Tomato

Typical Provençal ingredients give this satisfying pasta salad a French accent. Refrigerate this at least two hours before serving.

Noël McAlpine of Dallas, Texas, writes: "When I was in Florence for a business conference, I had the pleasure of dining at Trattoria Garga. I really enjoyed the scaloppine al carciofi (veal cutlets with artichokes) and would like to add the recipe to my collection."

Toss salad with the Sunshine Vinaigrette just before serving, so that the greens won't discolor.

To bring out the best in this dish, buy or order the finest cheeses from a cheese shop or Italian deli: fresh ricotta, mild imported provolone, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

I like using Israeli couscous for this dish, although pearl barley may be substituted. This couscous is quite starchy and should be rinsed after cooking.

"I used to go to central New Jersey frequently on business and always made time to stop at Eccoqui, an Italian restaurant in Bernardsville," writes Bobbi Reed of Denver, Colorado. "Since I no longer travel to that area, I miss the restaurant — and especially the pappardelle con salsiccia." Try any of your favorite pasta shapes with this sauce. Pappardelle or mafaldine — broad, flat noodles with rippled edges — work particularly well.

There are two ways to get tender squid: a very quick sauté or a very long simmer. This simple yet impressive recipe uses the former method. We call for a Thai or serrano chile because they're easier to find here — try your local supermarket — than the small, thin Italian hot chiles. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 hr

The Mediterranean fish soup bourride is something like a bouillabaisse but has a consistency more like stew. Instead of putting the aïoli directly into the soup, as is traditional, Adams likes to dollop it onto toasts.

The leftover braising oil is extremely flavorful. You can toss it with pasta or use it in dressings. This recipe is an accompaniment for Monkfish and Clam Bourride .

The corn coulis also pairs nicely with pork tenderloin, shrimp, or grilled chicken. Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 45 min

Serve as a first course on a bed of arugula or as a side dish with grilled beef or chicken.

The riper the tomatoes, the better the flavor of this delicate consommé. To clarify it, we've used the traditional French method of creating an egg-white "raft," which attracts particles from the simmering broth and is then discarded. Though the consommé is served cold, it is not jellied.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Pita bread serves as the crust for this pizza-style dish. Look for prepackaged mixed black and green brine-cured olives in the deli section of most supermarkets. Serve with: Tabbouleh (bulgur salad), arugula salad with red wine vinaigrette, and marinated artichoke hearts.

This is a Cuban version of picadillo, a sweet-and-sour meat stew that is popular in many Spanish-speaking countries. Serve with: Sweet potato chips, and carrot and celery sticks with blue cheese dipping sauce.

Spaghetti stands in for rice in this version of the Spanish favorite.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 40 min

If an herbes de Provence blend isn't available, use a combination of dried thyme, basil, savory, and fennel seeds. Dried porcini can be found at Italian markets, specialty foods stores, and many supermarkets.