Bean and Legume

Chinese viceroy Li Hung Chang, visiting San Francisco's Palace Hotel in the 1890s, requested vegetables with a bit of meat "job suey," or "in fine pieces," and chef Joseph Herder obliged.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min

Use vegetable stock or broth to make this soup vegetarian.

Karen Azar of North Providence, Rhode Island, writes: "My boyfriend and I recently dined at Terra Mar Grill in the Saybrook Point Inn, in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. He had the campanelle pasta, and it reminded him of a meal his mother used to make. Could you please obtain the recipe?" Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

This would serve four as a vegetarian entrée.

A blend of cumin, chili powder, and cinnamon gives this dish its Moroccan flair.

This lively salad adds color, flavor and crunch to any grilled main course.

These hors d'oeuvres should be served warm, so fry a couple of batches at a time as platters need replenishing.

This traditional Indian dish is usually served with basmati rice or Indian bread.

Boiling away the butter and seasonings from the leftover vegetables allows the flavors of the marinade to shine through. (If you don't have any leftover veggies, simply steam a mix of your favorites.)

Valerie Silveira of Bellevue, Washington, writes: "My husband and I recently dined at Cafe Juanita in nearby Kirkland, where we had a lovely appetizer of pasta with a creamy lemon sauce and prosciutto. That was six weeks ago, and I've been thinking about this marvelous dish ever since. I would very much appreciate your publishing the recipe so that others could enjoy it, too."

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Make this at least one day and up to two days ahead for best flavor. This is a much simplified version of the classic smoked meat and bean cassoulet.