Olive

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Serve with: Roast leg of lamb. Combine with: Crusty bread spread with goat cheese. Use as: A seasoning for roast chicken (spread tapenade under the skin before cooking).

Broccoli is called sparaceddi in Sicilian. In this side dish, it is "drowned" in a heady mixture of olive oil, onions, anchovies, olives, red wine and cheese. While there are variations of the basic preparation throughout Italy, food historians generally think it to be of Sicilian origin.

This tangy, fresh yogurt "cheese" -known as labaneh- vies for attention with hummus and tahini on the standard Israeli platter of mezze, or appetizers. Here it's seasoned with sesame seeds and spices, and drizzled with olive oil. Plan to start this the day before serving.

Although bay leaves in this recipe smell delicious and look enticing, they should not be eaten because of their sharp edges.

The following recipe was inspired by pissaladière, the Niçoise tart that features a similar topping.

Chef Lionel Lévy uses black olives in this unusual clafoutis but still serves it as a dessert, along with a mâche salad drizzled with lemon-honey vinaigrette. We like that combination in place of an after-dinner cheese course, but we also think it makes an excellent (and surprising) first course.

Serve this with crusty bread to soak up the delicious olive oil.

Serve with: Orzo tossed with fresh oregano and green onions, and buttered carrots.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.