Spinach

"Although I'm not usually a big fan of fish, I love the roasted salmon at the Saucebox here in Portland," writes Irin Haruchai of Portland, Oregon. "The sauce served with it is out of this world." Spicy sauces with sweet-and-sour flavors are popular in Javanese food and, in this case, pair deliciously with salmon.

The people who count such things say that scrambles now outrank all other egg preparations in America's affections. This San Francisco creation — claimed by almost every Joe who's owned a restaurant in the Bay area — helps to explain the popularity. With the addition of ingredients as basic but as unlikely as ground beef and spinach, the namesake cook (probably Italian-American) turned straightforward scrambled eggs into a distinctive treasure of tastes. For a full sense of place, serve the eggs with good sourdough toast.

Foster's variation on a simple Tuscan classic might be considered heresy to purists, but our customers are crazy about the addition of olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. It's a great dish for summer buffets. The salad can be made a day in advance; serve it lightly chilled or at room temperature.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 40 min

This terrific combination is very nice with baked ham.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

To serve alongside this version of a southern favorite, toss some boiled new potatoes and cherry tomatoes with melted butter and chopped parsley in a skillet. Finish with a purchased lemon meringue pie.

"To celebrate my birthday, my husband took me to Assaggio, one of my favorite restaurants here," writes Christy Wall of Portland, Oregon. "As I always do, I ordered the bow-tie pasta with wild mushrooms, butternut squash, spinach, garlic and olive oil."

(GNOCCHI DI SPINACI ALLA BAVA) Spinach adds great color and flavor to these light dumplings. The topping consists of melted butter and Fontina cheese, a product made in the neighboring region of Valle d'Aosta but used for many local dishes.

Look for rice vinegar in the Asian foods section of the supermarket.

These rolls are baked instead of deep-fried, making them a healthful, satisfying alternative to traditional egg rolls.

(Gumbo with Mixed Greens and Red Beans) Louisiana's "gumbo z'herbes", from the French gumbo aux herbes, was developed in Roman Catholic communities as a meatless dish for Lent. Traditionally, the number of guests determines how many types of greens go into the pot, but, if you wish to use only a few greens, just increase their amounts to equal the total quantity called for. Red beans are added to make this gumbo a more complete vegetarian main course.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Chopped cilantro in the dressing and whole leaves mixed with the spinach add a double dose of cilantro flavor to this salad.

This traditional, regional vegetable side dish is utterly simple and absolutely delicious. The addition of raisins and pine nuts is distinctively Catalan.

Oysters Rockefeller were created in 1899 by Jules Alciatore of Antoine's in New Orleans to make use of local shellfish and greens. Named for John D. Rockefeller, this classic course is likewise quite rich.