Seafood

The stew is perked up with an Italian-style salsa verde, a mixture of chopped fresh herbs and olive oil. Have the bass filleted at the fish counter. You'll need the bones, skin, and head to make the stock, so be sure to request that those parts be saved for you. You may want to consider toasting more bread to sop up all the flavorful broth.

A first course with a serious wow factor. Even though this terrine is labor-intensive, it's not as fussy and last-minute as quenelles, and its ethereal texture rivals theirs. The salmon roe adds sparkle and zing both on the plate and on the palate, but if you want to take the terrine in a slightly different direction, use a small dice of blanched, peeled carrot in its place. You'll get a delicate crunch instead of a briny pop in the mouth.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from I Like Food, Food Tastes Good: In the Kitchen with Your Favorite Bands by Kara Zuaro. Crooked Fingers
from Eric Bachmann When I think back to some of the happiest times of my life, I can hear Eric Bachmann's music playing in the background. His old band, Archers of Loaf, was the car stereo soundtrack to many nights of sipping Slurpees with my best friends in high school. When Archers disbanded, Eric started Crooked Fingers — named for his grandfather's CB handle — and my boyfriend, Pete, played me their first record on our first date. On our first vacation together, we found that our North Carolinian pals were also big Archers of Loaf fans and had actually been to their last show ever. In the dark, junkyard-like backyard of their crappy local bar, they broke out into an a cappella version of "Web in Front," which remains the most joyful, punk rock thing I've ever heard. In that moment, I felt so lucky that my life was happening to me. But, because I'm a bit of a pessimist, I really hoped I'd never meet Eric Bachmann. I feared that no mortal man could measure up to his music and all the memories I had tied up in it. So, when we saw him standing around at SXSW (Austin's springtime indie rock fest), Pete literally had to push me to talk to him about the cookbook. Turns out, Eric has worked in restaurants all his life. He loves to cook, and he mentioned this seared tuna dish, which, by the way, is ridiculously easy to make and very impressive. When he emailed me the recipe, it came with a note that said, "Thanks for allowing me to be a part of your project . . . it's a real honor." The pleasure is all mine.

We've given eminently tasty salmon the crab-cake treatment. Topping the lovely, golden (and satisfyingly chunky) cakes is a tart, tangy yogurt sauce rather than the usual tartar.

Shrimp cocktail quickly becomes much more than a classic first course when you give it some Latin flair. Try tossing lime juice, cilantro, piquant adobo sauce, and creamy avocado into the mix.

The French custom of serving radishes with sweet butter and sea salt is a lesson in simplicity; there's something so satisfying about a lick of creamy butter against the snap of peppery radish. Here, anchovy paste adds a singular savor to the butter, but the ease of the tradition remains. It's worth seeking out small radishes like the French Breakfast variety; if you can find only big ones, just halve them.

Cold noodle dishes are a great way to cool off, and since both calamari and rice-stick noodles require little cooking, the combination makes for an excellent lunch or dinner on a hot, lazy day. With its generous amount of fragrant garden herbs, this salad even smells refreshing.

In this main-course riff on salade niçoise, the olives make a splash in the dressing while peppery arugula stands in for lettuce, grilled salmon for oil-packed tuna. Yet the beautiful contrasts of the original are still front and center: potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, and hard-boiled eggs.

Why reserve cedar planks for the grill? They work just as well in the oven.

The ideal summer dinner—without the labor required for the traditional Spanish version.

This fun assortment of flavorful nibbles is ideal for summer entertaining. End the meal with frozen yogurt or a fruit salad of halved fresh cherries and pieces of watermelon.

This velvety soup has no cream except for the little bit of sour cream that's spooned on top. It's perfect for summer entertaining: All of the components can be prepared a day ahead.

Marinating the fish in lemon and lime juices "cooks" it while it sits in the fridge. Don't leave the fish in the marinade longer than six hours or it may become tough. Serve the tacos with corn and black bean salsa and offer chocolate mousse spiked with a little chile powder for dessert.

In this handheld treat, carrots, cucumbers, and smoked trout are tossed in a hot, sweet, and tangy sauce. For a simple side, steam some plain or sticky rice in the microwave, then chill it and mix in some chopped green onions, chopped fresh mint, lime juice, chili-garlic sauce, and a touch of soy sauce or fish sauce. For dessert, serve mango sorbet or fresh pineapple and mango slices.

The herbes de Provence blend is even better when it's made from fresh herbs. Here, it creates an elegant pairing for a colorful mix of summer vegetables and halibut.

This exotic dish is cooked on the grill (in a disposable pan), so there's very little cleanup.

A chunky pistou with full pistachio flavor adds depth to this fresh salmon dish. Want even more vegetables? Slice lemon cucumbers (a wonderful farmers' market variety that looks somewhat like a yellow tomato) and add a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of dill to make the perfect starter.

Tinseltown's finest flock here for classic Italian meals from chefs Mario Batali and Nancy Silverton. This dish delivers molto flavor for few calories, plus a third of your daily iron needs.