Onion

The sweet sharpness of both the orange juice and the balsamic vinegar combines with the natural sugars in the onions to create a delicious snack that's perfect to serve with cocktails, as an addition to an antipasto assortment, or as an accompaniment to roasted meats.

Ravioli al Radicchio Rosso Stuffed pasta shows up less frequently in Florence than it does in the nearby Emilia-Romagna region. But when it does appear on menus, it's usually dressed simply, like the ravioli here, with a little butter and a bit of grated Parmesan.

Yakitori In Tokyo, these savory skewers are made with Japanese leeks, called negi, which are thinner and more tender than Western leeks. We've substituted scallions, since they have a similar sweetness and are more readily available here.

Top-quality veal really makes a difference in this dish; meat should be cut from the leg for scalloppine.

Fresh pizza dough is now available at some supermarkets; look for it in the refrigerated deli case or use thin Boboli crusts. Piave is similar to, but a bit creamier than, Parmigiano-Reggiano. Look for it at Italian markets and specialty cheese stores.

Broccolini is a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese kale. You'll need to cook and cool the rice before you begin.

Low-fat and low-cal, this dish tastes lively and bright.

This is a basic court-bouillon that can be used to poach any kind of shellfish and most firm meaty fish.

Rodolfo Lagua, a thirty-year California barbecue veteran of Filipino heritage, was the inspiration for this recipe. Lagua learned this way of preparing tri-tips from his friend Sammy Ariola, one of the area's first Filipino immigrants. "I have no money for you to inherit," said Ariola, as he lay on his deathbed, "but I'll give you the recipe for my marinade." Since then Lagua has won numerous barbecue contests with his Filipino-style tri-tips, raising thousands of dollars for Filipino community charities. He's now working on bottling the sauce commercially, once again as a fund-raiser. The interplay of salty, sweet, and sour is pure Filipino, and the lemon rind adds an intense blast of citrus flavor. I've adapted my approximation of Lagua's recipe to London broil; in the Tips [below] you'll find instructions for making tri-tips with this marinade. Lagua would serve the meat with boiled rice.

The cooking time of lentils varies — the fresher they are, the faster they will cook.

A kugel is traditionally baked in a single large pan, but using a muffin tin is a bit more elegant—and produces an abundance of tasty browned edges. Serve the kugels as a main brunch dish or an accompaniment to pot roast or baked chicken.

This rich soup is hearty enough to serve as a main course. Dried tangerine peel and star anise impart an exotic note, and pickled mustard greens provide contrast to the beefy broth.

The trick to stuffed soup buns is to fill them with a solid form of soup. The tender wrappers are filled with an aspic made from pork and chicken bones, which melts into a savory broth during steaming.

This update on a classic terrine is made with an aromatic broth and olive oil instead of cream. If you're short on time, don't bother with the leek lining—though it is pretty, the terrine works fine without it.