Mango

Serve with: Warm corn tortillas, Spanish rice, and grilled zucchini. Dessert: Fresh coconut cake from the bakery.

Colossal shrimp make a stunning presentation, but jumbo shrimp will also be pretty.

Great with grilled chicken, tuna, salmon, swordfish or shrimp.

We particularly liked this sandwich on slipper-shaped ciabatta bread, although any type of soft Italian bread is suitable.

Here's a bright and refreshing salad. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Our Cuban-style mango mojo could enhance any grilled meat, as could the anise-seed rub. Adding our grilled asparagus and herbed bulgur creates a well-rounded meal, but rice and green beans or broccoli would also work. Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 35 min

To make the nori rolls in this recipe we used a bamboo sushi mat*, available at the sources noted below. Alternatively, a 9-inch square of heavy-duty foil can be used.

A rainbow of four purchased sorbets plus vanilla ice cream make this beauty one of the easiest desserts ever. Prepare the stunning terrine up to four days ahead.

In Thailand, mangoes often appear on the table for dessert — served both on their own and incorporated into a sweetened sticky rice. If you can't get your hands on really good mangoes, you'll find that canned mango purée delivers the best flavor for this ice cream. However, many canned brands taste like peaches, so we recommend Ratna brand, which uses Alphonso mangoes, an Indian cultivar renowned for its bright orange flesh and very intense flavor. Ka-Me brand is a runner-up — the recipe will work fine, but the color and flavor will not be as intense. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 17 3/4 hr (includes chilling and freezing)

The torte and compote are each great on their own, if you have time to make only one of them. A kosher-for-Passover sorbet would be nice with this dessert.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 45 min

The business card from Tante Louise reads: "A very special restaurant"—and it truly is. This romantic spot has been going strong for 27 years. Owner Corbin Douglass is known for fulfilling all sorts of requests, from ensuring that guests are seated at their favorite table in front of the fireplace to presenting an engagement ring on the dessert cart. Chef Duy Pham changes the contemporary French menu seasonally. The following dish was inspired by roast Peking duck, a Sunday tradition in Pham's family.

Pecan-studded rice pilaf and sautéed pattypan squash are great with the scallops, and lemon pound cake with sugared berries tops off the meal nicely.

Use this exotic curd as a filling for the Mango-Banana Cake or for mini tartlets.

This salad is as versatile as it is delicious. We loved it with squid and with shrimp. Add a loaf of crusty bread, and you've got a complete meal. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Canned mangoes are excellent in this dessert if ripe fresh ones are unavailable. Use a drained (1-lb 14-oz) can of mango slices in syrup. If the canned fruits you buy are Alphonso mangoes (our favorite variety of mango), add an additional 1/2 cup cream.