Garlic

Whether used as a marinade or as a sauce, a versatile chimichurri complements most any grilled fish, chicken, or meat.

This really simple, really beautiful stir-fry of earthy, bright green watercress is a "tumble of yum," in the words of food editor Maggie Ruggiero, who tested Reusing’s recipes.

Garlic Herb Bread When buttering the bread, gently spread the slices without pulling them apart.

This versatile condiment is also great with bread or crudités.

This tahini-based sauce serves as the foundation for mezes like hummus and baba ghanouj throughout much of the Mediterranean, but it's also a wonderful sauce in its own right, showing its versatility by adding a nutty, lemony hit to the kùfte or to vegetables or fish.

Fresh ricotta cheese (available at some supermarkets and at Italian markets) and good-quality olive oil are the keys to this great salty-sweet dish.

Bruschetta becomes a main course when it's topped with roasted fish.

You'll be amazed that anything this simple could taste so good, not to mention that all this garlic—yes, two heads, not two cloves—can produce such a seasoned, mellow taste.

A favorite Barese recipe (often named for San Nicola, the guardian saint of sailors), these little packets seal in the fish and vegetable juices, with the potato slices insulating the fish from the heat of the oven and the olives and lemon slices emphasizing its bright flavors.

If you like stuffed clams, you'll love this variation. The mussels are steamed open, then topped with garlicky herbed bread crumbs that truly complement the plump bites of briny flavor beneath.

A great side, but also a nice vegetarian dinner when made with vegetable broth and served over rice.

Fish sauce and dried shrimp flavor the sweet, spicy, and bright chile jam used to glaze this side dish with deeply savory notes.

Cumin gives greens and tomatoes an exotic, almost Indian touch.

Roasting the meat for almost seven hours makes it tender and succulent. The bright, fresh salsa verde is the perfect accent for the rich meat.

Martha mastered this classic dish during the couple's time in Italy. It's still one of her favorite recipes.

The duck needs to marinate overnight, so be sure to begin at least one day ahead.