Artichoke

Make these sandwiches when you don't want to turn on the stove.

Lamb shoulder is meltingly tender here, and a natural partner for earthy-sweet artichokes.

(Lamb with Saffron, Sardinian Style) Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Giuliano Bugialli's book Foods of Sicily & Sardinia. We've also added some helpful tips of our own, which appear at the bottom of the page.

If you spend evenings camped out on your sofa staring at the boob tube, take note: People who spend four hours or more in front of the TV are twice as likely to be overweight as those who watch less than an hour a day, a new study from Australia reports. Study participants' body-mass index (which measures how much of your weight is fat) increased for every hour of TV time. If you watch two hours a day, you're 57 percent more likely to be overweight than those who keep tube time to an hour or less; if you watch three or more hours, you're 91 percent more likely to be overweight. What's worse, past studies show that this pastime triggers the munchies for high-fat snacks, though researchers aren't sure why. If you must gaze at the box, channel your snack urges toward something healthful, like this creamy, low-fat dip.

Pasta's reputation — restored! With the bad press that pasta's been getting in these carb-phobic times, you may have given it up entirely. The truth is, pasta is only a problem when the noodles make the meal. The trick is rounding it out with healthy add-ins. Here, Whole Foods Markets' executive chef Steven Petsevsky has tossed in a day's supply of vegetables; they supply lots of vitamin C and good-for-you phytochemicals — plus fiber. Shrimp adds a kick of protein, and a handful of fresh herbs makes all the flavors sparkle. Self's testers' verdict: yum.

Although it may take a bit of effort to procure the proper pan and ingredients to make this dish, it's definitely worth the trouble. Brick-red Spanish paprika, green artichokes, and golden saffron contribute beautiful color, while browned rabbit infuses the rice with a meaty richness.

Unlike their larger siblings, baby artichokes have no thistly choke and are completely edible. Despite the name, they're fully mature.

The pesto works well as a sauce for pasta, chicken, or fish, too.

Serve this hearty side dish with a pork or lamb roast.

A quick dip in egg and matzo meal creates a light, crisp crust for this boastworthy fried chicken. The perfect foil? A refreshing salad of mesclun greens, baby artichokes, and asparagus enlivened with a smooth, dill-flecked vinaigrette.

This dip is also delicious with thin baguette slices, toast, crackers, or tortilla chips.

Avgolemono, the tangy Greek sauce of egg yolks and lemon, combines with pasta and veggies for a twist on carbonara.

Fried artichokes have long been associated with the Jewish Ghetto in Rome. Briefly blanching the artichokes makes it easier to bend the leaves outward into the shape of a flower.

This elegant roast chicken is easy to make.

Food editor Maggie Ruggiero learned this method of cooking artichokes from a close friend of hers, Betty Alfenito, "prop stylist and cook extraordinaire." We love the wonderful pan sauce it yields, as well as the way it infuses the artichokes with a subtle hint of garlic.

Raymond Williams of Minneapolis, Minnesota, writes: "Every November, my wife and I drive to our winter home in Scottsdale, Arizona. We always look forward to warming up in the desert sun and eating at our favorite restaurant in town, Zinc Bistro. Last winter we had an outstanding artichoke and celery root salad there."

Nowhere are vegetables as important as they are in Sicily, and few vegetables are as popular-or have as long a history-as the eggplant. There are said to be hundreds of ways to prepare it. Peppers and artichokes are almost as well loved and common. A country cook often gets produce from a small kitchen garden called an "urtu".