Artichoke

Mint and capers grow everywhere on Sicily, and anchovies are always available. Here they enhance another island crop: artichokes.

This relish is best at room temperature. Note that the nutritional numbers following the recipe are for the relish only.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 45 min (includes cooling onion)

Chervil's delicate anise flavor enhances the season's baby vegetables. If you don't have chervil, substitute fresh dill.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Migas is the name of a popular Spanish starter of breadcrumbs fried with ham; it's typically served with fried eggs. Here, migas becomes a crouton topping for the salad.

Surround the dip with carrots sticks, cauliflower, fennel, yellow squash and zucchini slices for a colorful presentation. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

(POULET AUX ARTICHAUTS)

Hummus, a dip/spread traditional in many Middle Eastern countries, is usually made with chick-peas (garbanzo beans), but we use white beans for a change of pace. It is delicious with steamed potatoes and artichokes as well as blanched broccoli, cauliflower and green beans.

Use the extra dressing with boiled potatoes or green beans to make an instant salad later in the week.

Baby artichokes are much easier to prepare than the large ones, as they can be eaten choke and all. For ease of serving, these vegetables may be tossed with the roasted potatoes (see Green Olive, Lemon and Garlic-Roasted Leg of Lamb with Potatoes and Pan Gravy ) for a delicious all-in-one side dish.

"I dined on the most sumptuous grilled radicchio salad at The Dish Bistro and Wine Bar the last time I was in Tucson," writes Cindy Shafer of Huntington Beach, California. "Please get the recipe — I must have it." Yellow and green beans, and artichoke hearts are grilled along with the radicchio in this recipe. Serve the salad while the vegetables are still warm.

"For me, cooking is a very relaxing and creative process — I just wish I had more time for it," writes Katherine Burk of Seattle, Washington. "I make a point of fixing dinner during the week, but with my hectic schedule (I work in information technology), there are some nights I'm too wiped out to attempt anything more complicated than a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Usually, though, I can put something together in under thirty minutes." A fast, colorful, and delicious pasta dish loaded with goodies.

Holly Gustafson of Shaker Heights, Ohio, writes: "Noggins Restaurant, Raw Bar & Pub is a great restaurant in my neighborhood that serves the most wonderful artichoke-blue cheese bisque. I've searched many cooking Web sites for something similar, but I can't find anything close to it. Can you help me get the real recipe?" The blue cheese adds a pungent note to this silky, warming soup.

Typical Provençal ingredients give this satisfying pasta salad a French accent. Refrigerate this at least two hours before serving.

Noël McAlpine of Dallas, Texas, writes: "When I was in Florence for a business conference, I had the pleasure of dining at Trattoria Garga. I really enjoyed the scaloppine al carciofi (veal cutlets with artichokes) and would like to add the recipe to my collection."