Bell Pepper

This quick one-pot meal is especially good with garlic toast or corn bread.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Use almost any combination of fresh herbs here (watch the tarragon, mint, and sage, since they're more assertive). Accompany this meatless dish with a salad (maybe arugula and radicchio with a red wine vinaigrette) and some seeded breadsticks. Then add a rich dessert, such as an almond tart from the bakery.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 40 min

Canned chicken soup with a bit of oregano and lemon juice, accompanied by warm pita bread, starts the meal with the proper Greek flavors. Purchased baklava and strong coffee splashed with ouzo conclude the dinner in a spirited way.

The salt creates a seal around the fish, which preserves its moisture and pure flavors. Romesco is a classic sauce from the Catalonia region. For cooking the fish, use two 13x9x2-inch metal baking pans.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

During roundups, cowboys once saved any extra coffee for use in cooking, since water was sometimes scarce. The coffee powder in these beans is an adaptation of that. Add some hot buttered flour tortillas and a crisp salad alongside for a terrific meal.

At the restaurant, the burritos are filled with smoked pork, but this version, using roasted pork, also works well.