Artichoke

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Baked Chicken Breasts with Mushrooms and Artichokes in Sherry Sauce

Crisp, freshly cooked shrimp are wrapped in prosciutto slices, then set atop a salad of roasted peppers, garbanzo beans and artichokes tossed with a tangy dressing.

Here's a robust main course for those April days that seem to belong to winter.

Artichokes and truffle cream make these poached eggs an elegant brunch dish. If you use porcini (cèpes in French), leave the stems attached but trim the side and bottom of each stem well.

When draining the artichokes, turn them upside down to allow more water to escape from the leaves. What to drink: A crisp, dry Sauvignon Blanc is a good choice with this starter and the rest of the menu.

Vignarola You'll find this dish in trattorias all over Rome during the spring. The long, slow cooking causes the vegetables to lose their bright color, but the sweet flavor of the stew makes up for its rather bland appearance. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

Toni and Lee Marteney of Kula, Maui, Hawaii, write: "Even though we live on Maui, where there are many fantastic restaurants, my husband and I always look forward to our trips to the mainland so we can eat at our favorite Southern California restaurant, Walt's Wharf in Seal Beach. All the food is superb and beautifully presented, but we always look forward to sharing the delicious grilled artichoke appetizer." The artichokes can be steamed in advance and thrown on the grill just before serving, which makes them perfect for entertaining.

The olive oil-and-cheese dressing is a nice alternative to drawn butter.