Quick

This Turkish way of embellishing poached eggs is also good with fried eggs.

This is usually prepared in individual portions in two-handled frying pans and served in the same pans straight from the fire. You can, of course, use one larger frying pan, or as many as are convenient. In the Middle East, the hard, dry Greek cheeses kashkaval, kefalotyri, or kasseri and the white, firm, slightly rubbery halumi are used.

A refreshing summer soup from Iran.

This is one of my favorite soups from Egypt.

A simple and delightful Armenian peasant soup.

For this spicy and aromatic Tunisian soup, use any firm white fish, like cod or haddock, and serve it as a main course.

This is an instant salad to make with canned chickpeas, but they must be good-quality.

This famous Turkish salad makes a light snack meal.

In Turkey all kinds of vegetables, including cauliflower and green beans, are dressed with a nut sauce called tarator. Here celeriac and carrots make a good combination of flavor and color, and yogurt is a refreshing addition to the sauce.

I was given this recipe by a lovely Cypriot. I had never come across it before. It can be made with all kinds of mushrooms. I used shiitake with a Cabernet Sauvignon and found them delicious except that the stalks remained chewy, so cut those off if you use them.

Serve this in a bowl with plain boiled or steamed vegetables such as runner beans, zucchini, or cauliflower.

Leeks are especially popular in Egypt.

Make this fiery Tunisian salad with old carrots, which taste better, and add the flavorings gradually, to taste. The color is beautiful. Serve as a dip with bread or bits of raw vegetables.