Olive

Executive chef Dan Swinney serves this terrific dish on a bed of sautéed fresh spinach.

Insalata Pantasca Insalata pantasca is the potato and tomato salad of Pantelleria, a small, poor island near Sicily, which is famous for its capers. Big, fat capers, full of flavor and packed in salt. Like any local recipe, this has as many variations as there are cooks. The fish that you would find in the Pantelleria salad, however, is something you can't locate in this country. I like sardines in it; you might try something different, such as smoked trout. You wouldn't find yellow-fleshed potatoes on the island, but I love their flavor in this salad. The more traditional choices would be whites, or red-skinned — something on the waxy side.

Serve with: Three-bean deli salad spooned over arugula. Dessert: Ice cream bars.

Happily, this fish dish can be made a day ahead. Simply remove it from the refrigerator and arrange 2 hours before serving. Even better, the sauce also can be made 2 days ahead and kept, well covered, in the refrigerator. It's from Mexico, One Plate at a Time (Scribner), by Rick Bayless, the celebrated Chicago chef and cookbook author.

A classic roast chicken enlivened with an herbed olivada (olive paste) that is rubbed under the skin. The olivada can be prepared one day before you cook the chicken. What to drink: A crisp white wine or a light, fruity red works well with this menu. For white, Pinot Grigio is a great choice; for red, try a Valpolicella Classico.

Serve this tangy and delicious hors d'oeuvre spread on toasted baguette slices.

"On a trip to Chicago, my daughter and I enjoyed a memorable meal at Pane Caldo downtown," writes Terrie M. Barr of Troy, Illinois. "Everything was terrific, especially the black olive and walnut spread served with the bread." Offer this flavorful spread with French-bread baguette slices that have been brushed with olive oil and toasted in a 350°F oven until golden.

You can buy jars of tapenade at some specialty markets, but Jody Adams prefers the taste of homemade.

(Churrasco de Sao Paulo a la Parilla con Chimichurri Rojo) Churrasco is a very primitive form of cooking meat. The gauchos, or cowboys, of Brazil would kill and butcher the animals out on the pampas, build a big fire, and barbecue the meat on a spit of some sort, basting it with a vinegary liquid. As cities developed, however, this recipe too became more civilized — I do ask you to prepare it the way they do in many Brazilian steak houses, with cebollas fritas (otherwise known as onion rings).

Foster's variation on a simple Tuscan classic might be considered heresy to purists, but our customers are crazy about the addition of olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. It's a great dish for summer buffets. The salad can be made a day in advance; serve it lightly chilled or at room temperature.

These are nice as part of a barbecue buffet.

Serve with: Grilled asparagus and pasta tossed with Parmesan and chopped mint.

An ode to New York City's Greek populace, this modern rendition of a classic was inspired by a dish we enjoyed at the Manhattan taverna Snack.

A colorful salad that is refreshing alongside the lamb chops. Green or red bell peppers can be added to the salad, if you like.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.