European

Potatoes are the typical main ingredient in this classic garlicky Greek spread. The use of white beans in their place-plus the addition of tahini along with lots of fresh mint and parsley-transforms the easy appetizer into a whole new treat.

One of the very best things about this stew is its practical nature: If you blanch the vegetables, boil the potatoes, and make the infused broth a day ahead, this dish takes only 15 minutes to cook.

Named for the pan in which it is traditionally made, this stew is cooked over high heat in chicken broth and bacon drippings, which are then reduced to a thick sauce

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Puntarelle (a Catalonian chicory) with anchovy dressing is a classic Roman dish. We have substituted celery for the puntarelle because the latter is not widely available in this country*. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

There is this great bustling taverna in one of the northern Athenian suburbs near where we live, and this is the house special, so much so that the chef refused to give me a recipe for it. So, I deconstructed it myself only to re-create it pretty much intact. The tomatoes, cream, and ouzo make a great sauce. You could easily make a quantity and serve it over pasta. It would look and taste good with squid-ink linguine.

This combination has now become a bit of a classic, but Steve has put his signature on it with the mint oil. You must use the oil on the same day it's made or the mint will discolour.

After experiencing a dazzling meal and the gracious hospitality of Martín Berasategui, one of the top Basque chefs, at the restaurant that bears his name in Lasarte-Oria, he gave us a final taste of his talent in a wonderfully refreshing granizado de cava. The following concoction I devised is very nearly the same, and surprisingly simple.

The sauce is a variation of a classic one from the Normandy region of France, where it's made with apples and Calvados.

This dish is inspired by the marriage of ricotta and walnuts that makes Ligurian pansotti (triangular "pot-bellied" ravioli) with walnut sauce a timeless favorite. Serve the artichokes as a plated first course or quarter them and offer as part of an antipasto platter along with prosciutto, roasted red peppers, and marinated olives and mushrooms.

Called bianca, or "white," because they are sauceless, these crispy pizzas are the essence of clean flavor. The toppings are added after the crusts come out of the oven, melting the cheese slightly. This recipe makes two round pizzas or four rectangular ones.

Catalan chicory, or puntarelle, is the green of choice for this salad dressing, although Belgian endive can also he substituted. Arugula and most other full-flavored salad greens also pair well with the dressing. As regards anchovies, whole ones packed in suit are more work to cook with but taste best; bottled anchovies are a good second choice; canned (and therefore hidden from inspection) are the last decent option. Anchovy paste is made from leftovers and not really worth buying. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.