Tomato

Asparagus heralds spring! It still may be a little early, but as the asparagus season moves along, the stalks will be less woody.

Roasted eggplant spreads and salads come in many variations throughout Greece and are usually embellished with local flavor. In the North, yogurt is often added to the eggplants, for example, throughout the Cyclades, it is the ubiquitous caper and tomato that season this delicious dish.

A stunning vegetarian platter.

For this warm-weather dish, a salsa cruda à la Grec — or uncooked Greek-style sauce — is combined with hot pasta and served at once. Be sure to use the ripest, juiciest tomatoes you can find, preferably from a farmers' market or your own backyard.

The easy tomato chutney is adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's cookbook From Curries to Kebabs. Make the chutney and combine it with the green beans about four hours before serving, which allows plenty of time for the beans to soak up the flavors.

Hybrids can be substituted in this recipe.

Chef Christoforos Peskias turned rice-stuffed tomatoes inside out and came up with something that resembles sushi topped with tuna. He forms rectangular "sushi" using a special mold; we found that a scoop works well for the home cook. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 4 hr

Halved cherry tomatoes and diced green chilies make a chunky relish for the tri-tip.

Made with spicy sausages and smoky grilled onion, these are not your standard burgers.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Roasted Garlic Sauce .

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

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

Serve over steamed basmati rice. Garam masala, a spice mixture, is available at Indian markets and some supermarkets.

To begin, fill a platter with slices of bresaola and mozzarella, and also serve a warm salad of roasted peppers. The spinach, basil and ricotta puree and orzo with lemon peel are terrific with the chicken, as is a dry white wine like a Greco di Tufo. Dessert should have an Italian accent, too: Try slices of fresh pears topped with mascarpone and a warm walnut-caramel sauce.