Lamb Chop

Accompany this dish with sautéed greens. Pour a Merlot alongside.

Orzo (a rice-shaped pasta also known as riso) can be mixed with diced summer squash, olives and red bell pepper to make a colorful bed for the lamb skewers. Toss some shredded romaine and red cabbage with an oil and vinegar dressing to serve alongside, and end the Mediterranean-style meal with honey cake from the bakery.

The size and thickness of lamb chops can vary greatly, so you may have to adjust your cooking time (see cooks' note, below).

If you are using cherry tomatoes on the vine and get 1 large cluster, simply cut the vines into 4 clusters before grilling and serving with the lamb.

Look for red curry paste in the Asian section of the supermarket. Serve with: Lentil and rice pilaf and sautéed mixed vegetables. Dessert: Sliced papaya and mango.

Here's our version of Barba Yianni's grilled lamb. The marinade works equally well with lamb chops, kebabs, or butterflied leg of lamb. You can also use it on pork or chicken. Skordalia is often made with mashed potatoes or bread soaked in water, but we feel the yogurt gives it more flavor. Skordalia is also good with grilled fish or chicken breasts.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 40 min When we think of fall fruits, persimmons are all too often forgotten — but they're wonderful. Here, they make a salsa-like chutney that's perfect for lamb chops.

Mark Taylor of West Hartford, Connecticut, writes: "I started cooking out of necessity when I first graduated from college, since I couldn't afford to eat out. Having grown up watching my mother cook for our large family, I used her recipes. She was always trying new dishes whenever we had guests and sharing her adventurous attitude toward eating. These days, even though my wife and I both work, we still cook several times a week. Now I tend to rely on recipes I've picked up from restaurants and friends. I enjoy experimenting with different ingredients and figuring out new ways to improve a recipe, as I've done with the one here."

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Offer some homemade breadsticks with the lamb: Just cut a French bread baguette lengthwise into quarters; brush with olive oil that has been mixed with fresh herbs. Grill alongside the lamb until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Serve raspberries and cream with cookies for dessert.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A sophisticated main course that's perfect for weeknight entertaining. Accompany the lamb with herb-roasted potatoes and a mixed green salad.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 40 min

Salmoriglio is a strong, pungent lemon-herb sauce, originally from Calabria and Sicily. Serve the lamb with the chopped Greek salad to start and some grilled bread for soaking up the sauce.