Weeknight Meals

Cheese drizzled with honey is a traditional Mediterranean appetizer; when mixed with fruit and nuts, it makes a tantalizing dessert.

Truffle oil can be found at most gourmet shops.

Bucheron is a tangy, mild goat cheese. We like to serve it drizzled with a deep, intensely flavored extra-virgin olive oil.

Haloumi is a semihard cheese made from sheep’s milk; look for it at Middle Eastern markets.

We particularly like the flavor and firm texture of Bulgarian feta cheese, which is easy to slice, but other types can also be used.

Baked tarts can be frozen up to 3 weeks. Without thawing, reheat them in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. Instead of large tarts, you can make individual-size tartlets: Cut the pastry into eight 4-inch squares; bake for about 20 minutes.

Using tequila as a steaming liquid enhances the flavor of the clams and oysters, but it’s fine to use water instead. Setting the skillet over a grill gives the dish a touch of smokiness, or you can use your stove turned to medium-high heat.

Ciabatta, a long, flat Italian bread, is ideal for this recipe, but you could also use a rustic round loaf; instead of splitting it horizontally, cut 6 1 1/4-inch-thick slices. You can refrigerate leftover chimichurri in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

If you can’t find lemon thyme, use small, fresh basil leaves instead.

The thick consistency of Greek yogurt is ideal for this spread. If your grocer doesn’t sell it, use another whole-milk yogurt, and drain it for 30 minutes in a fine sieve set over a bowl. You can make the spread one day ahead and refrigerate it (cover with plastic wrap); wait until just before serving to stir in the parsley and radishes.

You can make the goat cheese filling one day ahead and refrigerate it. These hors d’oeuvres can be assembled several hours before serving. Loosely cover them with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 3 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving.