European

This traditional Irish potato dish can be assembled up to 2 hours ahead and then browned just before serving.

Make sure to use at least a 5-quart saucepan so the oil won’t bubble over.

We served the polenta with Braised Lamb Shanks with Tomato and Fennel (page 260), but it is equally delicious with chicken, veal, or pork, or as part of a vegetarian meal with a salad.

Serve this soufflé immediately in the dish, or let cool and unmold for a denser version.

For the best flavor, use freshly made bread crumbs for this dish because they have a much fluffier texture. Place as many slices of white bread as will comfortably fit in the bowl of your food processor, and pulse the bread until crumbly. Any leftover bread crumbs can be placed in a resealable plastic bag and frozen for future use.

Ratatouille is very versatile. It works equally well as a main course or side dish, and can be served hot, cold, or at room temperature. You can refrigerate it, covered, up to 3 days.

These tomatoes hold up well for up to 2 days when stored in the refrigerator; serve as a sandwich filling or pasta topping.

Clarifying the butter is an easy and helpful way to achieve perfect hollandaise sauce.

Flageolet, pale green kidney beans, are prevalent in French cooking. Their delicate flavor is well suited for simple preparations and is particularly good with lamb.

Look for precooked polenta logs in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. If using fresh plum tomatoes, peel them by scoring an X in the bottom with a paring knife and plunging them into boiling water for several seconds; transfer to an ice-water bath, and let cool. Slip off and discard the peels and seeds.

You can substitute 1 pound large shrimp with shells for the prawns.

Liana DiMeglio of Liana’s Trattoria in Fairfield, Connecticut, brought this recipe from Naples, Italy, years ago.

Moussaka may be assembled 1 day in advance and refrigerated; bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until the center is hot.