Zucchini

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Makes use of the microwave oven.

Soupe au Pistou During Marion Cunningham’s last visit with Richard Olney, he made a version of this recipe, which comes from Simple French Food. As he made it, he told her that he thought the trick to cooking is tasting — in the case of the soup that day, adding the right amount of salt and pepper, then cheese, then a little olive oil, and finally some macaroni. After making the soup in our own kitchens, following the recipe from the book (it's highly adaptable to seasonal produce or the contents of your larder), we can understand why this recipe is so loved among Olney’s fans.

Zucchini and dill add a fresh twist to the classic, which is a winner served with other summer classics, like sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers and barbecued chicken.

Great with just about any main dish.

Broiled eggplant, roasted red onions, potatoes, bell peppers and zucchini are tossed with radicchio, arugula and a tangy mustard vinaigrette in this colorful salad. A sprinkling of freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese is the finishing touch.

Leftovers of this moist and flavorful meat loaf make great sandwiches.

Greeks call this fassolakia Iadera. It's a traditional vegetable mixture that is often eaten cold, accompanied by hunks of country bread and feta cheese.

For this osso buco we've substituted lamb shanks for the more traditional veal. We've also borrowed from the Greeks, adding avgolemono, a bright-tasting sauce of eggs, lemon juice, and broth.

Scaffata This is a wonderful Roman spring dish that can be made when peas and favas in their shells are young and sweet. The name comes from the word scaffare — "to shell" in Roman dialect. It is especially good when served with roasted spring lamb or goat. The outermost, less tender leaves of a head of romaine, which you may not want to use in a salad, are perfect for this dish.

Borekas -savory pastries made of phyllo dough- are part of the culinary heritage of Israeli Jews of Turkish and Bulgarian backgrounds. Falafel is the most popular street food in Israel, but borekas run a close second. This sophisticated version of the dish makes a delicious appetizer.

Throughout World War II, everyone who had even a little plot of land was encouraged to grow a vegetable garden. Back then, this comforting soup would most frequently be made from water and contain no chicken, which was a Sunday treat. For convenience, you can skip the first part of this recipe and use six cups of stock or canned broth and omit the chicken altogether. But if you want to make the stock from scratch, be sure to do so a day ahead.

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

Called "French pasta" at the restaurant, this Provençal-style special (using no butter and a minimum of oil) is typical of Méteigner's light French fare.

A Roman-style pasta carbonara can be presented as a first course, in true Italian fashion.