Vegetarian

Haloumi is a semihard cheese made from sheep’s milk; look for it at Middle Eastern markets.

We particularly like the flavor and firm texture of Bulgarian feta cheese, which is easy to slice, but other types can also be used.

This dish can be prepared several hours ahead and served chilled or at room temperature. Peel and slice the cucumbers just before serving.

Baked tarts can be frozen up to 3 weeks. Without thawing, reheat them in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. Instead of large tarts, you can make individual-size tartlets: Cut the pastry into eight 4-inch squares; bake for about 20 minutes.

The olives can be prepared three days ahead and refrigerated, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Ciabatta, a long, flat Italian bread, is ideal for this recipe, but you could also use a rustic round loaf; instead of splitting it horizontally, cut 6 1 1/4-inch-thick slices. You can refrigerate leftover chimichurri in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

We used morel mushrooms, a spring variety known for its nutty flavor and pitted flesh, but any wild mushrooms, an assortment, or even cultivated mushrooms will also make a nice sauce. You can prepare the popover batter in advance, and refrigerate it for up to one day. Let it stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking. The sauce can also be made one day ahead. Let it cool completely, then refrigerate. Reheat over medium-low heat, adding heavy cream to thin, if necessary. If you have leftovers, keep them in an airtight container for up to one day.

If using prepared horseradish, reduce the amount of lemon juice to 1 tablespoon.

The thick consistency of Greek yogurt is ideal for this spread. If your grocer doesn’t sell it, use another whole-milk yogurt, and drain it for 30 minutes in a fine sieve set over a bowl. You can make the spread one day ahead and refrigerate it (cover with plastic wrap); wait until just before serving to stir in the parsley and radishes.

You can use store-bought mayonnaise, if you like; skip step 1.