Onion

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less, but requires additional unattended time.

Despite its name, this dish is not rice at all but noodles—and not even rice noodles but shimmering, transparent bean threads with lots of chicken flavor. Got that straight?

There will be a large amount of rendered goose fat left over from this gumbo. The French often use the fat to coat potatoes for roasting. Rendered goose fat keeps, covered and chilled, 3 months. Two 8-pound ducks can be substituted for goose if desired.

For a prettier salad, we used two varieties of radicchio — the common Verona, with red leaves and white ribs, and Treviso, which can range from pink to red and has narrower, pointed leaves.

This salad-in-a-sandwich can also be made with individual sourdough rolls. There can be many variations on this theme, so use your imagination. You might replace the tuna with grilled leftover chicken or tuck in a bit of salami, mortadella or roast beef. The sandwich is best if made at least two hours before serving.

This knife-and-fork sandwich is terrific with potato chips, pickles and marinated vegetables from a market salad bar or the deli. Brownies à la mode are a delicious finish.

Silky and sweet, these onions add a sophisticated touch to adults' burgers (adventurous younger eaters will enjoy them, too).

"This favorite was inspired by my wife's penchant for sweet onions and mine for bitter greens," says Joe Archibald of Kensington, Connecticut. "The creaminess of the chèvre is set off nicely by the tartness of the vinegar." Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

This recipe is used to prepare Cod Cannelloni with Swiss Chard and Roasted Peppers . Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A mildly sweet and pungent dish. No soy sauce is used in the sauce, so it is lighter in color than other sweet and pungent dishes.

Adapted from a recipe by chef Phillippe Padovani of the Manele Bay Hotel on Lanai. Serve it as a topping for grilled skinless, boneless chicken breasts.

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.