Chicory

This creamy dressing is also terrific over chilled steamed vegetables.

The radicchio is seasoned in the style of a Sicilian agrodolce ("acid-sweet") dish, which typically combines a vegetable with raisins, pine nuts, vinegar, and a sweetener.

With bacon and lots of fresh herbs, this salad has a delicious balance of flavors. A warm baguette and a good Cabernet round out the menu.

Minestra You just know the Soprano family is eating the kind of Italian food that's getting harder and harder to find in our increasingly upscale Italian restaurants. This dish has that real-thing feeling; surely this is someone's grandmother's famous soup recipe. The soup is delicate but filling at the same time, with its pasta and baby meatballs. Unless you have Soprano-size appetites, this is a main-dish soup. We've cut the recipe in half so it will fit in your soup pot.

In a traditional Seder meal, bitter herbs — sometimes including parsley — represent the bitter experience of slavery. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

(Amanida amb Epàrrec i Pernil) A Catalan composed salad, or amanida, may be made of almost anything, though ham, sausage, or anchovies are often included. Traditionally, the ingredients are added to the final presentation individually rather than mixed together. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

Serve with: A green salad and crusty bread.

If you've never tried roasted cauliflower before, this dish will be a revelation.

It's best to divide this salad between two bowls; put one on the buffet table, and keep the other refrigerated until you need it later in the party. Make the pickled onions at least one day ahead.

The contrast of textures and flavors—crunchy pine nuts, creamy goat cheese, acidic tomatoes, and spicy arugula—adds complexity to this simple salad. It makes a great side dish to steak or chicken or a light lunch for two.