Salmon

Kedgeree, an Indian-influenced British dish, dates back to the 1800s and is traditionally made with smoked whitefish. It can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

In the late nineteenth century, salmon was so abundant in Scotland that servants refused to eat it more than three times a week — but then again, they didn't have the recipe for this delicious hash. Top each serving of the hash with one or two poached eggs. Make a watercress salad with a simple vinaigrette to have alongside, and offer a pitcher of mimosas or some juice to drink.

Here's a party main dish that is easy to prepare and makes a lovely presentation.

The following is chef Robert Freitag's variation of a recipe by Joyce Goldstein, chef-owner of Square One, in San Francisco, until it closed in 1996. The chef likes to use king salmon when making this dish.

Serve with: Grilled portobello mushrooms and a rice salad with sliced radishes. Dessert: Scoops of coconut, pineapple, and passion-fruit sorbets drizzled with rum.

This sophisticated appetizer from Aqua in San Francisco is nice for a special occasion.

If you can't find pancetta, you can substitute regular bacon.

Make garlic-rubbed baguette toasts for mopping up the sauce. What to drink: Brut Champagne or a dry, aromatic white wine, like Viognier.

In France, tartines are slices of bread topped with butter and sometimes cheese, honey, or other spreads. Here that simple idea is turned into a sophisticated appetizer when the bread is brushed with chive oil and topped with smoked salmon and goat cheese.

Offer steamed new potatoes alongside. What to drink: Chardonnay or Sancerre.

In Tucson, chef-owner Janos Wilder offers cumin-flavored rice pilaf and grilled zucchini with the fish. Flan is a good finale.

Look for wasabi powder in the spice aisle or the Asian foods section of the market.

"Although I'm not usually a big fan of fish, I love the roasted salmon at the Saucebox here in Portland," writes Irin Haruchai of Portland, Oregon. "The sauce served with it is out of this world." Spicy sauces with sweet-and-sour flavors are popular in Javanese food and, in this case, pair deliciously with salmon.

Happily, this fish dish can be made a day ahead. Simply remove it from the refrigerator and arrange 2 hours before serving. Even better, the sauce also can be made 2 days ahead and kept, well covered, in the refrigerator. It's from Mexico, One Plate at a Time (Scribner), by Rick Bayless, the celebrated Chicago chef and cookbook author.

Mary deMuth of Rowlett, Texas, writes: "Because my husband is in a graduate program, we've been able to meet people from all over the world. It has been a great experience for our three children — and a chance for me to add to my recipe collection. We frequently have other students over for dinner, so I'm always learning new dishes. Next year our family will be moving to southern France, and we're very excited about the food we'll have there. We hope to make many new friends who will share their Provençal specialties. " Try these on grilled buns for a "burger" variation. Panko is available in the Asian foods section of most supermarkets.

Start with Belgian endive spears filled with caviar of red salmon, golden whitefish or black lumpfish. Serve with your favorite Champagne or Chardonnay.