Bean and Legume

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Here is an almost effortless soup. Everything goes into the pot at once, and the finished dish is just the thing on a cold winter day.

The people of Tuscany are known in Italy as mangiafagioli, or bean eaters, and when I was in Florence as an art history student and then in Lucca as a teacher I learned the reason why. All the trattorie served fagioli all'uccelletto for only a few lire. I was fortunate to find an Italian friend in Arkansas who had a recipe.

Because the lamb in this recipe is marinated in a barbecue-style sauce and then grilled, the hotel nicknamed the dish "paniolo", which means "cowboy" in hawaiian.

A quick vegetarian main-course salad.

This is a fine dish for a cold day, and one that cries for ice-cold akvavit and beer. So popular is this soup with all the Nordics that it is said that the King of Sweden eats it every Thursday.

An appetizer that is simple to make, delicious and very appealing.

A fine version of a hearty classic.

Umeboshi, or pickled plums, are not technically plums at all, but apricots. They are mixed with rice to make a popular summer dish in Japan. We've enlivened this salad with pickled ginger and sugar snap peas.

A colorful and delicious side dish reminiscent of succotash.

This is lovely paired with Champagne.

Tabbouleh is made with bulgur, but we decided to shake things up a bit by mixing tabbouleh flavors (parsley, tomato, and lemon) with rice and lentils, a common Middle Eastern pairing. Served chilled or at room temperature, the salad is terrific with any meat, poultry, or fish. You could add chickpeas, corn, or more lentils for a vegetarian main course. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 40 min

Cool and refreshing yogurt enhanced with fresh mint, cilantro and basil tops this hearty curry-flavored soup.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 30 min Peas, noodles, beef—everything you need for dinner in one dish.