Garlic

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Dried mixed salad herbs, found in the spice section of the supermarket, can substitute for herbes de Provence, the French seasoning.

"During my first trip west of the Mississippi, I had dinner at an extraordinary restaurant called The Fort, in Morrison, Colorado," says Marcia Walsh of Westford, Massachusetts. "I enjoyed both the ambience and the food, especially the rib roast." The vegetable-herb coating gives the roast extra flavor. This is an easy holiday entrée.

Ask the butcher to bone, skin and butterfly the turkey breast. You will also need some cheesecloth (available in most supermarkets) for wrapping the roulade before cooking.

Fermented soybean paste-called miso-is the key ingredient here.

A typical chili of the depression years consisted of cheap meat stretched by even cheaper beans. Chili remained modestly popular even when the hard times waned, until Lyndon Johnson boosted its national profile during the 1960s. Now chili is back and bigger than ever. Even with the modern addition of smoked jalapeños (chipotles), the inclusion of black beans and beer, and a stylish drizzle of lime crema, this recipe is a classic-hot, hearty and filling.

Roasted whole garlic got its start at Chez Panisse. Here, it’s added to the decade’s ultimate comfort food, smooth and creamy mashed potatoes.

The veal shanks are extremely tender and have lots of great-tasting sauce. Serve them with the butternut polenta and steamed rapini (also called broccoli rabe), and offer Pinot Noir with dinner.

This is a satisfying vegetarian main course that takes full advantage of the flavor possibilities of garlic, here cooked until soft for sweetness and body, sautéed until golden for depth, and added raw for brightness.

Hélène Wagner-Popoff writes, "My husband, Ivan, and I moved to Corsica from Madagascar eleven years ago on a whim. We restored an abandoned convent and saved the thousand-year-old olive grove surrounding it. The fact that I live in the country — with the luxury of having a garden full of wonderful ingredients — makes it easy for me to love cooking. I like to surprise my family and guests with unexpected flavor combinations that don't take a lot of effort."

Mellowed by brief cooking and wine, this pickled garlic is very mild in flavor. Slice it to add to salads or use as a garnish. Or top off the jar with olive oil, and serve the whole cloves as an appetizer.

What to drink: Offer a Pinot Grigio with these toasts.

South of Goa, the coastline of Karnataka state is scalloped with palm, mango, and jackfruit trees. This recipe comes from the city of Mangalore, where it is usually made with bangade, a small fish resembling smelt. We used salmon for this curry. And, when we can find them, we toss in about 10 fresh curry leaves along with the onion, garlic, and gingerroot.

This delicious variation on a side-dish classic is made with red potatoes and flavored with a full head of roasted garlic. This recipe is an accompaniment for Chicken and Mashed Potatoes with Herb-roasted Tomatoes and Olive Broth .

Mincing the garlic and chopping the rosemary the night before (and storing them in a resealable plastic bag in the fridge) makes preparation the next morning a snap.