Tomato

For a low-fat entrèe, be sure to remove all visible fat and membrane from the veal shanks. Tie them to retain a nice shape.

This salad of bulgur and fresh mint is a specialty of Rachel's sister-in-law.

Start with grilled country bread spread with olive paste, or olivada, available at Italian markets, specialty foods stores and some supermarkets. Or puree pitted, black, brine-cured olive oil in a processor.

These small pizzas from Indigo in Honolulu feature sweet caramelized onions, spicy chicken, and mozzarella, Swiss and provolone cheeses. Refrigerated pizza dough is used here to simplify the recipe. Chili-garlic sauce can be substituted for the Thai chili sauce if necessary.

A blend of cheddar and Romano cheeses makes this dish a real standout.

Here's a stick-to the- ribs specialty where the Slavic influences of Trieste are deliciously evident. It's a typical holiday and special-occasion dish that is usually served from a big pot at the dinner table. The pot is always returned to the table later in the evening so that guests can have a snack before they leave.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

For some reason, small tunas like the bonito are not as popular fresh as the large yellowfin and bigeye tunas. Bonito has a delicate yet rich flavor. In this recipe, the fish is highly seasoned, grilled, and then broken up into pieces with the tines of a fork and used as the filling for tacos. The slight bitterness from the grilling combined with the smoky richness of the seasoned fish is a perfect excuse to experiment with several salsas as accompaniments. I particularly recommend Charred Tomato Mint Salsa. Don't forget to have plenty of soft, fresh tortillas on hand.

When Roy Yamaguchi invited me to cook at the 5th Anniversary celebration of his Oahu restaurant, I wanted to bring him something special from my neck of the woods and decided to attempt to transport soft-shelled crabs. I say "attempt" because soft-shells are very delicate and I wasn't sure they'd survive the long trip to Hawaii. Happily, of the 10 dozen live ones we packed up, about 8 dozen were still kicking when we got to our destination. I served them with simple accompaniments like wilted spinach and a crushed summer tomato vinaigrette. If you like using breaded soft-shell crabs, use panko, which will help maintain the visual character of the fish.

It took me quite a while to remember a meal I used to loathe. You see, I was a kid who ate pickled herring and pig's feet with her dad. But my mom reminded me of the utter disdain with which I would greet the following meal, named for my brother's best friend, Eric Gisolfi. Eric has always been a hearty eater, but a picky one. This was one dish he never complained about. So, whenever he joined us for dinner I felt conflicted — fantastically happy that a new playmate would be joining us and absolutely devastated that I had to endure the ground meat and elbow macaroni so cherished by our guest. Try it out to see the mixed reviews you receive.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.