Bell Pepper

These savory pies are filled with fish instead of the traditional squab.

Lime is a good match for red cabbage, and its acid keeps the color bright. Napa cabbage is a delicious alternative.

You can make the veggie filling a day ahead and refrigerate. Simply reheat 1 1/2 hours before filling the tacos.

Don't worry if the fat seems a bit high—it's mostly the heart-healthy kind from the fish.

For most people, the word gumbo immediately conjures the Cajun and Creole cooking of Louisiana. But okra (ngombo in Bantu), for which the soup-stew is named, reached South Carolina with the slave trade some years before Europeans settled in Louisiana, and the Creole world, where African, European, and indigenous cultures meet, actually extends up the southern Atlantic coast. There are many different gumbo recipes, all taking advantage of local ingredients and served with rice. This one is a heady, fragrant slurry thick with seafood. If desired, add filé powder (ground dried sassafras leaves), a Choctaw thickening agent with an almost lemony flavor, just before eating.

Braising is an excellent way to keep fish steaks moist and flavorful.

Breading gives skinless fillets oomph, and a quick sauté cooks them through.

Brown sugar and molasses are balanced by fresh ginger and jalapeños.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Rick Tramonto's book Fantastico! Don't look any further for a succulent crab salad open-face sandwich. The little garlic toasts piled high with rich, moist crab can be polished off in one or two bites. I can't think of a better way to start a meal! Don't skimp on the crabmeat. You need only a pound, so buy the best you can find. Bon appétit!

These sexy little bites have a flavor as sharp as Dorothy Parker's wit. And because they're toasted with butter in the oven, they taste deliciously fried (only without the regret).

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from 1080 Recipes by Simone and Inés Ortega. Empanada Gallega

To keep this dish colorful, be sure to layer the red tomatoes inside the yellow peppers and the yellow tomatoes inside the red peppers.

Toss with the vinaigrette while rice is warm, so it absorbs the flavors.

Rice paper is available in the Asian-foods section of many supermarkets.

Eat this hearty chili as is or over rice.

To dress this salad, choose your favorite red-wine or lemon vinaigrette.

A diced confetti-style hash is a great way to use leftover meat and vegetables.