Basil

From the Bay View Restaurant at The Inn at the Tides, where these cakes are served with a chopped tomato and basil salad.

These versatile roasted tomatoes are not only delicious in the stew but would also be great tossed with pasta or spooned over bread.

Our recipe makes plenty of sauce for two meals, so enjoy some with this menu and freeze the remainder for another time. The sauce is also great over tortellini, penne or fusilli. You can find the convenient prepared ravioli in the refrigerator section of most supermarkets.

Fresh, colorful and simple, this salad is the essence of summer. In the picnic basket, tuck a cold pack next to this dish to keep it at the right temperature.

The classic combination of tomatoes, basil and cheese is unbeatable, especially with the addition of prosciutto. Pair the pizza with a salad of radicchio and romaine in an oil and vinegar dressing. Follow up with cannoli and espresso.

This recipe doubles easily.

This is inspired by the dip served at Ca'Brea in Los Angeles. Try it with sliced boiled potatoes, crostini or vegetables.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Healthy bonus: Bone-building magnesium and calcium from arugula

This recipe is an adaptation of a rolled omelet from Gostilna Devetak, a trattoria in Friuli, Italy, which we featured in our October 1997 issue.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This dessert is based on an old-fashioned Russian kissel—traditionally a sweetened fruit purée thickened with potato starch, which gives it a puddinglike consistency. We've left the berries whole in order to achieve a more interesting look and texture and substituted cornstarch for the thickener as it's more readily available in the States.

In the Today's Gourmet series, I wanted to create dishes that were elegant, modern, original, light, and reasonably quick to prepare. TV demanded that the dishes be visually attractive, too.... Partially drying the tomatoes in the oven concentrates their taste, giving them a wonderfully deep flavor and great chewiness. The red of the tomatoes, the white of the cheese, and the green of the basil make this dramatically colorful salad especially enticing. Serve with good crunchy bread.

This salsa is best made a few hours ahead so the flavors have a chance to develop.