Gourmet

Fine bulgur might seem like a specialty ingredient, but it is actually in most supermarkets under the name Near East Taboule Wheat Salad Mix — just toss away the seasoning packet.

Chinese cooks call food braised in soy sauce and sugar "red-cooked" for the reddish-brown tint that can result. While the chicken is braising, steam some rice and broccoli rabe as accompaniments.

This may not sound like traditional teriyaki, but we love the combination of coriander and cilantro with the soy marinade. Serve the steak with hot-and-sour cabbage salad .

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

This recipe is an accompaniment for Grilled Clams on the Half Shell with Ginger Mignonnette .

This salad was inspired by a couple of dishes our food editors encountered at restaurants in Rome.

You can buy jars of tapenade at some specialty markets, but Jody Adams prefers the taste of homemade.

Toni Grekin of Deposit, New York, writes: "This recipe was given to me by my friend Barbara Leeds. It's wonderfully rich and overwhelmingly addictive." Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Tomato gratin or potato, red pepper, and fennel salad would make a terrific accompaniment to the fish.

Look for chipotle chilies in adobo sauce in the Latin American foods section of the market. Serve the wraps with purchased salsa and an avocado, grapefruit and red onion salad with oil and vinegar dressing. Complete the menu with chocolate wafer cookies and coffee ice cream.