Chorizo

A slightly firm, mellow triple-crème, Mt. Tam cheese softens into this stew but doesn't melt. We like to add a little extra Sherry just before serving.

Creamy, cheesy, and light, this wonderful custard packs a few of the most delicious ingredients—sweet corn, earthy mushrooms, and spicy chorizo—into one amazingly satisfying dish.

If you soak the dried chiles in the morning, they'll be ready by evening.

The unofficial national dish of Spain, paella makes a fantastic main course for entertaining. Once you've prepped the components a couple of hours ahead, the finished product comes together in about 30 minutes. Just add a green salad dressed with Sherry vinaigrette. What to drink: Chilled Spanish rosé (called rosado); Rick Rodgers likes Las Rocas de San Alejandro Rosado.

Fideos, pasta nests that are often toasted in oil, are popular on the eastern coast of Spain. Here, the sauce is enhanced with a sofrito, a concentrated mixture that imparts a deep tomato flavor. The browned fideos slowly absorb the seafood-based sauce as they cook.

This dish would be great served with fried eggs for brunch.

This variation on paella uses Israeli couscous in place of rice.

Green chilies, cumin, and chorizo flavor this spicy southwestern rendition of the eastern seaboard classic.

A turkey seems simple to prepare but needs extra attention, so make the glaze and stuffing ahead. Wash the bird well, refresh it with an orange and use cooled stuffing! The cooked-turkey temperatures given here are USDA-approved.

Just about every book we've ever seen on southwest cooking includes a recipe for one of the spicy cornbreads of the region. Once you've tasted one, you'll know why — they are really delicious. This version is more of a pudding than a bread because it is quite moist and cheesy in texture. It makes a wonderful side dish to replace potatoes or rice, or it is quite satisfying eaten as a light entrée or lunch with a salad of fresh young greens.

This custard makes a perfect one-dish brunch, lunch, or supper, especially when paired with a green salad. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

The Masa Harina adds a pleasant flavor to the light and fluffy pancakes.

Serve with: Crusty baguette slices and a salad of arugula dressed with Sherry vinaigrette. Dessert: Vanilla ice cream topped with warm caramel sauce.