Rosemary

This recipe was created to accompany Roasted Salmon with Salsa Verde .

Other herbs — such as tarragon, thyme or basil — would also work well in this recipe.

To most Americans, Ischia, off the coast of Naples, is relatively unknown. That's a shame, because for centuries this island's thermal springs have been luring savvy travelers for restorative dips; plus, the locals produce some of the best wine in the region. At La Pergola, a family-run inn located on a hill just outside of Forio, guests enjoy some of that homemade wine, along with artisanal jams and olive oil. La Pergola also serves one of the island's most popular dishes, rabbit cacciatore, or hunter's rabbit. Chicken may be substituted for rabbit in this hearty dish.

Pears and Gorgonzola are a classic combination in Italy; here they team up in a unique pasta recipe. To make this intriguing dish even heartier, toss in some diced ham or cooked chicken.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Cava, Spain's sparkling wine, is readily available at supermarkets and liquor stores.

Using sun-dried tomatoes that are not packed in oil cuts down on fat. You can find them at some supermarkets, specialty foods stores and Italian markets.

Here's a centerpiece dish that really lives up to the name. Uncork a Cabernet Sauvignon, red Bordeaux or red Super-Tuscan.

A braise is like a stew, but requires less liquid and has a longer cooking time. Allow about two and a half hours for the lamb to cook on top of the stove. Serve green beans and the polenta with it. Pour a Cabernet Sauvignon.

From the Inn at Perry Cabin, St. Michaels, Maryland Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

As the planner and coordinator of a cookbook for gourmet groups in Bakersfield, I test a lot of recipes," says Jackie Mote Carlile of Bakersfield, California. "This is one I developed and refined, and my friends and family agree that the final results are outstanding.' A quick and elegant entrée for the holidays.

Ideally, the sweet wine in the marinade should be Muscat, a famous Samos wine.

"At the restaurant Mimosa, the food, service, and ambiance transform a night in Los Angeles into an evening in Paris," says Michele Winkler of Sherman Oaks, California. "There, we had a delectable roast pork that was succulent on the inside, with a marvelous crust. We would love to prepare it at home." You can order the inexpensive "Boston" roast called for in this recipe from your butcher. In late-18th-century New England, some pork cuts were packed into casks or barrels, known as "butts," for storage and shipment. The way the pork shoulder was cut in the Boston area became known in some regions as "Boston butt," a moniker still used today almost everywhere in the United States, except Boston.

The extra marinade keeps up to three weeks in the refrigerator and is delicious used with chicken, lamb or beef, too.