Gourmet

For more information about melting chocolate, see Meltdown.

The lamb in this recipe is blanched to make a light-colored stew. Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

A whole mackerel or bluefish is about 2 feet long, so you will just be able to fit it on an angle in a large rectangular gas grill or a wide oven; see cooks' notes, below. You might want to measure your grill (or oven) before choosing a fish to make sure you'll have enough room. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Plantains are a staple in Latino cuisine, but mangu, made with green plantains, is a Dominican specialty.

This is a delicious, low-maintenance alternative to traditional risotto.

This dish, or some form thereof, can be found in most Scandinavian countries. The apples and prunes are usually stuffed inside the pork roast, but here we've put them in the sauce.

Chalupas Poblanas de Pollo Look for tightly stacked tortillas in packs of 50 (they can be frozen). They are pressed tightly together to retain moisture and freshness and are available in Latino markets and some supermarkets. Delicious tortillas can also be mail-ordered from Maria & Ricardo's Tortilla Factory (800-881-7040). Other Mexican ingredients are available at Mexican markets and many supermarkets. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min

Danny Toma of Naples, Italy, writes: "As an expatriate southerner working in Italy, I created this recipe to combine my Mississippi roots with my temporary Italian home." This recipe makes a large quantity of pesto. Use half the pesto for 1 pound of cooked pasta and chill the rest in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 40 min

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 25 min

Serve these wings with the hot-and-sour coleslaw.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 30 min

Gouvej Claire S. Kedeshian of New York, New York, writes: "I am Armenian-American, and I would love to share a recipe of mine with you and your readers. It's for a traditional vegetable stew that has been made by my family for over three generations."

Bobotie In the popular South African dish known as bobotie, leftover lamb or beef is minced and combined with bread and spices and baked for awhile before being covered with a custard and baked again. It is generally served in squares or wedges. We have substituted kaffir lime leaves for the lemon leaves called for in the original and used ground meat instead of minced.