Tarragon

The delicate flavors of the fish pair perfectly with the zesty dressing of the potato salad from Un Grande Café, in Chicago, Illinois.

A versatile alternative to couscous, this is a summer starch that doesn't have to be served warm. If you have fresh or cooked leftover vegetables in the kitchen, toss them in to make a main-course salad. You can also play with the herbs to suit the dishes this will accompany.

From the Pepper Mill in Clearwater, Florida.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

If you would rather use swordfish or sea bass, by all means do. Whatever the choice, grill some zucchini that have been quartered lengthwise, and toss egg noodles with butter and fresh black pepper. Then finish the meal with sliced strawberries topped with sour cream and brown sugar. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Packaged tabbouleh mixes, available at most supermarkets, are a good source of the fine bulgur recommended in this recipe, but don't use the accompanying seasoning pouch if one is included. Bulgur - wheat berries that have been steamed, dried, and then cracked - is also found in natural foods stores. Although this salad is wonderful with standard supermarket lentils and a coarser grind of bulgur, the French lentils and fine bulgur produce a delicate, more refined version.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Beautiful, impressive and filled with flavor. Watch how to prepare and carve your bird with our streaming video demonstration.

Midweek suggestions are thick-cut fries, sautéed mushrooms and peppermint-stick ice cream. For a touch of glamour, begin with Champagne and caviar, offer roasted potatoes and spinach soufflé with the steak, and have chocolate truffles afterward.

A lightened version of a first course that traditionally precedes choucroute garnie.

This dish combines aroma and flavor in a unique fashion: Bowls of steaming rosemary vapor accompany the luxurious main course. The piney fragrance of fresh rosemary adds another dimension to the taste experience.

This lobster salad is wonderful on its own—but piled onto a hot dog bun it becomes a perfect lobster roll.

"While vacationing in Vero Beach, Florida, I had a magnificent meal at Tangos," writes Peter Colley of Silver Creek, Colorado. "The food presentation was superb, and the outdoor patio made for a very romantic dining experience. I would like to have the recipe for the divine baked crab, Brie, and artichoke dip."

Serve with: Steamed new potatoes and mixed green salad with a citrus vinaigrette. Dessert: A lemon tart from the bakery.

The bisque is very rich, so a small serving (about two-thirds cup per person) is plenty. At the restaurant, this is baked in individual crocks, with puff pastry on top.

This simple yet rich stuffing uses coarse bread crumbs from a baguette instead of cubes. The Cognac really brings out the flavor of the herbs. It's adapted from James Beard's tarragon crumb stuffing recipe, published in Gourmet in December 1983.