beef and vegetable kebabs... 30 minutes (plus marinating)

the goods:

1 pound beef sirloin, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 zucchini squash, cut into 3/4-inch rounds

1 pint cherry tomatoes

In a medium bowl, combine beef, 1/4 cup olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and rosemary; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours (or up to overnight). Let beef sit at room temperature, 30 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, and 2 tablespoons olive oil; toss to coat and season with salt and pepper.

Heat grill to high.

Season beef with salt and pepper. Alternately thread beef, bell peppers, zucchini, and tomatoes onto wooden skewers. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. Grill kebabs, turning occasionally, until beef is medium-rare and vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes.

rice and carrot salad... 25 minutes

the goods:

1 cup long-grain white rice

3 medium carrots, shredded

1 mild green chile, such as Anaheim, thinly sliced

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 small red onion, diced small

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

In a medium saucepan, bring rice and 1 and 1/2 cups water to a boil over high. Stir, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook rice 15 minutes, remove from heat, and let stand covered, 5 minutes. Transfer rice to a large bowl. Add carrots, chile, parsley, onion, vinegar, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.

pork carnitas tacos... 1 hour and 15 minutes

the goods:

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 and 1/2-inch pieces

corn or flour tortillas (or both), warmed

1 small white onion, diced small

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

guacamole, for serving

lime wedges, for serving

In a large cast-iron skillet, cover pork with 1/2 inch water and bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high. Cook, turning pieces occasionally, until water evaporates, about 45 minutes. Add onion, season with salt and pepper and continue to cook, turning pieces frequently, until meat is crisp and browned on all sides and onion is caramelized, about 12 minutes.

Serve carnitas with tortillas, cilantro, guacamole, and lime wedges.

grilled garlic-lime fish tacos... 20 minutes

the goods:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 and 1/4 pounds skinless, firm white-fleshed fish fillets, such as striped bass or cod

corn tortillas, warmed or lightly toasted

1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears corn)

1 medium tomato, diced small

1 scallion, thinly sliced crosswise

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

In a medium bowl, combine corn, tomato, scallion,cilantro, and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Heat grill to medium-high. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, garlic, and remaining lime juice. Add fish and turn once to coat; let sit 5 minutes. Remove fish from marinade, letting excess drip off. Season with salt and pepper and grill until flesh is opaque throughout, 12 minutes, flipping once. With a fork, break fish into large pieces and serve with tortillas and corn relish.

pork and snap pea kebabs... 25 minutes

the goods:

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 pork tenderloin, cut into 3/4-inch slices

5 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces

1/2 pound snap peas, trimmed

Heat grill to medium. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. In a small bowl, stir together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, and rice vinegar.

Alternately thread pork, scallions, and peas onto wooden skewers that have soaked in water for 15 minutes.

Grill, turning occasionally, until pork is cooked through and vegetables are charred, about 9 minutes.

Brush kebabs with hoisin glaze and cook 1 minutes more, turning once, until mixture begins to bubble.

Serve kebabs with remaining glaze for dipping.

cucumber and mango salad with chili-spiced pork... 35 minutes

the goods:

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 boneless pork loin chops

1 and 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

4 teaspoons honey

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 large ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 English cucumber, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large head romaine lettuce, roughly chopped

In a medium skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium. Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper, and 1 teaspoon chili powder. Cook until pork is browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes, flipping once. Transfer to a cutting board and loosely tent with foil. Let pork rest 10 minutes before thinly slicing.

In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, honey, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Add mango, cucumber, and lettuce and toss to combine. Serve salad with sliced pork.