Bell Pepper

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Escalivada, from Catalonia in northeastern Spain, is a mixture of vegetables roasted in the ashes of a slow fire. Plenty of wood chips add a smoky nuance here; the finished vegetables are offered at room temperature in a roasted-garlic vinaigrette.

Perfect for a meatless brunch or casual supper.

Lavash, a Middle Eastern flatbread, comes in a variety of sizes and textures, from crisp rectangular crackers to large folded pliable rounds. It is the latter called for here. To form the lavash into cups, you'll need a pan with 12 mini-muffin (1/8-cup) molds, each about 1 3/4 inches across the top and 3/4 inch deep. Caponata is a piquant Sicilian dish of eggplant, onions, tomatoes, anchovies, olives, and capers, generously laced with olive oil; this variation is much lighter-and contains no added fat-because it omits the oil, anchovies, and olives.

These pickled peppers work well with Cheddar and other firm/hard cheeses.

Spoon some of the sauce over noodles that have been tossed with Parmesan cheese; serve with a salad of balsamic-dressed mesclun and with crusty bread. Almond cookies and grapes are a simple finale.

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.

(Adapted from The Keeper's House) Charmoula is a Moroccan fish marinade traditionally made with tomatoes, lemon, paprika, garlic, cumin, and cilantro.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Healthy bonus: Vitamin A and lycopene from the red peppers

Here's a unique no-cabbage slaw with a dressing that is spicy and a little sweet.