Bell Pepper

Because of its solid, chewy texture, tempeh (which is made from soybeans and grains) is a good meat substitute.

This is one of my mother's recipes and call me biased, but it's the best around. This is a vegetarian black bean soup, and one of the keys to its success is the quality of the olive oil: use the very best you can find. You can make the soup a day in advance and it will taste even better the next day. This is a no-fail recipe that I know you're going to enjoy.

It wouldn't be Christmas without some red and green on the table.

Serve with: Warmed tortillas and steamed, buttered summer squash. Dessert: Key lime pie from the bakery.

You can save some prep time by asking a butcher to cut the chicken thighs in half for you. This dish is particularly good served over orzo.

This is also terrific with yellow tomatoes. Garnish with thin cucumber slices and some chopped red onion, if desired.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 45 min

Marsha also uses this versatile sauce (based on the Spanish sauce called romesco) as a pasta sauce, as a dip and on garlic toasts as an hors d'oeuvre.

A terrific accompaniment for kebabs.

Piperade, a saucy tomato and pepper mixture from the Basque regions of France and Spain, is often paired with eggs.

This mix of jicama, cucumber, bell pepper, and carrot would also make a good side dish for scallops or shrimp. To keep the slaw crispy, add the dressing just before serving.

Don't skip the green peppers when making these sandwiches. They give just the right balance to the pepper mixture, slightly cutting the sweetness of their red and orange companions.

It's best to serve this lobster salad right after you make it, rather than preparing it in advance. If the salad stands for more than half an hour, pineapple enzymes will alter the texture of the lobster meat. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Sorbete de Gazpacho Sobre
Gelée de Manzana Many of Spain's celebrated chefs have tinkered with traditional gazpachos, transforming them into dishes worthy of the most creative kitchens. A favorite variation is gazpachos (both red and white) made into sorbets and included as part of a tasting menu. This luscious coral-colored sorbet, adapted from a recipe by chef Sergio López Domínguez, of Tragabuches restaurant, in Ronda, looks stunning served over a bed of diced apple aspic and drizzled with caramelized balsamic vinegar. López likes to sprinkle the sorbet with a garnish of finely chopped mojama, a salt-cured tuna. The blend of flavors in the dish works sensationally well, with or without the extra garnish.

Pipirrana Jaenera Pipirrana is a version of gazpacho typical of the Andalusian province of Jaén — more a salad than a soup.