Rice & Grains

This recipe can be made in 45 minutes or less.

This simple and hearty meatless main course has intriguing Indian accents.

You'll need a big glass bowl or a trifle dish to show off the salad to its best advantage. An accompaniment to Chicken Chili Verde .

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.

Barley gives this a wonderful chewy texture.

Pureed squash adds wonderful color.

This recipe yields enough to have leftovers the next day. Serve with glasses of beer or Zinfandel for a warming autumn supper.

St. John's Jug Muffins "I was given the recipe for these muffins years ago, and I make a batch of the batter every winter," writes Judith Cadigan of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania."When the urge for a muffin strikes, you can bake just one instead of a whole batch, and put the remaining batter back in the refrigerator." Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Adding lemon peel shortly before the rice has finished cooking gives it a bright flavor.

This vegetarian version of the Spanish classic is perfect for spring. You will need a 12-inch-diameter skillet with 3-inch-high sides.

These Asian-inspired lamb shanks are wrapped and baked in individual foil packets, then placed atop bowls of steamed rice. Serve with stir-fried bok choy or other Chinese greens. What to drink: Asian lager beer or a fruity red Zinfandel.

The ribs can be braised one day ahead and topped with the breadcrumb mixture shortly before serving. What to drink: Robust Pinot Noirs with firm acid (to cut the richness of this dish), such as French Burgundies from Volnay, and Oregon or California Pinots.

Bourdain embellishes this risotto with black truffle shavings, but we thought it was delicious even without them. We opted for a cost-effective alternative — drizzling the risotto with truffle oil just before serving.