Simmer

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 40 min

Terrine de Lapin aux Olives Vertes et Pistaches Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 11 1/2 hr (includes chilling)

"When I was a medical student, the importance of good nutrition was drilled into me by my instructors," writes Laura Christie of Oakland, California. "Unfortunately, my heavy course load kept me from actually practicing everything I learned. But I began making soups, salads and one-pot meals because they were easy to prepare and because they helped me get plenty of those vitamin-rich vegetables." Ready-to-use spinach makes it easy for Laura to add important nutrients to her diet, as she does in this low-fat soup.

Cajun seasoning spikes this soup with heat, so adjust according to your taste. Serve with: Jalapeño corn bread and carrot sticks. Dessert: Cheesecake topped with thawed sliced frozen peaches.

After opening anchovies, always keep them refrigerated, or they become mushy. Use as necessary. Freshly grated cheese may be frozen until needed.

"When my son was young," writes Mary Gareffa of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, "he used to tease me for standing over the pot of sauce, stirring and simmering it slowly, but that's the way my father showed me. A sauce is like a baby; you have to be gentle with it. And I know I must be doing something right, because my grandson, Jason, called me just last week to get the recipe." This quick and easy version of Mary's heirloom recipe is ready in under an hour.

There is a tradition in Crete of gathering wild greens and using them not only in vegetable or salad dishes but also as stuffings for savory turnovers. Cretans make use of tiny leeks, wild fennel, purslane, and milkwort, as well as the more familiar greens. We have substituted a mixture of the varieties of tender greens available at most supermarkets. You can even use prepackaged mixes, such as baby Asian salad or baby braising mix.

This salad has changed the minds of many who previously found beets overpowering. The Sherry vinegar provides a nice accent, though balsamic vinegar also will work. The walnuts may be replaced with pine nuts, pecans, or slivered almonds.

This lovely first course has the texture of risotto without the constant stirring. What to drink: Arneis or Soave.

Three very trendy ingredients — mango, lemongrass, and blood oranges — all come together in this unique dessert.

This is creamy corn with no cream at all. Our trick? The juice of freshly cut corn thickened with cornstarch.

Fresh fennel bulbs and crushed fennel seeds add subtle anise flavor. Use a mortar and pestle to crush the fennel seeds, or simply place them in a plastic bag and pound them with a rolling pin. The soup can be made a day ahead and rewarmed before serving.

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 15 min

Fricot à la Poule This dish is a variation of a stew served at Étoile de Mer, a traditional Acadian restaurant in Mont-Carmel. Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr