Onion

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Fries, coleslaw and lemonade are the requisite accompaniments. Complete the menu with watermelon wedges and sugar cookies.

As Gourmet wrote in 1959: "Long ago...it did occur to some blithe spirit, a poet of the kitchen to be sure, that when these little veal rolls were arranged on a platter they looked like a flock of headless birds. And oiseaux sans têtes, or veal birds, they remain to this day in the cuisines of such diverse countries as Belgium, Italy, and France.

This is as delicious with mussels as it is with clams. Offer a simple green salad afterward, and pears and a wedge of Italian cheese for dessert.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

At Valentino, this is prepared with fresh pasta. Wonton wrappers make a convenient substitute.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Zia Maria is a simple but delightful restaurant in Alghero, a popular tourist resort on a part of Sardinia's west coast known as the Coral Riviera. The dining room is very basic; a large fireplace and some antique cooking equipment are the only things to distract you from the traditional Sardinian menu. But that's a good thing, because once you start in on pickled artichokes and mushrooms, wild boar in sweet-and-sour broth, or ricotta ravioli with tomato sauce, you'll appreciate having few distractions. Each dish, like these tangy onions from the restaurant's selection of antipasti, is cooked and presented in straightforward fashion.

Filete Mignon con Rajas The mild flavor of the meat is revved up with rich rajas con crema, a traditional dish of roasted poblano strips in cream.

The acidity of the vinegar and grapefruit is balanced by the quince, apple, and pear flavors in this French-style chutney. Bananas add creaminess. Use ripe fruit for best results.

This hearty stew is great served over egg noodles. Bitter greens with a creamy Gorgonzola dressing would be a good side salad. Have sliced bananas and strawberries drizzled with honey and balsamic vinegar for an elegant dessert.

This recipe accompanies Black Bean Soup with Cilantro-Tomato Salsa

This hearty dish comes from Havesathe de Havixhorst in the Drenthe Province in De Wijk, the Netherlands.

Inspired by Vietnamese cuisine, this combination is also satisfying on its own as a meatless lunch.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This South American version of beef steak is wonderfully good eating.

Mary Risley, director of Tante Marie's cooking school, says, "I dreamed up this recipe years ago when I was trying to cook Thanksgiving dinner on a four-burner stove with only one oven. And I've found that this is really the only vegetable needed to go with the turkey and mashed potatoes. It has the creamed onions everyone wants, it has the corn the Pilgrims must have eaten, and it has the fresh vegetables my Northern California friends and family have come to expect."

"Because I love to cook, I'll use any excuse to make dinner for my family or friends. Most of the recipes I concoct are partly based on how the ingredients look—presentation is very important to me," Dave Purdy of Hopewell, New Jersey. "Here, I combined celery root with Swiss chard because the colors and textures contrast so nicely." This tangy side dish would be good with roasted poultry or meat.