Wine

A great substitute for the truffle butter is an equal amount of plain butter seasoned with a drizzle of truffle oil. Parmesan cheese rinds are available at cheese counters and cheese shops.

The richness of pork is lightened with tangy cabbage for a hearty German-style meal that seems made for autumn.

Boeuf Vigneronne The definition of rustic, this seductive dish of tender meat, sweet onions, and reduced wine was made for the vintners of Burgundy. Red wine adds a dark, lusty color to draw you into the meaty flavor, which, like a good bottle of wine, only gets better as it ages.

Vongole in brodetto Chef Michael Schlow of Boston's Via Matta created this dish for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

Ask the butcher to butterfly the lamb.

To begin, a little taste of the sea, easily prepared ahead of time. Beautiful, sophisticated, and delicious, mussels are perfect party appetizers. Each bite offers a complex layering of flavors, and the shells make lovely natural dishes.

Nothing is more majestic than this regal cut of meat — and nothing makes your house smell better while it roasts. Here, pork's natural sweetness is coaxed forward by the herbs and onions in the stuffing. And the crispy, savory bones are a delightful bonus. You will have to special-order this cut of meat (the rib portions of the loins are joined to form a circle) from your butcher.

Skirt steak is an incredibly flavorful cut of meat that cooks in minutes. And since this recipe calls for just 3/4 cup wine, you'll have plenty left over to serve with dinner.

Better than chocolate: The berries are bursting with fresh flavor (and fiber); the wine adds a dash of healthful sophistication.

This traditional, tasty drink has 200 fewer calories than a margarita. Olé!

Quinotto de Hongos y Camarones
This dish—quinoa prepared risotto-style—is so good, you'll forget it's good for you. Quinoa, whose name means "mother grain," is indigenous to Peru and dates from the time of the Inca civilization. Compared with other grains, quinoa is very high in protein and relatively low in carbohydrates. If you're pressed for time, we found a great substitute for fresh clam broth.

The turbot is roasted on a thin cake of overlapping potato slices and then sauced with a simple pan sauce, garnished with tomatoes and black olives. Turbot is rarely available in the United States, but another flatfish such as a fluke or flounder makes a good substitute. You will need a mandoline or other vegetable slicer to slide the potatoes very thin. Ovenproof nonstick frying pans work best here, so the potato cakes don't stick, but if necessary you can use other 8-inch frying pans or cake pans; line them with rounds of parchment paper.

Delicate crabmeat gives sweetness to a light citrus sauce served on top of pasta.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from The Ethical Gourmet. To read more about the book, click here. Roaming the range foraging for grasses makes pasture-raised beef leaner and more intense in flavor. Grass-fed beef, with its lower fat content, cooks differently from conventional beef, so cook it slower, at lower temperatures. Its concentrated flavors make it an exceptional meat to serve in small, sliced portions as a spicy accompaniment to a grain and vegetable main course such as Pumpkin Basmati Rice Pilaf, Toasted Hard Red Wheat Pilaf with Caramelized Shallots, Figs, and Brazil Nuts, or Spice Whole Oats.

Juicy pork replaces the traditional lamb in these sandwiches. Tomato and capers are a lively addition to the yogurt sauce.