Shiitake Mushroom

Cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, and lots of fresh mint accent the salad. Offer chilled beer or a fruity white wine alongside.

Rick Rodgers, cookbook author and teacher, says, "When planning my holiday menu, I'm always sure to include a green vegetable for its bright color and clean flavor, and this year that vegetable is going to be broccoli. But it's not enough to serve it plain or too simply, because that's not what a big-time food fest like Thanksgiving is all about. So I decided to add a luxury ingredient—porcini mushrooms. Now that makes an ordinary vegetable extraordinary."

Le Cirque's elegant take on roast chicken.

An easy and innovative first-course salad.

Making risotto is often thought to be an ordeal of stirring, but it really only takes about 20 minutes. In actuality, it's an easy dish, especially when it's the main course.

These bruschette from the cookbook Simple to Spectacular by Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Mark Bittman (Broadway Books), look both simple and beautiful. Each is topped with an array of mushrooms—shiitake, cremini, and chanterelle —that is set off by fresh tarragon. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min

In addition to the shiitake mushrooms called for here, look for morels, porcini or even button mushrooms, all of which are available during late spring early summer months.

For this rustic French meal, start with mixed greens dressed with lemon vinaigrette; serve new potatoes tossed in butter and parsley with the beef; and end with plum tarts topped with whipped cream. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The follow recipe is an adoption of "chicken long rice," a frequent accompaniment to roast pig at a luau. Although Chinese in origin, this dish has been enthusiastically adopted by all Hawaiians. "Long rice" refers to bean-thread noodles that are cut into short lengths. We eliminated the chicken traditionally included in this recipe to make it a lighter side dish for our Grilled Teriyaki Pork Chops with Pineapple Papaya Relish . Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Chef Stratta prepares this satisfying sandwich for The Terrace Dining Room, Phoenix, Arizona.

I cook millet about once a week — it fits into my macrobiotic diet and tastes great. I often make this recipe for friends as it pleases just about everyone. Millet is a small round golden grain that has a high vitamin and mineral content. Although millet is unfamiliar to most people in this country, it is a staple throughout Africa, India, and Asia.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Porcini and shiitake mushrooms are the delicious difference in this fondue. Other varieties would work well, too.

Just add steamed rice for a complete family-style Chinese dinner.

"Last summer my husband and I took a day trip to the coast of New Hampshire," writes Perrin Enriquez of Cambridge, Massachusetts. "We found a fabulous place in Portsmouth called Lindbergh's Crossing, in a rustic building on the water. I'd love to get the recipes for the amazing fried rabbit and garlic mashed potatoes we had in the upstairs wine bar." For convenience, we substituted chicken for the rabbit used at the restaurant. The gravy can be made ahead of time, but the chicken should be fried just before serving.