Risotto

If you can get fresh shelled peas, cook them in a pan of boiling water until they are just tender, 3 to 5 minutes, then drain and toss them with the chives, zest, and pepper. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min

Lemon juice and peel offer a double punch of flavor in this delicious dish. Serve the risotto Italian-style as a first course, or American-style as a main course.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 hr

This crowd-pleasing risotto works well as a main course—accompanied by green salad and crusty bread—or as a side dish for leftover chicken. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min

Italian risotto, traditionally served as an appetizer, makes a great vegetarian meal when served with a salad. In this recipe, butter and cream have been replaced with a flavorful mushroom broth. Porcini mushrooms and Arborio rice are available at Italian markets, specialty food stores and some supermarkets.

Lobster and truffle oil give this dish the true stamp of indulgence.

A fruity, spicy Sauvignon Blanc would be perfect with this elegant dish.

Sophisticated and satisfying, this can be offered as a vegetarian main course or as a hearty side dish.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe came to be when I was preparing risotto and realized I was out of Arborio rice; I used barley instead. The results were so delicious that I now prefer this version.

Toss Italian greens like arugula and radicchio with a vinaigrette dressing and toasted walnuts for a fresh starter, and offer crunchy seeded breadsticks alongside this unusual risotto. Finish up with chocolate biscotti and espresso.

Barley gives this a wonderful chewy texture.

A fabulous all-in-one dish, similar to paella, from Lucques in Los Angeles.

Bourdain embellishes this risotto with black truffle shavings, but we thought it was delicious even without them. We opted for a cost-effective alternative — drizzling the risotto with truffle oil just before serving.

It's worth seeking out Carnaroli rice (from the Piedmont region of Italy) for this recipe: Carnaroli has a higher starch content than Arborio, so it makes a much creamier risotto. Chef Kiffin serves this with braised oxtails and a watercress salad.