Bell Pepper

A dish of Tunisian origin that is eaten in most Middle Eastern countries, it makes an ideal snack meal. There are many versions. I like this one, called “nablia,” which is a specialty of Nabeul.

Every country in the Middle East has a roast-pepper-and-tomato combination. This is an Egyptian one.

A North African salad.

This is another wonderful Turkish paste which makes a delicious canapé spread.

This is the classic Turkish rice filling for vegetables to be served cold. Choose plump bell peppers that can stand on their base. I prefer to use red peppers because they are sweeter and for the color, but in Turkey green ones are more often used.

A very traditional meze is fried eggplants served with yogurt and tomato sauce. I like to do the same with a mix of roasted vegetables, and I serve them either hot or cold. It is the kind of thing you can do easily in large quantities for a party. It can be done a day in advance, cooking the vegetables in batches, if necessary, and reheating them, if you wish, on the day. The yogurt should be at room temperature. The tomato sauce has a sweet-and-sour flavor and is served cold.

This is one of my favorites. It makes a good first course as well as a vegetarian main dish. The vegetables can be served hot or cold and the yogurt should be at room temperature. I mix the two kinds of yogurt—plain whole-milk and strained Greek-style yogurt—to get a thick creamy texture that still pours well.

Tuna steaks are best seared quickly, leaving the flesh still pink and almost raw inside. The sauce is also good with other grilled or pan-fried fish.

The tomatoes can be served hot or cold. I prefer them cold. For vegetarians, they make an elegant main dish accompanied by a potato or carrot salad. Use large or beefsteak tomatoes.

A mild and soft fresh goat cheese, jban, is one of the rare cheeses produced in Morocco. If you are not keen on raw garlic, you can leave it out.

Peppers and tomatoes are often partnered around the Mediterranean, but the surprise of finding sweet apples and chili peppers makes this a very special first course to serve with bread. The peppers can also be fried with the onion, but I like to roast them.

This bright red, creamy purée has an alluring mix of flavors. Serve it as a dip or to accompany fish.

This is excellent stuffed into or spread on pita bread, as well as on crispbreads and crackers. I like it best on fresh pumpernickel bread.

Silken tofu makes a perfect base for a good, dairy-free dip.

An appealing vegetable trio is enlivened by a wine-scented sauté.

Use a variety of peppers to make this side dish colorful. Use leftovers to make sandwiches on fresh bread with spreadable goat cheese.

Raw turnips have a pleasantly bitter bite like radishes, but sautéed they are delectably sweet.

Here’s a summer harvest dish that I absolutely love. Fresh corn kernels are a must if you want to get the full impact of the fresh flavors. This is great with veggie burgers, soy hot dogs, and tortilla specialties.

This makes an excellent side dish for pasta. See the menu accompanying Farfalle with Mushrooms (page 76).

This is a perfect accompaniment to Shake-and-Bake Tofu (page 138), since they both bake at 425°. This needs more time in the oven, so start it first. Complete the meal with a simple salad or coleslaw.