Tomato

Raita is a yogurt salad, and integral--and cooling--part of an Indian meal. It can be prepared with raw and/or cooked vegetables (we use both here) or with fruit.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Though this pale-orange liquid may not look terribly impressive, its flavor is the very essence of tomato. In addition to using it as a base for soup, we treat it almost like lemon juice, adding a dash here and there to any of our summer recipes that call for a little extra zest.

Other varieties of sweet yellow-fleshed winter squash-such as acorn squash-are perfect for this soup. Nonfat milk and vegetable broth keep the soup low in fat, but also give it a surprisingly velvety texture.

Have some carrot sticks, sweet gherkin pickles and buttered dinner rolls with the salad; if the picnic is taking place in the back yard, offer some corn on the cob as well. Oversize oatmeal cookies and watermelon wedges are a great finish. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Either potato salad or bulgur salad would be lovely with these summer kebabs.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Chinese bean thread noodles (also called cellophane noodles) are often used in Moroccan dishes, like this starter. Their use stems from the influence of a small Vietnamese community in North Africa.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Begin the meal with chilled canned vichyssoise sprinkled with chopped fresh chives. A bowl of marinated green and black olives goes well with the salad, and a compote of the season's best fruits — berries, melon and peaches — is a nice finish.

Serve this beautiful starter with Champagne or sparkling wine.

"Vito's Waterfront, a charming restaurant on Marco Island off Florida's Gulf Coast, offers a house salad that comes with a thick and tangy sun-dried tomato dressing," says Joanne Lawrence of Norwell, Massachusetts.

Capers lend tangy contrast to the sweet bell peppers. Serve the stew over egg noodles

Salmorejo Cordobés In Córdoba, gazpacho is reduced to its most basic elements, with no cucumbers or peppers, and is known as salmorejo. It takes on a saucelike consistency but is still considered a soup and is served in small portions. It is scattered with chopped hard-boiled egg and julienne strips of serrano ham, both indispensable to achieving salmorejo's fullest flavor. Salmorejo is sometimes used as a dip.

Vegetable broth is rich and delicious when made correctly. The peels add color and vitamins, and the mushrooms lend great flavor. There are many varieties of veggie broth in cans too. Try both homemade and canned. You also can substitute canned chicken broth for the Fresh Vegetable Broth in any recipe.