Tuna

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.

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.

The flavors and juices of this Provençal-style tuna sandwich seep into the bread while it is being pressed. Serve with: Marinated green beans and herbed orzo salad.

This is one of my favorite sauces: Its deep, purpley, cranberry color is reason enough for that designation, but then again so is the bright strawberry/kiwi/watermelon flavor, with its hints of the unbridled tropics. And the fact that you can tell your guests you're serving them cactus fruit (and that it is delicious) gives you a decidedly exotic edge. The puree is very watery, like watermelon juice, so in order to give the sauce some body but not take away all the fruit's freshness, I've directed you to rapidly boil down part of the puree with sugar, then cool it and add the remaining uncooked puree. This method works well with watermelon puree, too, should you not be able to find prickly pears. You will need about 3 cups seeded, pureed watermelon pulp.

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.

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.

Onioned Tuna Soup I first tasted this soup at La Canoa, a restaurant in Guayaquil, Ecuador. They prepared the tuna in the popular style of leaving it mostly rare, then they added it to the soup right before serving. When we serve the soup at the Patria, we use all the meaty trimmings from the tuna steaks we've served as full portions.

Chiles Anchos Rellenos de Atún con Papas This is more sweet than spicy, because the chiles are softened in brown sugar and vinegar before stuffing.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Using a marinade like this one is a good way to add flavor and richness to food without adding too many calories. Serve the tuna with steamed rice, and offer Japanese beer or iced jasmine tea to drink.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Reduced-fat cream cheese, low-fat milk and water-packed canned tuna are the secrets to this updated take on a 1950s favorite.

Here's a light way with stuffed vegetables.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

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.