Avocado

A creamy blend of ripe avocados, cucumbers, yogurt, lime juice—and a bit of jalapeño—make this soup bright, spicy, and satisfying. Have we mentioned it only takes ten minutes?

Brown rice is not traditionally used for sushi in Japan, but since it's such a healthy whole grain, we've decided to bend the rules. You'll have leftover vegetables, which are great for salads. Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Dr. James Henry Salisbury might have been the first of the protein-diet doctors, proclaiming in 1888 that humankind's maladies were caused by too much starchy food. His solution? Chopped lean meat, or hamburger steak. To hide the "liver-y" taste of hamburger, he recommended adding horseradish, mustard or Worcestershire sauce. By the 1900s, Salisbury steak was a staple menu item, often served with mushroom gravy or smothered in onions. This version, inspired by today’s southwestern cooking, has terrific flavor.

If Chilean sea bass is unavailable, any sea bass is fine to use. Score the fish on the skin side, so it won't curl.

(Sushi Rice Salad with Avocado, Cucumber, and Scallions) Sushi fans will recognize this salad as a California roll unrolled. For those who want to include one of the classic ingredients, surimi (also known as mock crab legs), we've given an amount, but the salad is also delicious without it.

In the West Indies, salads are rarely leafy; rather they are often based on avocado and onion. We added hearts of palm for an additional tropical touch. Can be prepared in less that 45 minutes.

Great on its own or served alongside grilled fish, chicken or steak.

My mother's neighbor Beth Yaffe serves this dip often at parties and barbecues. It's always the first thing to go!

Avocado, Belgian endive and spinach are combined with oranges and radishes in this gorgeous seasonal salad.

This springtime dish would go nicely with sliced red and yellow tomatoes drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette; offer corn muffins, too. End the dinner with wedges of chocolate mousse cake.

Poblano chilies (fresh green chilies), tomatillos (green tomato-like fruits), dried corn husks, and Masa Harina are found at many supermarkets and Latin American markets.

We call for California avocados in our recipes because our food editors prefer their rich flavor and creamy texture to that of West Indian avocados, which tend to taste a bit bland and watery.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This is from Tabla, where it is served with tamarind chutney and pappadams, the savory wafers that accompany most Indian meals.