Saffron

Spaghetti stands in for rice in this version of the Spanish favorite.

Although four mini-muffin pans are called for, each containing twelve 1 3/4-by-1 inch cups, you could also make these tartlets in batches using two pans. When making the dough, work quickly to prevent the phyllo from drying out and the butter from hardening.

Peas and chives really dress up this side dish.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 30 min

Offer this colorful condiment with assorted grilled vegetables or grilled tuna. It's also great when paired with fried calamari or used in tuna or potato salad.

Serve this elegant first course with Champagne or sparkling wine. The recipe makes a few extra pancakes for those who want seconds.

This dish is named after the copper Portuguese cooking vessel, the cataplana, in which it is traditionally cooked.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Makes use of the microwave oven.

This recipe was created to accompany Roasted Monkfish with Fennel-Saffron Compote

Mrouzia Mrouzia is a dish traditionally made after the celebration of Aid el Kebir ("Feast of the Slaughter of the Lamb"), an occasion when, historically, a family would have large amounts of meat on hand. In the days before refrigeration, the lamb was cooked in copious amounts of fat and spices to preserve it. Don't worry — this version has much less butter and less intense spicing than the original. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 3 hr

(Arrossejat de Fideus amb Llagosta) This Catalan specialty could be described as a pasta cooked like a rice dish. Arrossejat is Catalan for "golden" and refers to the technique of sautéing noodles in oil until golden brown before simmering them in fish stock. The dish is usually prepared in a glazed earthenware casserole known as a cassola, but you can substitute an ovenproof skillet or saut0an with great results. The base of our intensely flavored dish is a sofregit~©on slow-cooked with tomatoes and often garlic and herbs'% foundation for almost every sauce and stewed dish in the region's cooking. Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 2 hr

Do-ahead tips make this rendition of the Spanish classic perfect for entertaining.

Malloreddus, the saffron-flavored pasta shaped like gnocchi, is a Sardinian specialty. For convenience, we used dried pasta of a similar shape and added saffron to the pasta cooking water.

Kathy Lee, Valley Center, Calif.
If you can't find a package of thighs at the market, buy whole chickens. You (or the butcher) can cut up the chickens and freeze the leftover pieces for another use.

A delicate starter with a velvety texture. Market Tip: Freshly picked cauliflower is sweeter than the supermarket variety (and, when cooked, doesn't release the sulfurous smell that older cauliflower does).

The saffron adds not only a lovely aroma but vivid color as well. Open a bottle of Chardonnay to go with the meal.