Eggplant

Here, eggplant stands in for the pasta.

The chile-tamarind sauce is a refined, complex variation on classic satay sauce, which is traditionally thickened with peanuts. This rendition owes its silky texture to mashed kabocha squash. At Arun's, this is served both as an appetizer and as a main course.

Because this dish was developed to complement the strong flavors of Pork Loin with Morel Stuffing, we kept the seasoning in these vegetables to a minimum. If you plan to serve this dish with simpler fare, you might want to increase the amount of garlic and herbs.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A marinade of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, herbs and spices perks up the grilled chicken and vegetables in this dish. It's all served with wild rice.

This dish is delicious warm, but it can also be prepared ahead, stored in a covered container and served at room temperature at a picnic. Either way, its terrific.

Although it would be years before most Greek cooking would become familiar to Americans, one Greek dish, moussaka, did catch on in the seventies.

This gorgeous dish is similar to ratatouille.

For dinner in a matter of minutes, try this Mediterranean-flavored main course.

This slightly spicy side dish is excellent with grilled meat or chicken.

At Aruns in Chicago, owner and chef Arun Sampanthavivat has come up with this fresh take on a traditional Thai recipe.

In Egypt, eggplant was roasted over hot coals until the skin was charred. At home, I char the eggplant directly over the gas flame, turning frequently with tongs until the juices begin to ooze out. It can also be baked in a 425°F oven for 30 minutes.