Starter

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This colorful blend of bell peppers is as delicious at room temperature as it is hot, so it could be several hours ahead.

Gnocchi aux Blettes According to some sources, gnocchi are a Niçois invention, and the use of Swiss chard in the dough is a traditional addition. In fact, Swiss chard is ubiquitous in Provençal cooking. This recipe is from L'Escalinada, where the gnocchi are served with a fresh tomato-herb sauce. Make your own sauce, or look for a good-quality one at the market.

If you have cooked lamb, beef, or turkey on hand, use it instead of the chicken.

At many places in Italy, roasted peppers are dressed with bagna cauda, the classic warm anchovy and garlic sauce, but our cooks especially enjoyed it at La Contea, a restaurant in Neive, a village in the Piedmont. In this variation, potato slices have been added.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Borekas -savory pastries made of phyllo dough- are part of the culinary heritage of Israeli Jews of Turkish and Bulgarian backgrounds. Falafel is the most popular street food in Israel, but borekas run a close second. This sophisticated version of the dish makes a delicious appetizer.

To make these tarts two 13 1/2 x 4 x 1-inch tart pans with removable rims are ideal; however, you could also use one 11 x 1-inch round tart pan with a removable rim.

This simplified version of a classic party dish will add some welcome heat to a winter night.

The freshest greens and a blend of sweet and savory ingredients are the secrets to the appealing first course for this Italian dinner.

Leaping off the backs of onion-soup-mix boxes and showing up at cocktail parties everywhere, Lipton’s sour cream-and-onion dip took the country by storm. Convenient and quick, the dip also tasted great on potato chips, without which, in the fifties anyway, it wasn’t a party. These days it isn’t a party without little toasts topped by something Mediterranean-hence this zesty update.

This is a very quick recipe to make; just remember to start marinating the salmon the day ahead. You can easily half or double the amounts.

Although this recipe calls for hearts of romaine, either radicchio or iceberg lettuce would make a nice substitute.

Bibb and Boston are both types of butter lettuce; you can use either in this recipe. What to drink: An Australian Sémillon, or a California Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc will stand up to the rich flavors in this meal.

Fragrant lemongrass, chilies and a sweet and tangy sauce flavor this classic Thai appetizer.