Starter

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Jack's in San Francisco offers this nice, old-fashioned salad.

Although we prefer the taste and texture of sheep's-milk ricotta, this recipe can be made using (whole-milk) cow's-milk ricotta, which should first be drained overnight in a cheesecloth-lined sieve set over a bowl. The grapevine leaves make for a beautiful presentation, but, because they haven't been softened in water, they should not be eaten.

An elegant appetizer from Fleur de Lys in San Francisco.

We've suggested toasted French bread as an accompaniment to this soup, but bear in mind it is not included in our calorie count. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The asparagus and orange segments are arranged in a sunburst pattern on a large platter, with baby greens and sliced red onion in the center.

Store-bought seasoned salt can also be used in the following recipe. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

A colorful addition to any appetizer platter, this snappy dish makes a nice lunch when eaten on its own with some crusty bread on the side.

Most self-respecting Italian-American cooks have a recipe for stuffed zucchini. It's a dish that's often hard to categorize, however. Is it an appetizer? A side dish? Can it function as a main course? This version, with veal, is a little heartier than most and can definitely be served as an entrée, but it can also function as a side dish or appetizer for a multicourse feast.

This tart is delicious on its own, but the garnish of crisp raw beet shreds brings added intrigue. To slice paper-thin spirals of beet, we used a Japanese rotary device known as the Benriner spiral vegetable slicer. This gadget is available from Katagiri, tel. (212) 755-3566, and from Williams-Sonoma, tel. (800) 541-2233 (ask for the "spiral shredder").

Prosciutto slices are usually paper-thin-but for this dish be sure they are not too thin or they will tear when you spread the cheese on them. Serve these with the Black Pepper Almonds, and pour Champagne.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.