30 Minutes or Less

Often found at shacks on the beach in Puerto Rico, this full-flavored crab dish is served in the shell, or with rice and green bananas or plantains. A defining element of the dish is sofrito, a traditional Spanish sauce of tomatoes, onions, garlic, bell peppers, cilantro, and hot pepper.

"Shark and bake," a popular Trinidadian pocket sandwich, is found at beach shacks and street stalls throughout the island. Part of its appeal is the variety of go-withs, from mango chutney to sliced cucumbers. "Bake" is a catchall term for several types of bread, grilled or fried. Since blacktip shark — the traditional choice — is not readily available, catfish or tilapia fillets are substituted here. Pita pockets are a stand-in for the flatbread that's typically used to make the sandwich.

In Jamaica, this dish turns up by the seaside or near rivers, as janga (river crayfish) are often used. It is seriously, deliciously hot — wash the heat down with ice-cold beer. Using uncooked shrimp that have been deveined with the shells intact will make the shrimp much easier to peel.

This hefty omelet is big enough for two people to share, and the recipe makes great use of the flavored goat cheese varieties now available at supermarkets across the country.

Cara Brunetti Hillyard of Hamilton, Virginia, writes: "I come from a long line of great cooks. My father owns an Italian market in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where my mother gets a lot of the ingredients she uses in her wonderful dishes. My mother-in-law is a recipe developer, and I've been known to sit next to my great-aunt Stella with a pen and paper as she details her amazing recipes. I live far from home now, but I reconnect with my family traditions every evening when I make dinner."

This gorgeous winter salad would go well with the Mediterranean Supper Omelet. The seasoned rice vinegar takes candied walnuts from ubiquitous to inspired.

Cara Brunetti Hillyard of Hamilton, Virginia, writes: "I come from a long line of great cooks. My father owns an Italian market in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where my mother gets a lot of the ingredients she uses in her wonderful dishes. My mother-in-law is a recipe developer, and I've been known to sit next to my great-aunt Stella with a pen and paper as she details her amazing recipes. I live far from home now, but I reconnect with my family traditions every evening when I make dinner."

This will disappear fast, so doubling the recipe might not be a bad idea.

Inspired by croquettes, these brightly spiced fish cakes will transport you to sunnier shores. The recipe takes advantage of the large flake and meatiness of hake to give crab cakes a run for their money.

Why resort to takeout? This spicy coconut sauce, brimming with stewed tomatoes, is a wonderful way to make weeknight chicken tempting again.

You may never go back to roast beef sandwiches after trying the bold flavor of steak with creamy, garlicky Boursin.

Prized by gardeners during the Renaissance, celery root, or celeriac, has a light celery flavor and a dense flesh that is perfect for shredding into slaws. This salad is wonderful with the chicken and biscuits or the flank steak. Enjoy any leftovers the next day.

Salty, sweet, and tangy, the onion and pickle butter stands up beautifully to the rich oiliness of mackerel. Aside from their distinctive taste, the fish fillets have the bonus of broiling in just minutes.

For this lighter-than-air Austrian soufflé, we've added tart lingonberry sauce, but any preserves or jam will work.

Tired of chili con carne? This warming pozole-inspired stew is a welcome departure. Its spiciness depends on the heat of the jalapeños you use.

The crunch and hint of licorice from a fennel bulb and fennel seeds have the magical effect of making crab taste more intensely like itself in this simple, coyly romantic salad.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from The Skinny: How to Fit into Your Little Black Dress Forever by Melissa Clark and Robin Aronson. Dressed with roasted red peppers, olive oil, mustard, and garlic instead of the usual bland mayonnaise, this chicken salad packs a punch. It's great made into a sandwich for lunch at the office. Or if bread isn't on your menu, serve the chicken salad on a bed of greens tossed with a little olive oil and sprinkled with salt.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from The Skinny: How to Fit Into Your Little Black Dress Forever by Melissa Clark and Robin Aronson. Use a soft whole grain loaf for this recipe — anything crusty or crunchy would distract from the smooth, custardy texture of the French toast. Papayas are an underappreciated fruit that deserve more play. We chose to pair them with this recipe because their juicy, bright flavor is a nice contrast to the fried bread, and, well, because we love them. But feel free to substitute whatever fruit you like.

The garlic-nut sauce known as tarator, which sometimes also includes tahini, is a classic Turkish accompaniment to mussels and fried fish as well as vegetables. Here, it's used with cauliflower that is sliced — rather than separated into florets — so that it can be more easily browned, which gives it a nutty flavor that complements the tarator perfectly.