Green Cabbage

Encurtido de repollo In addition to mounding this refreshing slaw on every bite of the Salvadoran Stuffed Masa Cakes , you can proudly serve it as an accompaniment to burgers or grilled chicken.

Spicing up store-bought barbecue sauce with a touch of cayenne and a splash of vinegar is an easy trick that makes a big difference. Here, pork burgers get a triple hit of flavor: The sauce gets mixed into the meat, slathered onto the cooked burgers for the last minute of grilling, and brushed on the bun. A cabbage slaw with a creamy dressing tops them off with just the right crunch.

This vegetarian showstopper will bowl you over with its layers of flavor — one bite is enough to understand why it's often called one of the world's great dishes. Barley couscous, lighter and more aromatic than the well-known semolina version, serves as a nutty, fluffy base; tender-firm vegetables and a fragrant, golden broth are ladled over; and crunchy fried almonds and sweet onion confit add even more texture and flavor to the beguiling complexity.

"Rundown" (also called "oiled down" or "oil dong") is a classic stew served throughout the islands, often using saltfish or mackerel. Stories proliferate as to where the term comes from, but Jamaicans say "cook it down" when they mean to cook something for a long time. This vegetarian take is luxurious and satisfying. Serve this as a side dish or over rice as an entrée.

Anne Marie Gaspard of Gros Islet, St. Lucia, writes: "I've always enjoyed cooking — for my family and for myself. My children are grown, so when they visit on Sundays, I spoil them with good home-cooked meals. During the week I like to make dishes that are different but still easy."

Editor's note: This recipe is reprinted from The Second Avenue Deli Cookbook, by Sharon Lebewohl and Rena Bulkin. On Succoth, a joyous seven-day autumn harvest festival (a kind of Jewish Thanksgiving), stuffed foods—most notably holishkes, but also kreplach, stuffed peppers, and strudels—are served to symbolize abundance. Stuffed cabbage has been a staple of Jewish cooking since the fourteenth century, when it was introduced in Russia by Tartars. There are an infinity of recipes for it, both Eastern European and Middle Eastern; ours, in a sweet-and-sour sauce, is of Polish derivation. Note: When you're confronted with a bin of cabbages, you'll notice that some are quite light, whereas others have the heft of bowling balls. Choose the lightest ones for stuffing; their leaves peel off much more easily.

With two hues of cabbage and two kinds of apples, as well as carrots and yams, this multi-colored slaw will look gorgeous on a picnic or buffet table.

Sugar snap peas add a fresh crispness to this slaw; buttermilk dressing keeps it tangy and light and contrasts nicely with the other dishes on this menu. And it's so easy to make. We bet that, after a taste, you'll never rely on that mayonnaisey deli slaw again.

What to drink: The same type of wine the chicken is cooked in — a dry Riesling from Alsace.

George Hendrix of Carbondale, Colorado, writes: "My family is usually in a hurry to eat, so dinner has to be on the table fast. This soup was one of my mom's standbys when I was growing up. I often make it in big batches and just ladle it out and microwave as needed." This soup is even better the day after it's made, when the flavors have had a chance to mellow.

This light and refreshing slaw is best eaten the day it's made, chilled or at room temperature.

Malena Marie Beanik of Hollywood, California, writes: "Although I grew up in Philadelphia, I haven't lived there for years. But whenever I'm back in town I make it a point to spend some time in Manayunk, one of my favorite neighborhoods. During my last visit I ate at LeBus and had a fantastic chicken skewer appetizer."

There's Carolina Red Barbecue Sauce in this, a "must" with the pork.

The broth that accumulates at the bottom of this casserole is delicious spooned over the vegetables. Robiola, a fresh, rindless cheese from Italy's Piedmont, has a tangy richness that makes the dish particularly distinctive.