Bean and Legume

One could cook this on the stove and reduce the time by 10 minutes, but oven baking gives the chicken time to thoroughly absorb the flavors of the pepper and garlic. See how to joint a chicken.

After the vegetables have been sautéed in a small amount of butter, some chicken broth and a bit of cornstarch are combined and added to the skillet. The mixture thickens as it cooks, forming a rich-tasting glaze that is extremely low in fat.

Serve this over the Baked White Polenta with Two Cheeses, and season with any — or all — of the suggested toppings (chocolate adds mole flavor).

If you can't find fresh chervil, use fresh parsley instead.

Add a glass of rosé and some crusty Italian bread to make a perfect summer lunch.

Vellarikkai Thakkali Vengaya Pachadi Pachadi is the southern version of North Indian raita. You can substitute plain low-fat yogurt for the whole-milk yogurt here, but drain it in a sieve overnight first.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 40 min

Gin Thoke This salad is pungent, crunchy, intriguing, and addictive. Although served as a dessert in Myanmar, it is also a great accompaniment to grilled fish, chicken, or steak.

A simplified take on the traditional French veal stew. Serve with rice.

(Fagioli all'Olio e Salvia) This is just one of several regional specialties that feature white beans. In fact, beans are such an important historic ingredient in Tuscan cooking that people of the region are called mangiafagioli (bean eaters). Traditionally, the beans in this side dish were cooked in a wine bottle; in modern versions, they are simply baked in the oven or simmered on the stove, as they are in this recipe.

Marisol likes to serve the Candied Butternut Squash atop the couscous.

Gaeng Pah Muu Most curries from southern Thailand use coconut milk. This one, from the mountainous north, doesn't, because the climate is too temperate for coconut palms to survive. Don't be intimidated by the start-to-finish time; the curry paste and chicken stock can be made days ahead. Once you have those components at hand, the recipe only takes about 1 hour to put together. If you prefer your food less spicy, use the smaller amounts of curry paste and vegetable oil. Active time: 3 1/4 hr Start to finish: 7 1/4 hr (includes making curry paste and stock)

A little grated Parmesan sprinkled on top is a nice addition.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Ginger Salad .