Skewer

Easy to make and absolutely delicious. Pour a good Cabernet Sauvignon with this.

Asparagus is a star of the season, as a side dish to any main course — chicken, fish, pork, beef, or lamb — or as a salad topped with a squeeze of lemon juice. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 30 min

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. With the fish, offer thinly sliced cucumber‑tossed in a dressing of rice vinegar and vegetable oil‑and some purchased sesame noodle salad. For dessert, side-by-side scoops of mango and raspberry sorbets look pretty sprinkled with toasted coconut. (Wasabi powder can be found in the Asian foods section of the supermarket.)

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

Orzo (a rice-shaped pasta also known as riso) can be mixed with diced summer squash, olives and red bell pepper to make a colorful bed for the lamb skewers. Toss some shredded romaine and red cabbage with an oil and vinegar dressing to serve alongside, and end the Mediterranean-style meal with honey cake from the bakery.

What to drink: A big red with lots of fruit, such as a California Zinfandel; an off-dry white with rich fruit, such as an Alsatian Pinot Gris; or pale ale.

Tuna, which is hearty enough to stand up to strong Spanish flavors, is particularly popular on the Iberian Peninsula. Dusted with paprika and served atop a sauce of tomatoes with bell peppers and ham, the kebabs make outstanding summertime eating. Pour a Spanish Rioja throughout, and present a caramel flan with berries to finish.

Chicken gets a south-of-the-border treatment with a tomato-chipotle sauce infused with lime and garlic.

Most kids will like the dressing, but you might want to put it on the side just in case. Serve pink lemonade to the kids; the grown-ups might prefer iced tea or sangria.

A little bit of feta cheese goes a long way in the tangy marinade for this dish.

Cooks wanting to prepare these kebabs in advance may let them marinate for up to 4 hours. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The soy-based sauce for these kebabs draws its various intensely flavored ingredients-cilantro, garlic, ginger and chilies-from the equatorial hot zone, where weather and food alike are fiery.