Tomato

Thai salads are full of crisp vegetables and fruits mixed with intense condiments.

Think of this tart as a brawny quiche, perfect for brunch or dinner.

Hominy, or hulled corn kernels, is the backbone of this Mexican posole soup (pronounced pho-soh-lay), which can easily be made vegetarian by using vegetable stock and omitting the pork. Either way, it's best garnished with lots of cilantro, cheese, and lime and served with warm flour tortillas.

You'll want crusty bread for sopping up this San Francisco fish stew.

If you can’t find mozzarella di bufala (buffalo mozzarella) for this late-summer dish, substitute fresh cow’s-milk mozzarella. Silverton sometimes serves the dish with slow-roasted tomatoes for a tangy-sweet flourish.