Onion

This can also be prepared with duck breasts, which is how it is often made in Tuscany. Either way, the dish is good with rosemary-flavored mashed potatoes and sautéed artichoke hearts.

With the pizza, serve a green salad tossed with white-wine vinaigrette and pine nuts. Finish with lemon ice cream topped with pureed raspberries.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Diane Kochilas's book Meze: Small Plates to Savor and Share from the Mediterranean Table. Kochilas also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. To read more about Kochilas and Greek cuisine, click here. Onions, cheese, and yogurt pies abound in the north of Greece, especially in shepherds' communities where dairy products are daily staples. This recipe is culled from that tradition, but instead of preparing a whole sheet pan with homemade phyllo, I have reworked it to make it accessible and more in tune with the meze style of eating.

Cornmeal gives these blini a slightly crunchy texture that is perfect with the salsa.

For this robust and easy entrée, chicken is baked with a barbecue-style glaze. Removing the skin cuts back on fat.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Tamarind seasoning paste Smoky, earthy, and with a sweet-and-sour tang, this recado is also delicious on pork, beef, and venison.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Also good made with melon or oranges.

You can add some diced red bell pepper to give this full-flavored dish a splash of color.