Salmon

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.

Despite many Asian ingredients in this dish, the end result only slightly reflects their presence. Rice and asparagus make good side dishes.

"On a recent trip to Nantucket, I discovered the Centre Street Bistro," says Pamela S. Bryson of Boston, Massachusetts. "I would like a copy of chef Tim Pitt's recipe for seared salmon on crispy vegetables."

Spicy peperoncini peppers cut the creaminess of the sauce on this salmon. Serve Artichoke Bruschetta as a first course, rice and asparagus as side dishes.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

(Savory Sandwich Torte) A variety of fillings can be used in this savory sandwich torte, often served on special occasions in Sweden.

Wondra, a fast-blending flour, is a supermarket staple that's ideal for thickening sauces and gravies. It is put to good use in this quick pasta dish.

A satisfying all-in-one main course. The fatty acids in salmon make this recipe particularly healthful.