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This streamlined dish gets its appeal from a great flavor combination and a rustic coarse texture. It's nice with roasted pork tenderloin or lean leg of lamb.

When stewed, the dried corn kernels sold as "posole" or "hominy" expand and become tender. At Cafe San Estevan, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, chef Esteven Garcia makes posole as a mild, brothy side dish, unlike the heartier and spicier stew type.

Cooked dried chickpeas are firmer and more flavorful than canned. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 3 hr Servings: Makes about 5 cups.

This classic chocolate cake gets its unlikely moniker from its color--the same as the deep, rich soil that lines Old Man River. It's usually made in a single-layer rectangular baking pan, but we dressed ours up and fashioned it into a layer cake.

We like this stew with egg noodles (12 ounces of dried pasta), cooked and tossed with two tablespoons of reduced-fat sour cream and a quarter cup of chopped fresh dill.

Nourishing and quick to make, this one-pot meal is perfect for a workday supper. Make the tomato soup ahead, then reheat it and poach the eggs just before serving. For this dish, I like to use medium eggs or, for an even more special touch, quail eggs if I can get them.

The traditional dish of Trapani.

Canned chipotle chilies — which give this dish a smoky depth — are available at Latin American markets and many supermarkets. Top the chili with chopped cilantro and green onions, and serve sides of corn bread and spinach salad. For dessert, try lemon sherbet with sugar cookies.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. This recipe originally accompanied Citrus Chiffon Cake .

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Be sure to use extra-ripe mangoes when preparing this rich, creamy dessert.

A light and pretty treat with intense fruit flavors.

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

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This savory, French-inspired dish is also delicious made with mussels instead of, or in addition to, the clams. Either way, it's good with crusty bread to soak up the broth, and a glass of spicy white wine.