Potato

Strong beef broth and garlic, not sugar, make a true Ukrainian borscht delicious. Fresh root vegetables and roasted beets provide plenty of sweetness which is balanced by an acid edge of lemon.

Use fresh button mushrooms if wild mushrooms are hard to get; you will still have delicious results. Yukon Gold potatoes have a pale yellow color and a buttery taste that adds to the richness of this dish.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Parmesan cheese and tarragon add to the distinctive flavor of this comforting main course. Accompany the hash with biscuits, and conclude the evening with fresh fruit and a platter of brownies.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe was created for my ten-year-old friend and cooking student, Evan Chender, who used it for his Thanksgiving feast one year. Fresh ginger really spices up the sweet, meltingly tender yams.

Potatoes are a must on any bistro menu. Here, they are grated and layered with cheese to form a large pancake-like galette.

Fish Salad Cooked in Lime Juice Editor's Note: This recipe and introductory text are excerpted from The Exotic Kitchens of Peru, by Copeland Marks. We've also added some tips of our own below. For a complete guide to Peruvian cuisine, click here. The English title of this recipe is not an altogether accurate description of ceviche since it is the lime (or lemon juice) that "cooks" the fish. Peruvians are justifiably proud of their internationally famous method of serving fish tidbits. A mixed assortment can include squid, octopus, scallops, clams, langostas, as well as pata de mula, a shellfish similar to scallops. Then there are the black scallops of Peru, a rarity. All can be used in a classic ceviche, insuring a variety of textures and flavors.

(GNOCCHI DI SPINACI ALLA BAVA) Spinach adds great color and flavor to these light dumplings. The topping consists of melted butter and Fontina cheese, a product made in the neighboring region of Valle d'Aosta but used for many local dishes.

Porrusalda, or leek soup in Basque, is a very traditional dish. It includes pumpkins, an interesting component in a soup composed of both Old World (carrots, leeks) and New World (potatoes, pumpkin) ingredients.

If you can't find sorghum syrup, a combination of honey and molasses works nicely.

(Tortelli di Patate alle Salsicce con ragù) The recipe makes more pasta dough than you'll need for the tortelli. Roll out the extra, and cut it into 1/2-inch-wide ribbons for pappardelle, 1/4-inch-wide ribbons for fettuccine, or any length and width you prefer. The pasta can then be used fresh, or it can be dried for use at a later time (leave the pasta on floured kitchen towels at room temperature until it is dry). Or use all of the dough for any recipe that calls for one pound of fresh pasta.