Tomato

We seasoned this salad — based on the Middle Eastern bread salad called fattoush — with za'atar, a mixture of salt, sumac, sesame, and thyme.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

There are several varieties of mustard cabbage; for this recipe we used wrapped-heart mustard cabbage, also called swatow or dai gai choy. Sharp and pungent when raw, mustard cabbage sweetens and mellows with wilting and slow cooking. Try serving this dish with mashed potatoes, which go very well with the gravylike tomato sauce the stuffed cabbage is cooked in.

With such hearty vegetables, this can easily be served as a meatless main course.

Steve Delaney, West Chester, Pa.
"My recipe reflects the Caribbean influences in the foods of Miami, where I lived for many years."

Though Rose Pascale always uses fresh octopus (sold as pulpo in many Latino markets), we found that it's generally sold frozen. You may need to special-order or reserve octopus from your local fish market several days ahead.

Stuffed pastas such as ravioli are simple to make, but it is important to keep the dough soft enough to be worked easily. Always roll out and fill 1 sheet of dough at a time, keeping the remaining dough wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.

This hearty salad combines the richness of baked red onion with the freshness of ripe raw tomatoes. The dressing is a savory vinaigrette with capers and anchovies. It is an ideal dish for a buffet or, with the addition of some good canned tuna, for a light lunch or picnic.

Alongside this colorful main course, offer simple side dishes like white rice mixed with black beans, and steamed chunks of zucchini. Holiday cookies from the bakery top off the meal nicely.

Here's a chunky, hearty beef stew that's just right on a cold winter day.

Saffron lends authenticity to this fragrant dish, which draws its inspiration from the paellas of Spain. Serve a green salad alongside, and uncork a bottle of Pinot Grigio.

Save the beet tops for a quick side dish: just sauté them with garlic and olive oil, sprinkle with lemon, salt and pepper, and serve.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Cumin, chili powder, garlic and fresh lime juice are combine in the easy-to-make spice paste. It adds lots of flavor to the beef in this recipe, but can also be used on chicken, pork, shrimp or firm fish like halibut, swordfish and shark.