Basil

A little bit of smoked mozzarella goes a long way in boosting flavor without adding much fat. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 2 hr

This specialty is about as regional as you can get. Although the recipe's name and origin are shrouded in mystery, in central Iowa it's a traditional steak dish topped with butter, Italian herbs, and garlic. The version featured here uses fresh herbs for extra flavor.

Try this side with trout or lamb chops, then apple upside-down cake.

"Recently I had dinner at a fine restaurant with a peculiar name: The Place Next to the San Juan Ferry," says Beth Fogarty Day of Redmond, Washington. "It's right by the water in Friday Harbor, Washington. I'd love the recipe for the mushroom and goat cheese appetizer."

"In your September 1997 issue, page 146, you answered a reader's inquiry about why pesto discolors," says Al Herron of Prescott, Arizona. "You offered a traditional solution, but I believe there is a better one: Mix fresh pesto with yogurt, and the pesto will not turn brown over time as it ordinarily does. (For many years I used the olive-oil-on-top trick with limited success.) I have kept leftover pesto mixed with yogurt in the refrigerator for several days with no discernible change in color or flavor. The proportion can vary — as little as one part yogurt to eight parts pesto, or as much as you like for flavor."

This is a great entrée for entertaining or for a special weeknight dinner for your family. Either way, no one except you will know how easy it is to make. And your secret is safe with us.

"My girlfriend and I had our first date at The Bridge Café in Westport, Connecticut," writes Terrel Korik of St. Louis, Missouri. "We both enjoyed the corn and basil soup while looking out over the Saugatuck River. I would love to have the soup recipe to try at our new home in St. Louis."

Play off the Provençal flavors by passing an arugula salad tossed with red wine vinaigrette. Sliced peaches topped with honey and sour cream would make a great finale.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

(Tonno alla Livornese) Of the countless preparations for tuna that diners will run across in coastal towns in Tuscany, this one is the most well known. It comes from Livorno, a populous port famous for its seafood restaurants. Simple and quick to put together, the dish combines the best of the area, from the delicious red tuna available mostly in spring and summer to the tomatoes that have become a hallmark of all of Italy. The sauce begins with a trito, a mixture of aromatic vegetables. Ripe tomatoes, a bay leaf and plenty of fresh basil complete it.

For food safety reasons, the lobsters must be roasted immediately after they have been boiled and split. Market tip: American lobster from the Northeast is still in fairly good supply, though vulnerable to fishing pressure. California spiny lobster is also a good choice in this recipe.

In this clever dish from chef Michel Richard at Citronelle in Washington, D.C., fried sea scallops coated with fine strands of phyllo pastry resemble porcupines.

Toss one cup of the pesto with one pound of cooked pasta, or try it as a sauce over baked chicken or fish.