Olive

Broccoli needn't only be cooked fast until bright green and al dente. In fact the flavor is amplified when it's braised slowly until as tender as can be. You can enjoy this as a vegetable side dish, spoon it over garlic-rubbed bruschetta, or toss it with pasta and freshly grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese.

(Thon Poêlé et "Mariné," Vinaigrette d'Olives Noires) A sophisticated starter from chef Guy Savoy.

If you prefer, you can pile the lamb and salad on top of a larger pocketless pita for an open-face sandwich and drizzle with sauce. Pocketless pitas are sold at specialty foods shops and many supermarkets. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min

Play off the Provençal flavors by passing an arugula salad tossed with red wine vinaigrette. Sliced peaches topped with honey and sour cream would make a great finale.

A suitably named pasta salad that's loaded with flavorful ingredients. Try it with grilled veal chops or Cornish game hens.

To pit the olives easily, just press them with the flat side of a knife until the meat separates from the center.

Poisson à la Niçoise Typical Niçois ingredients—including tomatoes, fennel, anchovies and olives—flavor this dish from Auberge des Arts. At the restaurant it's made with red mullet (rouget), which is a local fish. We've substituted red snapper.

This salad — named after the famous New Orleans sandwich — would also be good on oversize rolls. Suitable sides include onion rings and carrot sticks with blue cheese dip. End with praline ice cream cones.

This innovative take on the classic features an intensely flavored olive and raisin tapenade that is also great teamed with breadsticks or spread onto bruschetta. Crispy egg-bread croutons are also a nice addition

(Provençal Tuna and Vegetable Sandwich)

Traditional beef stew with Spanish overtones. It's delicious over rice or pasta.

The versatile, easy-to-make puree, in this recipe also adds terrific flavor to sandwiches, pizzas and pastas. Olivada is an olive spread, sometimes called black olive cream, and is available at Italian Markets, specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.