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3 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped

Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 small, ripe tomatoes, halved crosswise

FOR THE SPINACH

1 tablespoon mild extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling

1 whole scallion, sliced

1½ cups baby spinach leaves

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 teaspoons roughly chopped dill

Sea salt and cracked black pepper

1½ tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

4 whole baby cuttlefish (sepia) or 2 large calamari, cleaned

½ bulb fennel, shaved paper-thin

½ teaspoon dry Greek oregano

2 teaspoons capers

About 10 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (optional)

Fresh lemon juice

For the roasted tomatoes, preheat the oven to 325°F. Mix the thyme, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and a generous grinding of pepper with the olive oil. Spread this mixture on the cut sides of the tomatoes and roast uncovered for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until slightly shrunken.

For the cuttlefish, warm the tablespoon of oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallion and spinach and wilt for 1½ minutes, stirring. Add the shallot and dill, season with a bit of salt and pepper, and remove from the heat. When this is cool, stir in the feta.

Stuff the bodies of the cuttlefish with the spinach mixture. Poke the head inside the top opening and secure with a toothpick.

Preheat a charcoal or gas grill, or ridged cast-iron grill pan, until very, very hot. Paint the cuttlefish with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Grill until slightly firm to the touch. (This will not take long, as the stuffing is cooked and the cuttlefish will cook through quickly. Do not overcook or they will get chewy.)

Toss the shaved fennel, oregano, capers, and cherry tomatoes with a little olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the cuttlefish in half crosswise and serve with 2 or 3 roasted tomato halves and a little of the fennel salad.

FRIED RED MULLET WITH LENTILS, LEMON & OIL

TIGANITO BARBOUNI, FAKES KAI LADOLEMONO

SERVES 4 TO 6 AS AN ENTRÉE, OR MORE FAMILY-STYLE, AS PART OF A LARGER SPREAD

There is really no substitute for red mullet, but if you can’t find it, this dish works with whiting. Ask your fishmonger to clean, scale, and fillet the fish, leaving the skin on. If you enjoy lentil soup, double the lentil recipe, and I guarantee you’ll be delighted. It’s my mother’s recipe and one of my favorite cold-weather dishes.

1 tablespoon mild extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 small Idaho potato, peeled and finely chopped

1 large carrot, finely chopped

1 fresh bay leaf or 2 dried leaves

1 large sprig fresh thyme

½ pound brown lentils

½ cup red wine

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

Canola or safflower oil, for deep-frying (or use half extra-virgin olive oil)

4 to 6 small red mullet, filleted and pinbones removed (skin on)

About 1 tablespoon Garlic Purée (page 264)

About 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

6 to 8 large leaves sage, trimmed to the length of the mullet fillets

All-purpose flour

Ladolemono (page 270) or extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice

Small handful picked fresh herbs, such as parsley, dill, and/or mint

Sea salt

First, braise the lentils: in a large, heavy-bottomed braising pan, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add all the vegetables, bay leaf, and thyme sprig, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, to soften without browning. Add the lentils and stir for 2 minutes, then deglaze the pan with the red wine and sherry vinegar. Simmer until the wine is completely evaporated, then add enough water to cover everything by a good inch. Bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils are just tender. Strain, reserving all the liquid in a large measuring jug. Return the drained lentils to the empty cooking pot.

In a food processor, purée ¼ cup of the lentils with about ½ cup of the braising liquid. Add this into the drained lentils and adjust with remaining