Garlic

Once the polenta is made (which, for convenience, can be done a day or two ahead of time) this dish is a snap to put together. Simply sauté the polenta pieces, grill the flank steak, place them on the plate, and spoon on the luscious roasted shallot vinaigrette and you have a quick and very satisfying plate of food. A mound of sautéed mushrooms, or for something lighter, asparagus or haricots verts, is a perfect accompaniment. Crispy potatoes are a splendid substitute for the polenta.

Celery root gives the potatoes an intriguing new taste; mascarpone cheese provides the ultimate in creaminess.

The White Horse tavern accompanies this with lightly sautéed swiss chard.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The star of this dish is skordalia, a garlicky dip that is the Greek version of aioli.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. A mild-tasting soup that's smooth and rich.

This recipe is from Cafe Annie in Houston, TX.

This recipe originally accompanied Buffalo Steak and Onion Confit on Garlic Toasts .

The size and thickness of lamb chops can vary greatly, so you may have to adjust your cooking time (see cooks' note, below).

For this recipe, Lisa uses broccoli rabe, a type of bitter Italian green. But the everyday supermarket broccoli works fine, too.

Pecorino cheese brings more bold flavor to this side dish, which is an excellent complement to Broiled Veal Chops with Mixed Peppercorns.