Tomato

This starter was inspired by the tamarind-flavored dishes of Alicia De Angeli, a food writer and consultant in Mexico City, and Mark Miller of Coyote Cafe in Santa Fe.

Healthy bonus: Bone-building magnesium and calcium from arugula

María A. Alvarado-Gómez of Erie, Pennsylvania, writes: "I came to the United States as an exchange student, after spending the first 18 years of my life in Mérida, Yucatán. On school vacations I would go home and cook with my mother and sisters so that I wouldn't lose my touch. My mother was a skilled cook, and I was lucky to have learned at her side. Her food was so popular in our neighborhood that she sold portions of our daily meals to other families. With nine well-fed kids, she said we were her best advertisement. "I still take great pride in the food of my homeland. Yucatecan cuisine is known for its Mayan influence, and the essential ingredients we use — limes, spices, avocados, tomatoes, peppers — make for wonderful flavors. Now that ground spices are readily available and vegetables can be quickly chopped in a food processor, preparing traditional Mexican dishes is easier than ever." Fresh and lively, like a cooked ceviche.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Nourishing and quick to make, this one-pot meal is perfect for a workday supper. Make the tomato soup ahead, then reheat it and poach the eggs just before serving. For this dish, I like to use medium eggs or, for an even more special touch, quail eggs if I can get them.

You’ll need to purchase a 1-pound package of frozen pizza dough, even though only a quarter of that is called for here. Refreeze the remainder for another use.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

An interesting mix of spices lends wonderful flavor to this simple pasta dish — known as pastitsada — from Tavern Tripa.

Canned chipotle chilies — which give this dish a smoky depth — are available at Latin American markets and many supermarkets. Top the chili with chopped cilantro and green onions, and serve sides of corn bread and spinach salad. For dessert, try lemon sherbet with sugar cookies.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

(Arrossejat de Fideus amb Llagosta) This Catalan specialty could be described as a pasta cooked like a rice dish. Arrossejat is Catalan for "golden" and refers to the technique of sautéing noodles in oil until golden brown before simmering them in fish stock. The dish is usually prepared in a glazed earthenware casserole known as a cassola, but you can substitute an ovenproof skillet or saut0an with great results. The base of our intensely flavored dish is a sofregit~©on slow-cooked with tomatoes and often garlic and herbs'% foundation for almost every sauce and stewed dish in the region's cooking. Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 2 hr

In the Today's Gourmet series, I wanted to create dishes that were elegant, modern, original, light, and reasonably quick to prepare. TV demanded that the dishes be visually attractive, too.... Partially drying the tomatoes in the oven concentrates their taste, giving them a wonderfully deep flavor and great chewiness. The red of the tomatoes, the white of the cheese, and the green of the basil make this dramatically colorful salad especially enticing. Serve with good crunchy bread.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.