Leafy Greens

Here, sturdy Bibb leaves from the center of the head do the work of traditional dumpling wrappers. If that's not an easy enough sell, the dipping sauce will be.

The best tool for grating is a rotary grater by Zyliss ($20; chefcentral.com) or by Microplane ($25; thekitchenstore.com).

Mangoes take the place of tomatoes, so you don't have to wait until summer to enjoy this much-loved Italian salad.

This unorthodox panino—you work in reverse, griddling the bread first, then layering it with prosciutto, Fontina, and arugula before baking—results in a warm, gooey flatbread with a crunchy crust.

The trick of leaving the base attached to the quartered escarole is one we learned from Lidia Bastianich, and it makes the whole process far less fussy. Studded with plump raisins and crunchy pine nuts, the rice makes for a flavorful filling—perfect for the slightly bitter edge of the greens.

Cicoria is a standard cooked green on menus all over Italy—it has a pleasing bitterness that's offset by the richness of the oil it's sautéed in. Sadly, it's hard to find that kind of chicory in America, but dandelion greens make a nice substitute.

A great side, but also a nice vegetarian dinner when made with vegetable broth and served over rice.

For a vegetarian version, use 24 ounces extra-firm tofu instead of chicken, and increase the soy sauce to 2/3 cup and the vinegar to 1/2 cup. Serve with brown rice or soba noodles.

The softly fried eggs are a wonderful counterbalance to the rich ingredients in this Spanish take on salade lyonnaise. Migas are Spanish croutons.

Cumin gives greens and tomatoes an exotic, almost Indian touch.

Greens are paired with salty olives and feta—to great effect. The greens cook in the pasta water, making this an efficient one-pot meal.

A decadent—but still healthy—vegetarian main.