Saute

"Skinning broad beans to reveal their bright green inner kernels is time-consuming, but it produces a sweeter, much more visually exciting bean," says Ferrigno. She taught us the great trick of cooking the beans in unsalted water and olive oil to retain that intense color (which looks gorgeous with the red onion). A handful of chopped mint leaves underscores the verdant flavor of this warm salad.

This side dish is like the love child of a salad and a pickle. Make it ahead of time and serve it at room temperature with the Steak and Olives

This classic Italian sauce, with its combination of balsamic vinegar and a touch of sugar, lends deep sweetness and a hit of acidity to the meaty sautéed fish.

These "hats" are a classic dish in Ferrara, where you'll find them filled with a range of different things, from meat to vegetables. In this version, the toasted flavor of the butter and the herbal quality of the sage in the sauce really bring out the nuttiness of the parmesan and butternut squash in the filling.

Even if anchovies aren't part of your culinary heritage, the way the sweetness of the onions and the saltiness of the fish interact, combined with the tactile pleasure of the crunchy bread crumbs, will have you missing your nonna no matter what your nationality.

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.

Cooking the artichokes with the rice infuses the risotto with the flavor of this delicate vegetable.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and purchased tomatillo or tomato salsa mixed with some chopped fresh cilantro.

The sweetness of the carrots is a nice contrast to the slightly bitter beer.

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

Fresh ricotta brings out the eggs' creaminess.

Just a few minutes in a hot skillet gives the sauce a complex flavor. If you've got an extra minute or two, skip the chocolate chips and garnish the sundaes with chocolate curls shaved off the edge of a chocolate bar with a vegetable peeler.

Fish sauce and dried shrimp flavor the sweet, spicy, and bright chile jam used to glaze this side dish with deeply savory notes.

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

The combination of salmon and whitefish is delicious (and pretty). A few tablespoons of horseradish give a real kick to the sauce. To adjust the heat to your taste, add the horseradish a little bit at a time.