Parsley

There are many different versions of this traditional island dish, which is known as sopas mallorquínas. Spanish smoked paprika (pimentón) is distinctive and worth seeking out for its unique flavor.

Lorraine Stevenski of Clearwater, Florida, writes: "I cook just about every weeknight for my family. To speed things up, I do my grocery shopping on weekends, along with making quick breads, cakes, and other baked goods. My 12-year-old son, Billy, is also a big help in the kitchen. He has practically become my personal sous chef with all the chopping and grilling he does."

The green onion oil that is brushed on the custard cups becomes a topping once the eggs are turned out.

Make this a day ahead for the best flavor.

Stuart Faber of Los Angeles, California, writes: "When I'm not in my law office, I fly my own plane and write for In Flight USA, a magazine for private pilots. One of my favorite things to do when landing someplace new is to find a restaurant and ask if I can work for free. I've found some of my best recipes this way. Usually the chefs will let me hang out for a few days and help, but some do look at me a little strangely." A dressed-up version of a dinnertime classic.

Use this dressing on crisp lettuce or omit the buttermilk and serve it as a dip with crudités.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 45 min

Serve with a crisp romaine salad and the Saffron Rice and Red Pepper Pilaf. Marinate the veal six hours before grilling. What to drink: A dry Italian white wine, such as a Vernaccia di San Gimignano.

This pesto-like sauce would be great with just about any grilled seafood.

Besides garnishing lobster stew , tomalley croutons can be served as an hors d'oeuvre or if you wish to elaborate, as a topping for crostini or pizza. Lobster tomalley can be purchased separately from most lobster dealers. It is inexpensive and tasty.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Roasting the asparagus intensifies its flavor and is easy to do.

Noël McAlpine of Dallas, Texas, writes: "When I was in Florence for a business conference, I had the pleasure of dining at Trattoria Garga. I really enjoyed the scaloppine al carciofi (veal cutlets with artichokes) and would like to add the recipe to my collection."

Chermoula Chermoula is a traditional North African marinade for fish, especially in Morocco where, surprisingly, it's often used with shad. It has become very popular recently with North American restaurant chefs as a quick and easy (and cheap!) way to add lots of flavor to bland fish. Many old-fashioned recipes don't call for cilantro and parsley at all, but the fresh flavor of the green herbs adds a great deal to the preparation. Instead of shad, which is hard to find even when it's in season, and very difficult to bone, I use salmon steaks or fillets. You could substitute many other kinds of fish, including swordfish, halibut, haddock, and even fresh-water fish, such as catfish and perch.

The riper the tomatoes, the better the flavor of this delicate consommé. To clarify it, we've used the traditional French method of creating an egg-white "raft," which attracts particles from the simmering broth and is then discarded. Though the consommé is served cold, it is not jellied.