Salt And Pepper

Tuna casserole and Julia Child? It's hard to believe America's favorite chef used canned foods, but Laura Shapiro writes in her new biography, Julia Child, that Child created just such a recipe while working for S.S. Pierce, a Boston canned food company. She made a version "worthy of any dinner table she knew, including her own," Shapiro writes. Using today's more healthful canned soups and microwaveable brown rice, I've adapted the recipe to fit our busy lives. Comfort food needs comfort wine - in this case, a soft, fruity shiraz.

Fish makes fast company, and here it's put to work in easy-to-make tacos with a fruity, tangy salsa. The recipe is inspired by a recipe from Deborah Schneider's Baja cookbook, which uses fresh fruit. Here canned pineapple speeds preparation time. Grilling makes fish cookery a breeze but the broiler (or a skillet on the stove top) will work just as well. Renee Enna writes for the Chicago Tribune, which provided the recipe analysis. Tacos by the Sea Serves 4 -- Total time: 21 minutes 1 can (5 1/2 ounces)

The secret to Puerto Rican cuisine is the distinctive sofrito. The Puerto Rican version is made with culantro (saw-leaf coriander, a relative of cilantro) and ajies dulces, sweet cooking peppers. I adapted today's recipe from Joel Rodriguez, executive chef at San Juan's Ajili Mojili, celebrated for serving authentic Puerto Rican cuisine, "cocina criolla." Puerto Rican-Style Chicken and Rice Makes 2 servings 1/2 medium green bell pepper, seeded and cut into cubes 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled 1/2 small onion, peeled and quartered 1 small tomato, cored and cut into quarters 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish (divided use)

It's not uncommon to find red, yellow and green bell peppers packaged together like an edible stoplight at an intersection of the produce aisle. Heck, shoppers also can take a detour by plopping orange and purple varieties into their carts. Stop-and-go colors are not just an eye-catching marketing tool: The vivid hues also signal exceptional nutritional value. Thirty years ago, bell peppers came in one color: green. Although tasty, green peppers have less than half the amount of vitamin C as red, orange and yellow varieties, according to Russ Parsons, author of How to Pick a Peach: The Search for Flavor From Farm to Table.

Corn and tomatoes make such a great combination. Sadly, the optimal time to enjoy them is short. Which is why you must, at all costs, enjoy them as often as possible while the going is good. Corn is just now coming into markets, and tomatoes aren't too far behind. Until you find great farm-fresh tomatoes, try the Campari tomatoes sold on the vine at many supermarkets and warehouse clubs. Cherry or grape tomatoes also are a good, dependable substitute. Renee Enna writes for the Chicago Tribune, which provided the recipe analysis.

The Flexitarian Table By Peter Berley with Zoe Singer Vegetables By the Culinary Institute of America Lebhar-Friedman Books / 2007 / $40 Vegetables, the latest cookbook offering from the Culinary Institute of America, is a beautifully illustrated compendium of recipes chock-full of vegetables. It is not strictly vegetarian, but it celebrates vegetables and legumes. Besides basic information (what is bok choy) and advice (how to trim an artichoke bottom), it includes delightful dishes such as fennel-and-potato chowder and hazelnut romesco sauce (to accompany grilled vegetables)

The Best of Gourmet Sixty-Five Years, Sixty-Five Favorite Recipes Good Food for Good Times By Jamie Gwen with Lana Sills Powerline Publishing / 2007 / $24.95 This homespun book from Los Angeles-based chef Jamie Gwen, who has appeared on the Home Shopping Network and written two other cookbooks, is organized around celebration menus - sort of. Some of them, like the Birthday Bash Brunch - with gazpacho, ginger pancakes, the "Very Best Dutch Baby,"...

This savory baked shrimp is quick and light, and the cooking method leaves the shrimp juicy, firm and flavorful. Crunchy walnuts, grated parmesan cheese and white wine provide texture and flavor. Orzo is small, rice-shaped pasta. The spinach is added just before the pasta is drained so it just wilts, which is all the cooking it needs. Raisins add a welcome bit of sweetness. Spinach With Orzo Serves 2 1/2 cup orzo 4 cups washed, ready-to-eat spinach 2 tablespoons raisins 2 teaspoons olive oil salt and freshly ground pepper Place a medium saucepan three-quarters full of water over high heat.

The sweet flavor of oranges in this dish is balanced by a fairly assertive mustard flavor. If you prefer mustard to be less prominent, cut back to 2 teaspoons. Six cups of cabbage may seem like a lot, but bear in mind that it "shrinks" once dressed, and you'll end up with about 4 cups of salad. When you want orange segments, first peel an orange. Use a small paring knife to cut on each side of the membranes; wedge-shaped segments will pop right out. ORANGE COLESLAW Serves 6 1/2 cup light mayonnaise 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon grated orange zest 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 6 cups shredded cabbage segments from 2 medium oranges, coarsely chopped Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, sugar, orange zest, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Michelle Rice of Rapid City, S.D., was looking for a recipe for old-fashioned Steamburgers or Sloppy Joes. Jennifer Henrie of Philip, S.D., sent in her mother's recipe for Steamburgers, which she says are "quick and delicious, and even better the next day - if there is any left!" She suggests using the leanest ground beef you can find or even ground buffalo. This dish is sure to be a hit with kids and grown-ups alike and would be terrific to serve at an informal party. It can be made easily the day before and, as Henrie says, actually may even taste better that way. Mom's Steamburgers Makes about 16 sandwiches 2 pounds lean ground beef 1/2 onion, chopped 1 can tomato soup 1/4 cup ketchup 2 tablespoons yellow mustard 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon white vinegar salt and pepper to taste In pan, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat until beef is no longer pink and onions are translucent.