Chicory

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Roasting the garlic for the dressing sweetens it and softens its pungency. By the way, our interpretation of this salad did omit one traditional element—there is no raw egg in it, in keeping with modern health concerns.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The crab salad is mounded over the ends of endive spears so that they work as edible scoops for the salad. This is served as a starter at Le Chat Grippé in Paris, France.

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