Tomato

Like American-style chili, picadillo is great over rice or with warm tortillas.

Here's a tangy condiment for holiday entrées; try it with pork tenderloin, roasted chicken or turkey. Begin preparing the relish a day ahead to allow the flavors time to blend.

Many Americans first tasted this cold vegetable soup at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. Gazpacho came into favor partly as a vehicle for showing off blenders, the popularity of which created a boom in recipes that called for liquefying ingredients. This recipe goes the Spanish classic one better with the addition of smoky chipotle chilies.

Serve this over the Baked White Polenta with Two Cheeses, and season with any — or all — of the suggested toppings (chocolate adds mole flavor).

This pesto, from Trapani, in Sicily, is made with almonds and tomato and far less basil than traditional pesto — don't expect it to be green.

Janet and Travis Kuhl of Cranford, New Jersey, writes: "We recently went to chef Ming Tsai's Blue Ginger restaurant in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Our entire meal was top-notch, but the shrimp cocktail was our favorite." Poured carefully side by side into a cocktail glass, tomato puree and avocado puree make a colorful dip for the lightly battered and quickly deep-fried shrimp.

This delicious salad is from Johannes.

Aurelia C. Scott of Portland, Maine, writes: "I would love to know how to make the red pepper frittata on the breakfast menu at the fabulous Five Gables Inn, in East Boothbay, Maine."

A Syracusan recipe adapted from Mary Taylor Simeti's book Pomp and Sustenance.

An easy no-bake lasagna.

Add a glass of rosé and some crusty Italian bread to make a perfect summer lunch.

Vellarikkai Thakkali Vengaya Pachadi Pachadi is the southern version of North Indian raita. You can substitute plain low-fat yogurt for the whole-milk yogurt here, but drain it in a sieve overnight first.

This would be nice with any roasted meat.