Fennel

The bouquet garni for this stew includes orange peel (use a vegetable peeler to make wide strips) and some of the wispy fronds from the top of the fennel bulb that goes into the soup.

"As a confirmed New Englander, I was surprised to find a terrific seafood restaurant in Phoenix: Steamers Genuine," says Barbara J. Johnson of Worcester, Massachusetts. "The baked halibut was perfectly complemented by roasted vegetables and potatoes au gratin. I know how to make the fish, but I wouldn't know where to start with the other two dishes." This side dish and the Potato Gratin with White Cheddar Cheese would also be good with roast chicken or beef.

This light, refreshing salad is from Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix.

Serve a salad and some wine alongside, and you're ready for company.

Try a glass of Rioja and some crusty bread with this lovely autumn dish.

Although we prefer the taste and texture of sheep's-milk ricotta, this recipe can be made using (whole-milk) cow's-milk ricotta, which should first be drained overnight in a cheesecloth-lined sieve set over a bowl. The grapevine leaves make for a beautiful presentation, but, because they haven't been softened in water, they should not be eaten.

This elegant dish would make a lovely entrée for a special-occasion dinner.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Lovely with fish dishes, but also good served with chicken or lamb or scattered over a soup, salad or pasta.

An elegant but easy first course. Frozen artichoke hearts are used for the filling, and purchased gyoza or wonton wrappers replace homemade pasta.

Note: To slice the onion and fennel in the following salad into paper-thin spirals, we used a Japanese rotary device known as the Benriner vegetable slicer.

A lovely side dish with big flavors‑and only a single teaspoon of oil.

These make-ahead savory pies are wonderful centerpiece dishes for a casual dinner.

In the late nineteenth century, salmon was so abundant in Scotland that servants refused to eat it more than three times a week — but then again, they didn't have the recipe for this delicious hash. Top each serving of the hash with one or two poached eggs. Make a watercress salad with a simple vinaigrette to have alongside, and offer a pitcher of mimosas or some juice to drink.