30 Minutes or Less

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein's book, Raw.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein's book, Raw.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein's book, Raw.

Lewis Rossman of Half Moon Bay, California, writes: "I'm a chef, and Mediterranean is probably the best way to describe the kind of cooking I do at my restaurant, Cetrella. There's an emphasis on seafood, plus several dishes inspired by places I've visited like Provence and Catalonia. This is one of my favorite recipes from the menu. It also happens to be the thing I make at home all the time." Serve with crusty bread to dip into the tomato-anise sauce.

Alioli, a very popular Spanish sauce, goes well with almost anything—from grilled meat to vegetables to seafood. Although the authentic version is an emulsion of garlic and oil, eggs are commonly added (especially in restaurants) because they make the sauce less fragile and easier to whip up. We've made ours even easier by using store-bought mayonnaise. This recipe is an accompaniment for Potato Croquetas .

This version of the classic salad shows why it is a favorite across America.

Kangkong Masak Lemak This dish is all about the greens; water spinach has a delightfully light and crunchy texture, unlike regular spinach, which tends to be stringy. A bit of coconut milk lends body and richness.

Enlivened with Southeast Asian flavors, this quick, versatile side dish complements nearly any kind of meal. We've cooked the snap peas until crisp-tender here, but if you'd prefer them to have a meaty quality, cook them a minute longer.

Thin slices of Genoa salami, baked until crisp, add texture and flavor to these sophisticated brunch sandwiches.

These are great with salsa.

Tired of the same old tuna sandwich? Try this mayoless version — it just may be the best we've ever tasted.

Bottled red-curry paste heats up this flavorful, vegetable-rich Thai-style curry.

In this easy and hugely satisfying pasta dish, arugula is transformed from peppery leaf into powerhouse pesto.

Here, lemon vinaigrette sharpens creamy white beans for a lively vegetarian meal.

This variation on steak frites spices up the steak and gives a garlic boost to frozen fries. You can use any packaged spice-rub mix for beef, but we use a combination of equal parts cumin and coriander, half that amount of salt and pepper, and one eighth that amount of clove. If your rub doesn't contain salt, you'll need to add some, to taste. This take on a classic meal is easy, but you will be searing the steak and frying the potatoes at the same time.

Even die-hard chocolate lovers won't miss the hot fudge in these sensational sundaes.