Keto

Massimo's Aunt Enza has played an important role in my life as a born-again Tuscan. We often dine at her home on Sunday, for a traditional family lunch, prefaced by Enza's statement that she hasn't prepared anything. This means that there's nothing new on the table and that we're in for our usual treat of a Florentine meal. The main course will probably be what Enza calls magro, literally lean or fatless, a choice cut of beef used for roast beef, sliced thin, lightly sauced with meat juices, topped with whole brown cloves of garlic. Since Italian home cooks in the city rarely had ovens, meat is often roasted on the top of the stove. It's faster than oven-roasting, perfect for those who love rare roast beef. Turning the meat is the hardest part.

Pass these around to accompany cocktails before everyone sits down for dinner.

Dr. James Henry Salisbury might have been the first of the protein-diet doctors, proclaiming in 1888 that humankind's maladies were caused by too much starchy food. His solution? Chopped lean meat, or hamburger steak. To hide the "liver-y" taste of hamburger, he recommended adding horseradish, mustard or Worcestershire sauce. By the 1900s, Salisbury steak was a staple menu item, often served with mushroom gravy or smothered in onions. This version, inspired by today’s southwestern cooking, has terrific flavor.

This recipe differs slightly from classic mojo in that it uses red onion instead of garlic. It's best to make this mojo a bit ahead of time so that the color of the red onion "bleeds" into the sour orange. The traditional accompaniment is grilled pork, but it's also wonderful with well-roasted chicken — charring its skin brings out the full flavors of the mojo.

Brining these pork chops keeps them plump and juicy, but if lemon verbena for the brine isn't readily available, you can leave it out. Its subtle flavor probably won't be missed, especially if you serve the chops with the distinctly lemony hoppin' John risotto.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 hr

When you're ready to slice these eggs, be sure to wipe your knife clean between every cut or you'll get the pink pickling liquid smeared on the yolk.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

In this dish, the richness of the venison is balanced by the sweet-tart fruit compote.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but may required additional sitting time. Be sure to lightly oil the grill rack again so that it doesn’t stick.

(BRACIOLE DI VITELLO AL ROSMARINO) Romagna is famous for its grilled foods, and the aroma of meats sizzling over a wood fire is common in the countryside. Try this with a local dry red wine such as Sangiovese di Romagna or Gutturnio.

(Mussels with Garlic Butter) "I can't stand snails of any kind, not land snails, not sea snails. But I'm crazy for the butter that accompanies them." Thus pronounced a shopper who was buying a large sack of shiny black mussels at Marée Daguerre, the fish stand in the shopping street in the rue Daguerre. This recipes is for mussels broiled in the butter that usually accompanies snails. You can cook the mussels in the oven, covered, or under the broiler. Under the broiler, the mussels open quicker and the butter sizzles faster, cooking the garlic. Baked, covered, in the oven, though, they keep more of the mussel liquor. Either way, it's a divine way to prepare mussels.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This savory, French-inspired dish is also delicious made with mussels instead of, or in addition to, the clams. Either way, it's good with crusty bread to soak up the broth, and a glass of spicy white wine.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

You might have to grill these in batches.