Olive

One of the things I enjoyed most on my first visits to France were the cold rice and bean salads. They seemed so simple, and the only rice and beans I had eaten at home were hot and served in soups or casseroles, or under some creamed meat. Here is a typical French-style cold white bean salad.

The delicate flavor of spring lamb pairs perfectly with lightly earthy, spring Mediterranean vegetables. I added flageolet beans to round off the salad with a little nutty flavor. As it can be a challenge to find spring lamb, get on over to your best butcher for his help with sourcing.

Nearly everyone loves an egg salad sandwich, especially with a bowl of hot soup. This one is made more interesting with the addition of sun-dried tomatoes and olives. Plain white toast is traditional, but whole-wheat (wholemeal) or coarse country bread is a flavorful alternative.

Save some of the brine that the olives are packed in—adding a dash or two at the end of cooking is a quick and easy way to bump up flavor.

This apple's crisp flesh doesn't brown as quickly as other kinds, so it's ideal chopped in salads.

I'm pretty much a purist when it comes to martinis. I can't bring myself to imagine what's involved with Martini: The Game, a cards–and–dice game that makes each player a bartender working to whip up cocktail creations. My version of that game would be pretty boring: a bunch of gin cards, the occasional dry vermouth card, and a die that just says "olive" or "twist" on all sides. Not a fun game, but these ingredients do make a superior cocktail in my opinion! So I'm not big on martini variations, but this one minor twist on the classic martini simply adds a bit more herbal and savory character to the aromatics already present in the gin—a little more depth of character without going overboard. This cocktail will be best with a London dry–style gin. Some newer and small–batch gins—much as I love them—can have distinctive character that may or may not meld well with the rosemary. To ensure that the olives take on some of that savory rosemary flavor, they should soak for at least a day before mixing the martinis.

Fresh sardines are widely available in California, but can be more difficult to find in the rest of the country. If fresh sardines are not available in your area, you can make a terrific spread with canned sardines.

A colorful mix of orange and yellow tomatoes looks great with the seared steaks. The relish would also be terrific with fish or spooned atop crostini that have been spread with fresh goat cheese.

Olivada, an Italian olive spread, adds flavor and color to this side dish.

What makes this beautiful appetizer even more attractive? Both of the salsas and the toasted baguette slices can be prepared one day ahead.

What a fantastic barbecue side: It's juicy, crunchy, and bright enough to provide delicious relief even from your richest dishes, and substantial enough to stand in for starchy sides like potatoes. I add a ton of marjoram and dill, but chives and basil taste amazing, too.

Some Italian cooks would never combine cheese and seafood, but feel free to grate a little Pecorino Romano over the striped bass before serving. "In Puglia, fish and cheese go together," says Donatella.

Mixed-olive tapenade is available in the refrigerated deli section of many supermarkets. Use a version that is chopped, not smooth.

An extremely easy tapa to assemble that comes straight from El Corregidor, the most delightful bar and restaurant in the region of La Mancha, where Manchego cheese is made and windmills from the times of the Errant Knight Don Quixote still stand.

It might seem like a joke to include a recipe designed to use up leftover white wine (from our Roast Turkey with Black Truffle Butter and White–Wine Gravy )—after all, why not just drink it?—but if you take the time to make this marvelous one–dish lamb dinner, you might find yourself hoarding half–empty bottles so you can make it again and again. Lamb shoulder chops are an inexpensive cut that benefits from braising, and the wine really helps tenderize the connective tissues running through the flavorful meat. Snuggling the lamb between sheets of thinly sliced potatoes, plus scatterings of golden garlic, onions, and thyme sprigs, creates a handsome and wonderfully aromatic dish.