Tuna

This variation on vitello tonnato retains the Mediterranean feel of the classic veal dish without all the fuss, and the arresting dark spiral created by the black-olive tapenade filling makes the dish special enough for entertaining.

Taste restaurant is something of an anomaly in Tinseltown: low-key, affordable and friendly; the hostess smiles whether you're wearing Chanel or Old Navy. It's no wonder that stars such as Cameron Diaz and Selma Blair like to dine here. This salad, from chef Cathy Halter, is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which may reduce heart disease risk.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Kitchen Sense: More Than 600 Recipes to Make You a Great Home Cook. To read more about the book, click here. The strong Mediterranean flavors in this satisfying sandwich were jointly inspired by a trip to Tunisia and my frequent visits to the original 'wichcraft sandwich shop in New York City.

Sophisticated yet incredibly easy, this dish brings the flavors of Sicily to your table.

Chef Michael Mina created this dish for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program. He loves this multicomponent dish because it is the essence of summer.

You'll hardly recognize your zucchini after transforming it into both a crisp topping and a bed of vegetable "noodles."

Sweet peppers and a pleasingly salty vinaigrette enhance the meaty fish.

Adding a flavorful mayonnaise to this pan bagnat — style sandwich gives new appeal to traditional French fare.

Uova Ripiene di Tonno Recipes are some of my favorite souvenirs of memorable dining experiences. Whenever I make these eggs, for example, I am reminded of the first time I ate them at Belvedere, a favorite restaurant in La Morra in Piedmont. The owner told me what was in them, and at home I experimented with the proportions of the ingredients to get the flavor I remembered.

The decked-out deli sandwich Who knew tuna on rye could be so sophisticated? "I go for the big taste," says Taylor Alonso, chef of the Bellport, a comfortably chic restaurant in Bellport, Long Island, that's a favorite summer haunt of New Yorkers. Alonso went for big nutrition, too, when he created this elegant and delicious tuna-steak sandwich for Self. Fresh tuna supplies lots of omega-3s, and goat cheese offers more calcium (with less fat and cholesterol) than most cheeses.

Tired of the same old tuna sandwich? Try this mayoless version — it just may be the best we've ever tasted.

Mischa Barton and Kate Beckinsale have spent time in the Santa Monica steak house with a funky decor (picture mirrored walls and antler chandeliers). Atkins devotees can be spotted chowing down on red meat, while vegetarians can sample plenty of fish recipes like this tuna dish, which is high in omega-3 fatty acids (they may help reduce your risk for heart disease).

The first time my Nantucket Island friends Nigel Dyche and Sarah Chase made this for me, I was incredulous at how fabulous it was, yet so simple. The fish tastes of the sea and the smoke from the grill with no extraneous flavors to mask the ocean-fresh steaks. The mayonnaise coats the thick pieces of fish, keeping them moist inside and promoting a golden caramelized color on the outside. Nantucket Islanders use this recipe mostly for swordfish, and it is one of their favorite summer meals, especially when paired with thick slices of ruby-red garden tomatoes.

This is a simple variation on the classic French brandade, traditionally made with salt cod. Prepare the crostini while your potatoes are simmering.

I grew up in a household where we didn't eat meat on Friday, which presented a problem because when I was a child, I didn't like most fish or shellfish. My mother solved this dilemma by making me pasta with canned tuna and tomato sauce. This is my adult version of that recipe, made with high-quality preserved tuna with capers and anchovies added to hit the notes one expects in such a classic seafood pasta.

This recipe sponsored by Black Swan Vineyards

The Dijon mustard in the dressing gives this easy salad extra kick

Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 2 1/4 hr

Eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper and arugula share the stage with slices of tuna steak in the Mediterranean-inspired sandwich. Spoon the lentil salad alongside and offer chilled beer. Fresh pears and crisp biscotti round things out nicely.

This tuna sandwich is all about olive oil. Use the French stuff if possible; otherwise, any mild olive oil will do—save that fancy super-Tuscan for something else. The tuna and the bread are crucial, too. Forget about tuna packed in water. It's flavorless. You want the kind packed in olive (not vegetable) oil. We thought ortiz's Bonito del Norte, newly exported from Spain, was the closest thing to Ni‧oise tuna, but it can be tough to find. (We ordered ours from Citarella; 212-874-0384.) Of the brands commonly available in the United States, we preferred Progresso light tuna. Other brands of canned light tuna that we are fond of are Genova and La Giara. This last is very expensive—about $10—and is available at many specialty foods shops and by mail order from Citarella.