European

Celebrate the last of the hot weather with a spirited, chunky gazpacho in the Mexican mode. Tomatoes give the soup their characteristic rich, rounded flavor, and tomatillos—an Aztec and Mayan staple—lend fruity tartness and great body.

Mint gives sprightliness to robust mackerel and mushrooms in a quick escabeche that manages to be both substantial and refreshing.

Talk about flower power. As every gardener knows, late summer brings a bumper crop of zucchini and, better yet, of zucchini blossoms—known in Italy as fiori di zucca. Here, the tender yellow-orange blooms are filled with ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and mint, then batter-fried. Served alongside an easy tomato sauce (dip as you like), they make an irresistible first course or, with the addition of a green salad, a satisfying main.

Risotto, the ultimate comfort food of Milan, heads south to sunny Rome in a revamp of a classic. Pecorino Romano—in place of the more traditional Parmigiano-Reggiano—brings a delectably briny tang, while crunchy radishes in a light vinaigrette provide a counterpoint to the creamy Arborio rice.

This bravura sandwich stimulates all the senses. Grilling eggplant instead of frying it adds lightness and smoky complexity.

Garbanzos con espinacas Native to Iran, chickpeas were introduced in the eastern Mediterranean by the Greeks and Romans, but most scholars believe the Carthaginians carried chickpea seeds to Spain. Spinach arrived with the Moors. This classic pairing, from the kitchens of New Castile, began as a Lenten dish. In time, the combination was rounded out with the addition of salt cod and became an everyday dish, with the faithful sacrificing the salt cod during Lent. Today, the salt cod is sometimes replaced with a ham hock during the cooking of the beans and/or diced cooked ham to the finished dish. (If you opt to include the salt cod, be sure to omit the ham hock.) The stew is enriched with a picada of fried bread and garlic and is fairly thick and substantial. It may even be topped by fried or hard-boiled eggs.

Finikia It has been said that the Phoenicians introduced these delicious honey-dipped cookies to the people of Greece.

Some dishes are best when they are as plain and simple as possible. Whole fish fried in butter and served with lemon and parsley potatoes: That is simple and tasty!

Merluza en salsa de piñones Many Spanish fish dishes call for sauces made with almonds, hazelnuts, or pine nuts, sometimes in combination with tomatoes and saffron. While hake or monkfish is traditionally used for this Catalan dish, you can substitute cod, sea bass, flounder, or another firm white fish.

Legend has it that on December 13, 1764, a gentleman in Sweden was roused in the middle of the night by a beautiful voice. He saw a young woman in white moving through his room singing. She had wings and was carrying a candle. That was Lucia the Saint. She brought light, food, and wine as comfort on what was, in the Gregorian calendar, the longest night of the year. We celebrate Saint Lucia on December 13. Children will walk with lit candles singing the beautiful Lucia carol and bringing the Lucia bread.

At Palate Food + Wine, chef Octavio Becerra makes his own potted duck, whitefish, Berkshire pork, and chicken, our favorite. It's herby, homey, and sophisticated. And it makes a great lunch with a salad on the side. A timing note: The chicken needs to marinate overnight before it's braised.

The ice cream custard needs to infuse with the flavor of the cacao nibs overnight, so start preparing it two days ahead.

These "gnocchi" are more like baked polenta cutouts. For a pretty presentation, cut the gnocchi with a three-inch-square scalloped cookie cutter.

Gazpacho (a traditional chilled soup that originated in Spain) becomes a sauce for fish fillets.

These deep-fried rice balls hail from Sicily. Arancine are often made with leftover risotto, but this recipe calls for freshly made risotto. A piece of cheese is tucked into the rice mixture, then the rice balls are breaded and fried until golden.

The stew is perked up with an Italian-style salsa verde, a mixture of chopped fresh herbs and olive oil. Have the bass filleted at the fish counter. You'll need the bones, skin, and head to make the stock, so be sure to request that those parts be saved for you. You may want to consider toasting more bread to sop up all the flavorful broth.

Timing note: You'll need to start this recipe two days ahead.