Steak

For side dishes, serve braised red cabbage, and egg noodles with butter and poppy seeds; finish with cherry strudel.

Begin marinating the steaks a day ahead.

This is easily one of my three favorite dishes in my mother's repertoire. She only started making it five years ago, and whenever I'm home I ask for it. It takes well to substitutions, so go ahead and experiment.

Filete Mignon con Rajas The mild flavor of the meat is revved up with rich rajas con crema, a traditional dish of roasted poblano strips in cream.

The versatile seasoning mixture is just as nice on lamb, pork and poultry.

This simple marinade and a fast grilling bring out the best in a great cut of meat.

This South American version of beef steak is wonderfully good eating.

Negimaki Many New Yorkers owe their first sushi experience to the boom in the city's Japanese population during the 1980s, which in turn led to a proliferation of Japanese restaurants. These beautiful rolls aren't raw—they're seared to create a flavorful brown crust and a medium-rare center.

The recado is a dry rub that gives a burst of flavor to almost any meat or vegetable but is particularly wonderful on beef and corn.

This is another Italian version of steak, popular with those who like the flavor of tomatoes.

Rajas are a type of stewed chili pepper. In Mexico they are traditionally served with different broiled meats.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This popular menu classic is even better when made at home. Variation: For a vegetarian entrée, use one 12-ounce package of firm or extra-firm tofu in place of the beef. Cut the tofu into 3/4-inch cubes and marinate as if using beef. Pork or chicken would also work for this recipe.

A soy-sake marinade is the base for a delicious reduction sauce. For convenience, begin this one day ahead and refrigerate the steak in its marinade overnight.

When buying green beans, look for the skinniest ones—they have the best texture. Offer plenty of crusty bread, and open a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon to go with this hearty main-course salad.

Serve this intensely flavored curry — made with Thai red curry paste and coconut milk from the supermarket's Asian foods section — over steamed jasmine rice. A side salad of bean sprouts drizzled with Asian salad dressing would be a cooling accompaniment; follow it with mango slices.