Tuna

This salad was inspired by a classic Salade Niçoise with its fresh anchovies, potatoes and green beans, and one offered to me by Alice Waters, owner of Chez Panisse, who comes to France every year to avail herself of, among other things, the fine green beans of summer.

Our tuna salad has a Mediterranean twist: olives and roasted red peppers. Have this sandwich for lunch at home or work or on a picnic, served with a tomato salad. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr Don't use water-packed tuna for this recipe — it's too bland for the filling. Tuna packed in olive oil, however, will make for empanaditas that taste genuine. Especially with a glass of Fino Sherry.

In Italy a no-cook pasta sauce is known as salsa cruda, and makes a wonderful one-dish dinner. In this version, the combination of artichokes, olives, capers, and lemon zest is not only beautiful, but bold in flavor.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Canned tuna sparked with lemon and capers creates a superb sauce that complements many pasta shapes — penne, shells, or linguine, to name only a few. I prefer solid-pack tuna in olive oil for the best flavor and texture. I sometimes add a small handful of unpitted black olives — Kalamata or Gaeta — and a large, ripe tomato, seeded and diced, for a delicious variation. Italians would never serve cheese with fish, but you have my permission to break the rules!

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.

Begin with chicken soup enriched with tiny pasta and fresh spinach leaves. Thick slices of country bread are perfect with the tuna salad, and tiramisù is the dessert of choice.

Serve these tacos with salsa, shredded lettuce, sliced avocado and black olives. Corn and black bean salad finishes the meal—except for dessert. We recommend spice cake.

If you prefer, use honeydew melon for an equally good salsa. Offer buttered new potatoes and sautéed spinach with the fish. Afterward, serve slices of pound cake with rum-soaked raisins and store-bought caramel sauce. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

"My wife and I had some great fish dishes at the Alpine Bistro in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, "says Sanford M. Skalka, New Providence, New Jersey. "I would like the recipe for the sesame-crusted tuna steak, which came with a flavorful Asian-style sauce."

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A colorful, delicious dish from Lantana's Restaurant, Grand Cayman, West Indies.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Add rice or soft oriental noodles, and this becomes a quick supper. Look for wasabi powder and sesame oil in the Asian foods section of the supermarket.