Bell Pepper

A green relish, inspired by the Yemeni cilantro sauce zhoug, is swirled into luscious, tangy Greek yogurt, so that each swipe with a strip of crunchy toasted pita or crisp bell pepper gathers a different combination of fresh, hot, and cooling flavors.

Who doesn't love toasted cheese? Here it adds tang to a Mediterranean-inspired salad of frisée, broiled bell peppers, and shiitake mushrooms.

Studded with delectably nutty wheat berries, this substantial salad of charred tomatoes, peppers, and tofu truly deserves its billing as a main course.

These Italian kebabs make a very stylish one-dish supper.

We usually encounter only one version of Brazil's signature dish in this country — the one from Bahia, rich and almost currylike with coconut milk and dendê oil. This lighter one, from Espírito Santo, reflects that state's long coastline: Its bright broth results from the fish, tomatoes, lime juice, and vegetables, which meld beautifully. And it couldn't be easier. You simply layer the marinated seafood with the other ingredients in a cold pan and turn up the heat, simmering for just 20 minutes.

Roasted vegetables and Italian Fontina lend this lush-tasting lasagne a more intense flavor than than you'd get with the usual spinach and ricotta filling.

The spice in this dish from Jennifer Maeng, executive chef at Korean Temple Cuisine in New York City, adds more than taste. A compound found in red-hot pepper may also rev up your metabolism. Wok star!

Pungent and salty, preserved snow cabbage is a great flavor-booster in this fresh-tasting stir-fry.

Serve alongside the seafood. Leftovers would be great with chicken or lamb.

Editor's note: This recipe was created by chef Einat Admony for an Israeli Passover menu. This tangy salad is an interesting departure from baba ghanoush, and makes a terrific Passover starter when served with matzoh. You'll want to begin preparing it a day ahead, since it has to marinate overnight.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from China Modern by Ching-He Huang. In Chinese, Xi-fan means "watery rice." This modern version contains both brown rice and mixed whole grains.

Toss and broil: Charred peppers and red onion bring color and sweetness to workaday chicken breasts.

Protein-packed chickpeas and feta satisfy you for hours; bell pepper offers immunity-enhancing vitamin C.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from The Shun Lee Cookbook by Michael Tong. This Sichuan dish features a regional sauce, sometimes called "fish-fragrant flavor," that combines hot chili paste, garlic, ginger, scallions, vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce—but no fish!

Perhaps no type of meat is better suited to slow cooking than pork shoulder. Although not generally considered the most tender, this cut becomes meltingly sublime when simmered for hours at low heat. The steam created also helps keep the meat ultramoist. To cut down on prep time, ask your butcher to cube the shoulder for you.

Saltfish is a staple throughout the Caribbean, providing a rich, salty flavor for simple dishes like fritters, steamed callaloo, and rice. This dish is called "pick-up saltfish" because the salt cod is pulled apart and shredded. It's made into a salad that's eaten for breakfast or brunch with coconut bake or crackers. It's a good party snack, too. The salt cod needs to soak overnight, so start this recipe a day ahead. Salt cod is available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

Often found at shacks on the beach in Puerto Rico, this full-flavored crab dish is served in the shell, or with rice and green bananas or plantains. A defining element of the dish is sofrito, a traditional Spanish sauce of tomatoes, onions, garlic, bell peppers, cilantro, and hot pepper.