Oven Bake

We used frozen pearl onions, but you could use fresh instead. To peel, place them in boiling water for 1 minute, and then let them cool slightly before slipping off their papery skins.

This savory dish is named for one of the streets in historical Charleston, South Carolina. Crookneck squash is a summer squash that is available year-round in certain regions. You can substitute zucchini or even a winter squash, such as butternut or acorn, depending on what’s in season in your area.

This delicate torta makes a lovely luncheon dish. Served with our Warm Bean, Snap Pea, and Tomato Salad (page 173), it is perfect for a springtime supper. To drain the ricotta cheese, place it in a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth, and set the sieve over a deep bowl; let stand at least 1 hour at room temperature.

Look for precooked polenta logs in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. If using fresh plum tomatoes, peel them by scoring an X in the bottom with a paring knife and plunging them into boiling water for several seconds; transfer to an ice-water bath, and let cool. Slip off and discard the peels and seeds.

If you can’t find this squash, use butternut.

Be careful when transferring the fish from the baking dish to the plate—flounder is a fragile fish that falls apart easily.

This recipe, without the shrimp (and with vegetable stock), makes a nice vegetarian main dish; serve it with grated Parmesan cheese.

You can serve this dish hot, cold, or at room temperature. Cook the fish in batches if your oven is small. Dried beans work best, but you can substitute 6 cups of drained, rinsed canned beans; begin with step 3.

To bake individual pies, use 6 10-ounce ramekins, and reduce cooking time to 20 to 30 minutes.