Roast

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

The mustard flavor in the arugula accentuates the mustard on the chicken. Serve the chicken with the orange, radish, and olive salad .

Serve a dry Riesling to complement the subtle ginger flavor of the roasted chicken.

With just two ingredients, this has to be one of the simplest-not to mention tastiest-recipes ever devised.

A persillade is a mixture of chopped parsley - persil in French - and garlic that is added to dishes as a flavoring or garnish.

The lively dressing lends a little zip to this fresh-tasting, colorful salad.

To pit the olives easily, just press them with the flat side of a knife until the meat separates from the center.

Think of these as a cross between potato chips and roasted potatoes. They'd be a perfect side dish for a variety of main courses (especially those with sauces— they're made for dipping) or, better still, as a crisp alternative for boiled potatoes in a salade niçoise.

Apple wedges are an imaginative addition to the gravy. Serve this turkey with a buttery Chardonnay.

Makedonitiki Melitzanosalata Editor's note: The recipe below is excerpted from Diane Kochilas's book The Greek Vegetarian. Kochilas also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. To read more about Kochilas and Greek cuisine, click here.

At the restaurant the chef garnishes this dish with fresh seasonal flowers, chervil, and chives.

Have your butcher order the veal breast, then ask him to bone, butterfly, and pound it, forming a rectangle that has the dimensions described in the recipe.

Good home-cured hams could be found in every colony, but those of Smithfield, Virginia, were considered among the finest, and their reputation remains stellar today. According to a 1926 law, genuine Smithfield hams must be cured, smoked and aged for a year within the Smithfield city limits. Madeira was a popular Colonial beverage — George Washington's favorite — although for a time it was boycotted because of British taxation.

Gremolata, a mixture of minced lemon peel, garlic and parsley, is the classic topping for osso buco. This version also features rosemary. The chicken (opposite) is roasted under a baking sheet with a skillet on top; the weight ensures that the chicken will be cooked evenly. Sauted broccoli rabe is a nice go-with, as is a Pinot Noir, a Pinot Blanc or a Chianti. Cheese, figs and bread make a European-style finale.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.