicama sticks, radish slices, peeled cooked shrimp, and corn tortilla chips.

The idea for this salad came from Carlos Conrique, who worked at Billy Cross's cooking school in Morelia, a beautiful 16th-century Mexican town. Today, Conrique is a chef at the Blue Door, in Miami's Delano Hotel, where his dishes are still influenced by his childhood in Guadalajara.

Cut and toss the avocado garnish in lemon juice just before serving to prevent discoloration. Then sprinkle it over the top without tossing, or the salad will be mushy.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Carnitas is a traditional Mexican dish of fried pork. In this version, the meat is braised with vegetables and spices. For best results, use large, meaty ham hocks.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Many Americans first tasted this cold vegetable soup at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. Gazpacho came into favor partly as a vehicle for showing off blenders, the popularity of which created a boom in recipes that called for liquefying ingredients. This recipe goes the Spanish classic one better with the addition of smoky chipotle chilies.

Janet and Travis Kuhl of Cranford, New Jersey, writes: "We recently went to chef Ming Tsai's Blue Ginger restaurant in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Our entire meal was top-notch, but the shrimp cocktail was our favorite." Poured carefully side by side into a cocktail glass, tomato puree and avocado puree make a colorful dip for the lightly battered and quickly deep-fried shrimp.

Cemitas de Carne Enchilada A cemita is an oversize, slightly sweet, sesame seed bun that gives this Pueblan sandwich its name. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 3 hr