Cilantro

This is a great summer salad, perfect with all kinds of barbecue and grilled foods. It's also a wonderful way to brighten up a winter dinner of broiled chicken or beef.

Pomegranate seeds add crunch and tang to this fennel salsa, which makes a perfect accompaniment not only to these pork chops but also to lamb.

If you’d like to serve a sauce alongside, strain 1/4 cup of the cooled pickling liquid, and whisk it with 1 cup of mayonnaise. For ease, the shrimp are left unpeeled; if you peel them before cooking, leave the tails on.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Tracey Medeiros of Atlanta, Georgia, writes: "I'm a food stylist and recipe developer — and passionate about my job. It was a dream of mine to have a career in the culinary arts, but I didn't think that was possible. In college I was a political science major and considered going to law school. But soon after graduation I realized cooking was my true calling."

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

A Vietnamese-style salad that makes a refreshing accompaniment to any kind of barbecued meat.

This dip was inspired by a recipe for bissara, a garlicky purée from Egypt made from dried broad beans, in Claudia Roden's Mediterranean Cookery.

Serve with: A black bean salad and burger toppings like pepper Jack cheese, lettuce, and sour cream. Hamburger buns are optional. Dessert: Dulce de leche ice cream and sliced strawberries.

Fresh mint makes this starter all the more cooling. Use Haas avocados for the creamiest texture. What to drink: Throughout the meal, go with the classics — beer and Margaritas.

Look for chili-garlic sauce in the Asian foods section of the supermarket.

The long noodles in this soup — representing longevity — are meant to be slurped up. In Chinese culture, cutting them would symbolize cutting one's life short. This recipe requires a whole chicken for its rich broth and makes double the quantity necessary. Reserve 1/2 cup stock for the Broccoli Spears in Garlic Sauce and freeze the remainder. After setting aside the breast meat for the soup, save the rest of the chicken for another dish. The reserved cilantro leaves can be used for the Steamed Striped Bass with Ginger and Scallions. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 3 3/4 hr

A one-dish meal with all the earthy flavors of the Southwest.