Turn up the Heat

banana leaves, you may use those to line the pot. Fill the pot % high with water, cover tightly, and place over high heat. Cook for 2 hours, but check periodically to make sure that the water has not evaporated. Add more water if needed.
    When done, tamales may be eaten immediately. Remove the foil wrapper, or fold back neatly, and enjoy the tamales right from the banana leaf. These also freeze very well for 3 to 4 months, so you may simply place the foil packets as they are in the freezer. To reheat, place in a pot as you did to cook them, and boil for 30 minutes.

    Jessica Park, Manchester, New Hampshire

    This spicy dressing really has a bite to it and works with almost any salad. There is no vinegar in this since the lemon provides enough acidity, but there is certainly no lack of flavor. I like this best tossed with beautiful fresh red leaf or Bibb lettuce, feta cheese, and Greek olives. Josh and Chloe don’t mind garlic-laced kisses, but if you do, you may not want to serve this before a romantic evening.

    1 ½ cups good quality olive oil
    3 large garlic cloves, minced
    1 tbsp. lemon juice
    1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
    ¼ tsp. salt
    ¼ tsp. pepper

    Whisk all ingredients together with a fork and let sit for at least an hour before serving. This will keep perfectly in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.

    Jody Adams, Executive Chef, Rialto, Cambridge, Massachusetts

    This is the most delicious pasta recipe! After discarding the shells from the lobster tails, claws, and arms, you save the lobster bodies and use them to add incredible flavor to the wonderful green and red tomato sauce. This aromatic dish is perfect any time of the year, whether you are dining on your deck in the summer or huddled up by the fire during a winter snowstorm.

    Makes 4 main course servings

    Kosher salt
    4 1-lb. lobsters
    ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
    1 medium onion, chopped into ¼" dice
    Freshly ground black pepper
    4 tbsp. chopped garlic
    1 tbsp. minced ginger
    ½ tsp. fennel seeds
    ¼ tsp. hot red pepper flakes
    1 pinch saffron
    2 lbs. green, unripe tomatoes, cut in half and charred under the broiler, skin removed and meat chopped into ½" dice
    1 cup canned strained tomatoes
    2 lbs. ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half and charred under the broiler, skin removed and meat chopped into ½" dice
    1 6 oz. spaghetti
    4 tbsp. freshly chopped basil

    Fill a large pot with 1" of salted water. Invert a colander in the pot. Bring the water to a boil. Put the lobsters in the pot and cover tightly. Steam for 5 minutes, then open the pot carefully (steam is hot ) and, using a pair of tongs, change the lobsters’ position. Quickly replace the lid and steam for 5 more minutes. Remove the cooked lobsters from the pot and allow to cool. Separate the tails, claws, and arms from the body of each lobster. Chop the bodies into 4 pieces and set aside. Remove the lobster meat from the tails, claws, and arms, and discard the shells. Cut the tail meat in half lengthwise and remove the digestive tract, the dark veinlike structure. Cut the tail into 1 ½-inch chunks. Cover and refrigerate the meat.
    Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and lobster bodies, season with salt and pepper, and cook 6 minutes, or until the onions are tender. Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic, ginger, fennel seeds, hot pepper flakes, and saffron, and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the green tomatoes, strained tomatoes, and 1 cup water, and cook 15 minutes. Add the charred red tomatoes and cook 10 minutes more. Remove from the heat. The sauce should be fairly thick.
    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook 7 to 10 minutes, or until al dente.
    While the pasta is cooking, heat the remaining oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the lobster meat and cook 3 minutes. Remove the lobster body pieces from the onion mixture and discard. Add the tomato sauce to the lobster pan and keep warm.
    Scoop the cooked pasta out of the boiling water and transfer the pasta to the pan with the sauce. Add the basil and toss well. Serve immediately.

    Bill Park, Manchester, New Hampshire

    The sweet and salty broth from this dish is perfect for soaking up with bread. Ideally you should make the bouillon part of this dish the day ahead so the broth will have time to reach its full flavor potential, but you can certainly make it on the day you will serve it. If so, prepare the orange bouillon first and then cook the