Mint

Kari and Brian Chase of St. Paul, Minnesota say that their neighborhood has a great restaurant: 128 Cafe. The last time they were there they tried a delicious appetizer of crisp bread with roasted garlic, goat cheese and apple chutney.

Pho, the Vietnamese noodle soup, is traditionally made with long-cooked beef stock. Our quick version calls for deli sliced beef and canned beef broth instead.<

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Begin with a ripe mango or ripen in a paper bag. First peel the skin off the mango. Slice it lengthwise on either side of the pit. This may be 4 slices. The pit may be oval. Use a serrated knife and proceed with the recipe.

It seems that we're always agreeing to bring a big salad to an informal dinner party only to discover, too late, that there's no time to make a last-minute salad. No one would guess that this wonderfully fresh salad started its journey to dinner two days earlier — in fact, it requires that extra time to mellow its flavors. It's a very portable salad that can sit for hours at room temperature with no ill effects.

The colorful kebabs feature the popular Greek flavors of mint and oregano. Serve them over rice or with pita bread.

"My mom taught me how to cook — mostly the meat-and-potatoes fare favored in my native north Texas," writes Judy Wilkins of Tyler, Texas. "I'll always have a fondness for that kind of meal, but now that I live in a town closer to Louisiana, I've developed a love for Cajun food. Out of necessity, I've also developed a love for quick cooking. Between my musician's hours (nights and weekends) and teacher's hours (daytime piano lessons), my schedule can be nuts. When I do have the chance to cook dinner on a weeknight, whatever I make can't take too long — and it has to taste great." With this communal dish, the mess is part of the fun. Lay down newspapers on the table and invite guests to peel-and-eat. And serve crusty bread for sopping up the juices.

Soaking the leek in vinegar and water helps to pull out the dirt and sand. Be sure to rinse well.

It's common in Oaxaca to add mint to rice, adding a subtle herbal dimension.

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min

Accompany the risotto with a lettuce and radicchio salad, and pass a basket of poppy-seed breadsticks. A strawberry tart would be a nice way to end the meal. See how to finely chop herbs.

Matt McMillan, Big Bowl's executive chef, threw together these items for his lunch one day. We ran it as a special the next week. It's simple and delicious.

Golden brown sugar brings out the natural sweetness of the shrimp.

This chutney is great with sautéed scallops, grilled shrimp, or grilled lamb. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

A fusion of flavors and technique from two cuisines makes this main course taste new. The cooking method is based on an Italian fricassea made with egg yolks and cream; the combination of favas and mint is Middle Eastern. The resulting dish is absolutely delicious. Serve with plenty of crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

Be sure to use fresh ricotta cheese from an Italian market — authentic ricotta has the rich, dense texture that's best for this recipe. Make the rolls one day ahead so the flavors can develop. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

This recipe calls for sweet Gewürztraminer, but any other sweet white wine (excluding dessert wines) should do. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional sitting time.