Shrimp

Named for a friend of my mother who was a wonderful cook, this recipe is very quick and easy and always elicits lots of requests for copies," Cindy Vogels of Littleton, Colorado. " I often serve this dish as a first course, leaving the shrimp whole, but here they are blended in a food processor to form a delicious spread." Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Serve steamed rice, and drizzle oriental sesame oil and rice vinegar over blanched snow peas. Mango sorbet topped with sliced tropical fruits is the perfect finale.

"I am 76 and consider myself a very good cook," writes Dorothy Harley of Norco, California. "I've always looked forward to receiving your magazine. Some recipes I try, love, and make over and over. One recipe I remember most is a shrimp and avocado salad. For our 25th anniversary, I cleaned and cooked 25 pounds of shrimp myself for the dish — it was a hit. And for my daughter's wedding, 21 years ago, I made it again. I'm sure that if you reprinted the recipe, you'd receive praise." Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 25 hr (includes marinating)

Cilantro and lime lend a bit of Mexican flair to this sandwich.

If you can't find Thai anise basil and Thai lemon basil, you can substitute Italian basil and lemon balm (the latter is available at farmers markets and specialty produce stores).

Serve steamed rice mixed with fresh cilantro alongside this spicy Chinese-inspired dish.

Jasper White discovered the flavorful, tender red shrimp of Stonington, Connecticut, while opening Summer Shack, his restaurant at the nearby Mohegan Sun casino. For this recipe, we tried several different kinds of shrimp, and all varieties worked well.

Côtelettes de Saumon Frais Dorigny Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

This meal is reminiscent of one we enjoyed at the Lemon Grass Restaurant in New Orleans. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min

Ginger and sesame lend an Asian accent.

For an impressive presentation, I always set the lemon halves in red-wine glasses, because their bowls are larger than white-wine glasses. Serve extra lemons alongside.

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo Offer this with the Mexican White Rice cooked with two whole serrano chiles (remove the chiles before serving the rice). To devein the shrimp while leaving the shells intact, use kitchen shears or scissors to cut down the center of each shell from the head end of the shrimp toward the tail. Open the shell slightly and remove the vein using the tip of a small, sharp knife.

Rosemary sprigs double as flavoring agents and skewers in this beautiful hors d'oeuvre. Only half of the pesto is used for this recipe; toss the remainder with pasta or spread thinly on crostini or grilled chicken breasts. What to drink: Pinot Grigio.