Saute

The crostini selection served at just about every restaurant near my house in Italy includes toppings of chicken livers, chopped tomatoes, and white bean purée, such as this one.We simmer the beans with tons of garlic and olive oil, and drizzle the crostini with saba, Sardinian grape must. If you can’t find saba, substitute vin cotto, a sweet, syrupy condiment that means “cooked wine,” or aged balsamico condimento. It is a nice option for vegetarians.We grill the radicchio for these crostini but gave instructions for cooking it on the stovetop because it would be unrealistic to light the grill just to cook a few leaves of the radicchio. That said, if you happen to have the grill on . . .

Set out a dish of peppery extra-virgin olive oil with a dash of aged balsamic vinegar, Vincotto (sweet Italian vinegar), or verjus for dipping.

This salsa can also be spooned over grilled shrimp, fish, chicken, or lamb.

Cooking blintzes takes a bit of practice. A nonstick skillet is a great help. The first blintz is almost never perfect; just discard it and start again. The blintzes can be made through step 4 up to 2 hours ahead.

For crisp browned potatoes, avoid crowding the pan when sauteéing.

Use a mandoline or a very sharp knife to cut the celery and zucchini.

The eggplant can also be served as an hors d’oeuvre, cut into bite-size pieces.

The secret to cooking okra to a crisp-tender texture is a very hot skillet.

To clean the mushrooms, simply wipe the caps with a damp paper towel; do not rinse, as they will become soggy. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden.

Tuscan kale, also known as cavolo nero, dinosaur kale, and lacinato kale, is sweeter and more tender than regular kale, which can be used instead but may require more cooking time.

Cooking peas only briefly—in a little bit of butter—lets them retain their flavor, color, and texture.