Seafood

The parts of Corsica that are not cultivated or forested are covered with a thick underbrush called the Maquis. It consists of diverse aromatic herbs that make the hillsides white with little flowers in the spring and inspire one of the island's nicknames, "the Scented Isle." A blend of these herbs, called herbes de maquis, is a flavoring for many seafood specialties, including this rich pasta and lobster dish. Many say that the most flavorful lobsters in the Mediterranean come from the waters off Corsica. For reasons of food safety, it is essential to make the sauce and finish cooking the lobster immediately after the lobster has been boiled.

Known as salade méchouia, this is the most popular salad in Tunisia. Although it is lovely as a first course, it also makes a good light lunch. Serve it with bread.

Inspired by the ancient cuisine of Indian kings and queens, this from Appam Restaurant's owner-chef Irene Trias bursts with exotic flavors, yet it is light, refreshing and very kind to the heart.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This take on classic Caesar salad uses nonfat yogurt in place of oil and egg (or oil and mayonnaise) for a lean but creamy dressing that is enhanced by grated Parmesan.

Here's a light, fresh-tasting soup-stew from Hotel Château Erenstein in Kerkrade, the Netherlands.

This classic topping is famous for being rich like its namesake. But here only the flavor is extravagant, not the calories.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Most cookware stores carry baker's peels (wooden, paddle-like implements used to slide pizza into ovens) and pizza stones; these tools make it easy to create a crust with character, but good crusts also require a very hot oven. In our experience, the most common flaw in home-made pizza is mozzarella overdose: Too much of it smothers the rest of the pie, causing what's below to steam into softness. The following pie is made without any mozzarella at all. Needless to say, the roster of toppings is flexible.

Believe it: One-percent milk helps create the rich sauce for the entrée. Team the scallops with steamed red potatoes, Spring Peas with Lettuce and Mint and iced tea for a lovely meal.

These peel-and-eat shrimp are great fun. Just make sure to have plenty of napkins on hand.