Radish

This soup can be pureed by pressing it through a strainer or a food mill. It can also be pureed in a blender and then strained.

Go to your local farmers' market for a variety of fresh vegetables to serve with these flavored salts. You'll probably find yellow wax beans, pink radishes, slender asparagus, sweet bell peppers, and an assortment of teardrop, cherry, and grape tomatoes. Dip the veggies into the olive oil first, then the salt.

Salpicón de Res Not truly a salad but a dish of seasoned cold shredded meat, a salpicón is usually eaten folded into hot tortillas or piled onto crispy tostadas. It is a refreshing party dish ideal for a summer buffet.

This pretty and refreshing soup - flavored with curry, cumin, ginger and garlic-is quick to prepare: Just put everything in the blender and puree it.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Imported or domestic tuna packed in olive oil is a staple in my pantry. I make quick tomato sauces with it, use it on sandwiches, and especially in salads. This is a great main-dish salad, with tender tuna and crunchy, spicy radishes. Serve it on top of lettuce with crusty bread on the side for a substantial no-cook meal.

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

If you make the components of this hors d'oeuvre ahead, stir together the filling ingredients just before serving the first batch. Keep the remaining filling chilled, covered, and spoon it into the remaining cucumber cups as platters need replenishing.

A quintessential California pairing. Brush slices of sourdough bread with olive oil and grill (about two minutes per side) to serve alongside. What to drink: A crisp, dry white wine, such as a Sauvignon Blanc.

Serve with: Spinach salad topped with toasted almonds, and sesame breadsticks.

Grated black radish salad is exquisite too. Try it with the most common black radish in the U.S. (Raphanus sativus), which is round and has a similar flavor and texture to Raphanus sativus niger.

Toasted coriander seeds and radishes give this salad — a twist on the classic frisée aux lardons — an appealing spiciness. In typical French fashion, the salad is served after the main course and before dessert. Accompany this with fougasse, a large Provençal flatbread, or other French bread.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.