Plum Tomato

A fusion dish from Phyllis Vaccarelli of Let's Get Cookin', in Westlake Village, California. The flavors are basically Italian, but before cooking, the shrimp are coated with a "velveting" mixture of cornstarch and egg white used in traditional Chinese cooking, which helps keep the shrimp tender. Serve a watercress salad with balsamic dressing alongside. For dessert, construct a sundae with vanilla ice cream, diced mangoes and crushed amaretti cookies.

Parmesan goes a long way on this meatless entrée, so use sparingly. Pour some Chianti.

These individual vegetable terrines can be assembled a day ahead.

As the story goes, the Maya served this dish to the Spaniards, calling it papadzules, which means "food for the lords."

Serve with Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.

To get you in the mood for summer we are grilling these pizzas, but if you aren't able to grill, you can cook them indoors in a grill pan instead.

Fresh corn from a farmers' market or a grower's farmstand will taste the sweetest.

Jody Adams makes this dish in a 14-inch cast-iron skillet with a lid, but since that size is rare in home kitchens, we've adapted the recipe for a roasting pan.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Steamed baby potatoes and a baguette are good partners for the fish. For dessert, spoon sugared raspberries over angel food cake.

"Although I live in Athens," writes Yolanda Paterakis, "my connection to the islands is very strong — my husband, Andreas, is from Crete, and we have a vacation home on the Greek island of Euboea in the Aegean Sea. No matter where we are, we love to entertain our two children, our three grandchildren, and scores of friends. For these get-togethers, I always prepare quick, simple dishes because my busy schedule demands it; I write children's and travel books, and I'm the general secretary of the National Society of Greek Writers. I've often thought that cooking is like writing a story — always best when you put your heart into it." Rich and fragrant, this main course goes well with boiled potatoes or rice.

Consommé avec Petites Profiteroles Active time: 2 1/4 hr Start to finish: 20 hr (includes making stock)

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A full-flavored Italian blue cheese adds pizzazz to this pasta. Serve the dish with a salad, bread and a glass of white wine for a lovely weekday dinner.