Ham

A good cut of meat for this recipe is the butt portion of a bone-in, water-added ham. For optimum flavor, I like to prebake the ham, then simply slice away what I need from the bone.

This versatile salad can also be made with leftover beef, lamb or chicken.

This recipe is an adaptation of a rolled omelet from Gostilna Devetak, a trattoria in Friuli, Italy, which we featured in our October 1997 issue.

Gratins feature a crust of melted cheese and sometimes breadcrumbs. Serve with good bread and a salad for lunch or a light dinner.

Packed with chicken and vegetables, this savory cobbler is a down-home main course. Uncork a chilled Sauvignon Blanc.

Nasi goreng, which is Indonesian for fried rice, is a staple in Indonesia. It's delicious on its own for lunch or as a side dish for an Asian-style dinner.

Serve this newfangled main-course salad with a crisp flatbread, such as lavash, and white wine or rosé spritzers.

(BEEF AND SAUSAGE ROLL WITH PROSCIUTTO, PROVOLONE, SPINACH AND EGGS) At one time very little meat was eaten in this region. When it was, humbler cuts were transformed by long cooking into delicious stews or combined with other ingredients to make meatballs or a meat roll such as this one. It is good hot, at room temperature or even cold. Leftovers are great in sandwiches. Serve with the Mixed Salad and some bread.

The components of this recipe-purchased ham or turkey, the relish and dinner rolls- can be combined by your guests to make little sandwiches.

Dijon mustard, brown sugar, marjoram, garlic and orange juice make a flavorful coating for this simple-to-prepare ham. The pan juices become a delicious sauce. Pour a Merlot with the meal.

Grits (made from dried hulled hominy) are at the heart of many a southern breakfast. Texture is the hallmark of good grits — they should be slightly loose but not too runny on the plate. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Chef Jody Adams of Rialto at The Charles Hotel in Cambridge is famous for this type of rustic dish. At the restaurant she serves the stew on mashed potatoes.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 50 min Pasta wasn't always the carbohydrate vehicle of choice — in the '40s, lots of saucy things were spooned onto toast. These mushrooms appeared in one of our stories about Katish — the Russian cook immortalized by Gourmet's Wanda E. Ivanoff — who liked their versatility as a side dish or main course, and who often made a big batch to keep on hand for impromptu snacks.