Asian Accents. Lisa Kim-Tribolati

cup of ginger tea is served with steamed buns (paii): Asian comfort food.

      in living color

      mediterranean pleasures

      Fashionable lemon-lime and turquoise hues streak happily across this living room. Inspired by the saturated colors of the tropics, the vibrant and sophisticated fabrics used here add zest and excitement to their surroundings.

      If you have always opted for a beige and cream color scheme and are a little hesitant about introducing strong, bold colors, start with patterned pillows, cushion covers or a tablecloth. Paint a guest bathroom in dazzling colors or drape a bright scarf over your favorite chair. Try personalizing your own linen. We stenciled gold geckos on white and gold-trimmed linen napkins. They add an element of surprise to a table setting and are an amusing and creative alternative to plain napkins.

      With all this vivid color to occupy the eye, decorations are kept to a minimum. Large tropical flower arrangements provide all the interest here; not only are they colorful, but their unusual shapes and sizes add drama to a room. A single, well-placed flower or leaf may be all you need to accent a corner. Here we've displayed heliconia in a large glass vase; a graceful Mokoyama leaf is used to hide the stems.

      This relaxed Mediterranean-style lunch for family or friends was inspired by the color scheme. Glossy red and yellow bell peppers filled with caponata are served on a cobalt blue dish. The dishes here can all be prepared the night before and served at room temperature, which makes them wonderfully versatile.

      Sunflowers add a dash of color to a platter of beef tenderloin. Think about shape as well as color when choosing flowers, the gold and yellow tones of these sunflowers and tulips may be similar but the different shapes provide contrast.

      The simplicity of a glass vase works best for some floral arrangements. To prevent water from getting cloudy, add one teaspoon of liquid bleach per quart of water.

      Fresh fruit, as appealing to look at as to eat, is the main ingredient of dessert. The whimsical gecko napkins featured here were stenciled especially for this lunch. See page 122 to find out how to stencil your favorite design on your own napkins.

      A Sunday lunch featuring Mediterranean-influenced foods that are bold, fresh and flavorful seems to fit nicely with the spirit of the room. A roasted beef tenderloin is marinated with robust Mediterranean and Asian spices and accompanied by caponata served in orange and red bell peppers. To finish the meal, an array of sweet berries and tropical fruit is served with a ginger-orange cream; a great finish to a midday meal so light the post-lunch siesta is optional.

      beef tenderloin

      i n g r e d i e n t s

      1/2 cup whole black peppercorns

      1 (5-pound) tenderloin fillet

      marinade

      1 tablespoon tomato paste

      1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

      1 teaspoon ground paprika

      2 cloves garlic, chopped finely

      1 cup soy sauce

      3/4 cup red wine vinegar

      1 cup water

      Press peppercorns into beef and place in 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Mix all marinade ingredients together until well combined. Pour marinade over beef, cover and refrigerate for 6 hours, turning the beef over once after 3 hours to marinate both sides evenly.

      Preheat oven to 350° F when ready to roast. Drain marinade from baking dish, cover beef with foil and roast for 40-45 minutes. Allow beef to sit for 10 minutes before carving to allow the juices to settle.

      Serves 10.

      note: Reduce cooking time for rare meat.

      caponata

      i n g r e d i e n t s

      12 cups eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch-square cubes

      (3 medium eggplant)

      1 tablespoon salt

      1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

      2/3 cup finely chopped onion

      1 cup finely chopped celery

      2 large bell peppers (yellow if available), chopped

      8 ounces black Calamata olives, pitted and chopped

      1 cup fresh tomato sauce

      2 tablespoons capers

      3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

      Salt and pepper to taste

      12 red and yellow bell peppers for serving containers

      Sprinkle the eggplant with salt and set aside in a colander to drain. After 30 minutes, pat dry and set aside.

      Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a skillet and add onion, celery and chopped bell peppers. Cook over moderate heat stirring frequently, until onions are translucent and peppers slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

      Divide eggplant into 3 batches. Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into the skillet and saute the first batch, stirring constantly until soft and lightly browned, 5-8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and continue with the remaining 2 batches of eggplant, using the remaining olive oil.

      Add onion, pepper and celery mixture, olives, tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, and capers to cooked eggplant and mix. Drain any excess liquid. Add salt and pepper to taste. Can be served warm or at room temperature.

      Serves 10-12.

      presentation: Serve caponata in whole bell peppers as shown here. Cut the tops off yellow and red bell peppers and remove the ribs and seeds. Slightly trim the bases so peppers stand flat. Fill with caponata and cover with "lid."Arrange and serve on a platter.

      fruit salad with ginger & orange cream

      i n g r e d i e n t s

      1 (8-ounce) container mascarpone cheese

      1/3 cup sour cream

      2 tablespoons brown sugar

      2 teaspoons grated orange zest

      1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

      6 cups of assorted fresh fruit: strawberries, pears, apple, kiwi fruit, starfruit, and red or green seedless grapes

      Stir together cheese, sour cream, brown sugar, orange zest and fresh ginger. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours.

      Peel, seed and slice all the fruit except for the strawberries and grapes, which can be left whole. Arrange decoratively on a platter and serve with the ginger and orange cream.

      Serves 8.

      presentation: An alternative presentation to the one above is to make a fruit salad with oranges, strawberries, kiwi fruit and mango and divide into large wine glasses, making sure you also include any juices from the fruit. Spoon the ginger and orange cream into a pastry bag with a large nozzle and pipe some onto the fruit in a decorative way. Garnish with mint leaves.

      form & feng shui