Here’s an excellent example of convenience cooking that produces superb results. Slow-baked tuna steaks are served with a relish of tomato, sweet onion, and hot salsa. This slow-baking technique works with other fish steaks, too, such as halibut.

My mother loved gratins, and leftover meat and cold cuts always found their way into our pasta, usually along with zucchini or peas. I have made gratins for my family through the years. The gratin can be made ahead, sprinkled with Parmesan, and kept, covered, at room temperature for a few hours or refrigerated for up to a day before it is finished in the oven. If refrigerated, bring back to room temperature and bake on a cookie sheet for about 30 minutes in a 425-degree oven until heated through and lightly browned on top. Do not try to keep the cooked gratin in a warm oven for more than 10 to 15 minutes, or the pasta will swell up in the liquid and become gooey.

A versatile dish, this is good as an accompaniment to fish, poutry, and meat, and it can also be served as a first course or, with a couple of fried eggs, as a light main course. It’s great poured over pasta, and with the addition of a sausage such as kielbasa, it makes a whole meal. You can also substitute canned red or white beans for the chickpeas.

For this recipe, I salt long, think strops of zucchini and serve them raw. The salt flavors the zucchini and draws out its moisture, giving it a deliciously crunchy texture. Sometimes I serve the zucchini on its own with just a dash of olive oil, but it’s also wonderful with this tomato, mozzarella, and cilantro salad, which can be served on its own. Both the zucchini and the tomato salad can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead of serving; if done any further ahead, they both tend to get mushy.

Melon and proscuitto is a classic first course, excellent as a summer starter. Depending on the quality of the melon and the ham, this dish can be great or ordinary. I favor muskmelons, known as cantaloupes in the United States. Sometimes, at Connecticut farm markets, I can find the French cantaloupe, the charentais, of which there are many types, some with netted and some with smooth skin, including hte Cavaillon. My favorite ham is the Spanish Serrano, shaved very thin. Parma ham (prosciutto) is also excellent. Both are available at good delicatessens and specialty markets.

This fast and easy dish made with ingredients that I always have at home pleases everyone. Mozzarella can be replaced with a Swiss cheese, such as Gruyere, or with Cheddar. Be sure to use a gratin dish or shallow baking dish large enough to hold the slices of bread in one layer without overlapping.

This is one of those easy dishes that I make with ingredients that are usually near at hand. The timbales are particularly beautiful, despite taking only a few minutes to put together. I cut the onion and apple very thin with a mandoline or Japanese slicer. The timbales can be prepared a few hours ahead and garnished at the last moment.

One of these generously filled portobellos makes a satisfying main dish. The mushrooms can be assembled up to two days ahead, wrapped individually in plastic wrap, and refrigerated.

Once the beans are trimmed, all you need is a large, hot pan, and the rest is one big, quick sizzling action. These will keep for up to a week in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.