Bell Pepper

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Escalivada, from Catalonia in northeastern Spain, is a mixture of vegetables roasted in the ashes of a slow fire. Plenty of wood chips add a smoky nuance here; the finished vegetables are offered at room temperature in a roasted-garlic vinaigrette.

Perfect for a meatless brunch or casual supper.

Lavash, a Middle Eastern flatbread, comes in a variety of sizes and textures, from crisp rectangular crackers to large folded pliable rounds. It is the latter called for here. To form the lavash into cups, you'll need a pan with 12 mini-muffin (1/8-cup) molds, each about 1 3/4 inches across the top and 3/4 inch deep. Caponata is a piquant Sicilian dish of eggplant, onions, tomatoes, anchovies, olives, and capers, generously laced with olive oil; this variation is much lighter-and contains no added fat-because it omits the oil, anchovies, and olives.

These pickled peppers work well with Cheddar and other firm/hard cheeses.

Spoon some of the sauce over noodles that have been tossed with Parmesan cheese; serve with a salad of balsamic-dressed mesclun and with crusty bread. Almond cookies and grapes are a simple finale.

This classic accompaniment to grilled meats also makes a great taco filling. Grilled chiles, peppers, and onion.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Crumbled feta cheese makes a nice topping.

To make this easy appetizer even easier, substitute store-bought roasted red bell peppers for the home-roasted ones.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Healthy bonus: Vitamin A and lycopene from the red peppers

Here's a unique no-cabbage slaw with a dressing that is spicy and a little sweet.