Parsley

The origin of this dish is unknown, but it's a common menu feature of many Italo-American restaurants of the red-sauce variety. In kitchen lingo, a shoemaker is a shortcutting, skillful hack; a shoemaker cobbles things, a meal, together from the meager things on hand. In Italian, scarpa translates as "shoe" and scarpariella is slang for shoemaker. The actual name for one who plies this trade is calzolaio. In Chicken Scarpariella, a spring chicken is "hacked" up in to small pieces and quickly cooked with a few common ingredients.

Preparing the zucchini for this dish won't heat up your kitchen — simply salting thin slices is enough to tenderize them. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Simplicity at its most comforting, this dish also makes a wonderful breakfast side.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Any nut can be substituted for the pine nuts. Toast them for fuller flavor.

(Fish with Moroccan Seasoning) The fragrant blend of seasonings called chermoula can be used for meats and poultry as well as fish.

In addition to the fried parsnip the executive chef at Ashford Castle, Denis Lenihan, often adorns this soup with a poached carved apple.

Complete this weeknight "Sunday supper" with traditional fixings like chive-flecked mashed potatoes (don't worry—there's enough gravy for the potatoes, too) and buttered green beans. Baked maple apples would be delicious afterward.

This unusual Iranian stew is served hot at the table from the casserole in which it has been cooked. The lid is lifted, and the delicious aromas of rich tender lamb, fresh herbs, spinach and beans fill the room. Serve with rice or orzo.

Lighter, brighter flavors make this old-fashioned salad new again.

Leaving a bit of skin on the eggplant adds to the pesto's texture and color. Pour a Pinot Noir or Provençal rosé with the meal.

Gremolata, a mixture of minced lemon peel, garlic and parsley, is the classic topping for osso buco. This version also features rosemary. The chicken (opposite) is roasted under a baking sheet with a skillet on top; the weight ensures that the chicken will be cooked evenly. Sauted broccoli rabe is a nice go-with, as is a Pinot Noir, a Pinot Blanc or a Chianti. Cheese, figs and bread make a European-style finale.