Side

The heat in fresh poblano chiles varies considerably; you may want to use more than one in this dish if they are not too hot. The sautéed vegetables can sit at room temperature for several hours before serving.

Two kinds of just-cooked peas and an Asian dressing make one delicious salad.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 25 min

Based on a recipe passed down from Anna Pump's Danish grandmother, this European-style potato salad is dressed with a mustardy vinaigrette along with capers, chives, and fresh parsley.

The African, Caribbean, and Asian populations of New York share a common love of spice and okra, so we've combined the two. If habanero chiles are too spicy for you, use a serrano or jalapeño chile instead. Rinsing your okra gives it a cleaner taste and texture. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

Yam Taeng Kwa Dried shrimp are an acquired taste; they have a very strong fish flavor. But this salad is wonderfully refreshing even without the shrimp. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 15 min

If you haven't already made the low-fat buttermilk dressing for the buffalo burgers you'll need to allow a little extra time for this recipe. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min

I particularly like this version of whitefish salad, because there is no filler in it. Mark, a political consultant who served in the Carter White House, makes it for break-the-fast as well as during the year brunches.

Hungarian Jewish food is a perfect example of acculturation. Take this piquant cucumber salad, which can be made with one of the three different kinds of paprika — mild, sharp, or sweet. Taken there by the Turks who discovered it in the New World, paprika has been cultivated in Hungary since the sixteenth century.

Great with eggs, chili, soup or stew.

Sarabeth Levine makes her scones at Sarabeth's in New York, with only one tablespoon of sugar, so they aren't oversweet. The dough is very sticky, but resist the temptation to knead in more flour — the stickiness means the scones will be tender. Partner them with jam or whipped cream for a real treat.

"When I finished graduate school, I thought I’d have more time for one of my hobbies, cooking," says Catherine Verilli of Silver Springs, Maryland. "But now I’m busy teaching, researching and singing professionally. With my Italian heritage, I like to emphasize flavor, and my schedule often demands speed. This pasta dish meets both requirements beautifully." Pass additional grated Parmesan at the table.