Bon Appétit

Sweet-tart pomegranate adds intriguing depth to this braise. It can be made with boneless or bone-in meat. If using boneless, buy a half pound less lamb.

Texture and flavor contrasts make for an addictive side dish or starter.

A homespun look meets exotic flavor.

Save any leftover sauce in the refrigerator for up to three days.

In this clever combo, garlicky scampi meet spicy shrimp fra diavolo. Serve as an appetizer with grilled bread or spoon over polenta or orzo for a main course. Panko can be found in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets.

If possible, use flat no-cook lasagna noodles: They look and taste more like homemade than the curly kind.

A Syrian roasted-pepper and walnut spread, muhammara is a great alternative to hummus. 1 12-ounce jar roasted red bell peppers in olive oil with garlic, drained.

Pomegranate seeds add brightness to the look and flavor of this starter.

You can find cornichons (tiny pickles) at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

Serve lemon wedges alongside fish.

These warm, pudding-like individual desserts are the perfect use for those last-of-the-season plums. If you'd like, sift some powdered sugar over the clafoutis before serving.

Until quite recently, Italian restaurants in the U.S. served just one version of gnocchi: the potato kind. But gnocchi made from semolina (such as this one from the James Beard Award-nominated, industrial-chic Osteria in Philadelphia) is equally authentic.

To make this fresh salad, you'll need the following on hand: olive oil, apple cider vinegar, walnuts, a Gala apple, tart cherries, minced shallots, honey, and frisée.

A Sicilian combination—artichokes and beans—becomes another creative variation on crostini at Cinghiale.

Most burrata—cream-filled fresh mozzarella—is made in just two places: Puglia and Southern California. But this addictive cheese is catching on. Chef Nancy Silverton combines it with leeks and breadcrumbs at her (and Mario Batali's) Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles. Look for burrata at Italian delis and cheese stores.

If there isn't a salumi plate, it can't be a modern Italian restaurant. Chef Frank Bonanno at the Osteria Marco in Denver takes the trend one step further, adding house-made relish and fluffy fried dough.

A delicious balance of tangy, sweet, and spicy.

Fresh leaves give the classic lamb and mint sauce pairing a new twist. Great with jasmine rice and bok choy.