Lamb shanks simmered in a rich, aromatic Rogan Josh curry sauce. Indian-inspired comfort food with bold spices and fall-off-the-bone meat.

Quick skillet or slow-cooked kielbasa with onions, peppers, and simple seasoning. A hearty, flavorful meal with minimal prep and maximum taste.

This is, or should be, a staple of grown-up summer vacation. It's a great way to make use of super-freshness: fish, tomatoes, and watermelon, especially. It's light and refreshing, and it keeps remarkably well in the fridge for a day or two. The watermelon is the surprise here, and it just piles on the summeriness, contrasting well, especially, if you turn up the jalopeño heat.

A robust vegetarian chili made with black beans, tomatoes, and warm spices. Thick, spicy, and perfect for topping with cheese and sour cream.

I was inspired to recreate this dish that I had on a recent trip to Sicily. The salt and brine from the capers and olives really complements the meatiness of the swordfish, while the sweet sun-dried tomatoes add an extra dimension of flavor. I also love that this dish can be served room temperature. -

I got hooked on hot-smoked salmon while living in England where my corner fishmonger sold me some of his personally recommended local stuff. I had to limit myself to buying this only once a week. It was sweet and salty, firm and creamy all at the same time. The “hot” here doesn’t mean spice. It’s the temperature at which the smoking process occurs (between 145-150 degrees Fahrenheit), which fully cooks the fish, giving it a light pink silken internal texture a tawny, smoky skin. I used it in maki rolls, with asparagus and hollandaise and in my daughter’s lunchbox. And I concocted this Asian-inspired noodle salad which has a good contrast of flavor, texture and color. You may be able to find good hot smoked salmon where you live and by all means use it to make this salad as a very easy, very cool dinner on a hot night.

When I asked my boyfriend, an avid lover of seafood of all kinds, what I should make for this contest, he quickly and enthusiastically answered, “sardine butter!” Eaten on toast as an hors d’oeuvre or starter, it is the love child of two ingredients beloved by people from his region of France: sea salt-laced butter, and sardines. As a bonus, it is really easy to make and store.

Pan-fried pork chops coated in a sweet-savory Chinese-style glaze. Bold flavors with hints of soy, garlic, and hoisin—excellent with rice.

We live on an island off the Maine Coast in the center of the Lobster Universe. Friends and family come from all over to visit in the summer to enjoy this magnificent coast and eat lobster. After every big lobster feed, we make Lobster Hash with poached (or over easy) eggs for breakfast the next morning. We buy extra lobsters just for the hash. Most people say, it is the best breakfast they ever ate. This same recipe works great with leftover fish (Chilean Sea Bass and Swordfish works best but any fish will work) or Maine shrimp as well.