Simmer

Zia Maria is a simple but delightful restaurant in Alghero, a popular tourist resort on a part of Sardinia's west coast known as the Coral Riviera. The dining room is very basic; a large fireplace and some antique cooking equipment are the only things to distract you from the traditional Sardinian menu. But that's a good thing, because once you start in on pickled artichokes and mushrooms, wild boar in sweet-and-sour broth, or ricotta ravioli with tomato sauce, you'll appreciate having few distractions. Each dish, like these tangy onions from the restaurant's selection of antipasti, is cooked and presented in straightforward fashion.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Mascarpone Cheesecake with Roasted Cashew Crust.

One of Sicily's finest crops is the blood orange with its spicy-sweet flavor. But any variety of orange can be used in this Italian dessert.

The acidity of the vinegar and grapefruit is balanced by the quince, apple, and pear flavors in this French-style chutney. Bananas add creaminess. Use ripe fruit for best results.

In a fresh interpretation of the classic Italian dessert, we've replaced the traditional chocolate and coffee with berries and fruit liqueur. For a garnish, we like the looks of fresh berries, but we used frozen berries in the filling to keep it moist. They're also more uniform in flavor--and less expensive.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

All Southern cooks have their own ways of making gumbo. Our recipe contains neither okra nor filé powder, producing a thinner, lighter gumbo.

Steamed asparagus and a baguette are good accompaniments. Drizzle Champagne over raspberries and diced pineapple for dessert.

Serve this flavorful chili with chopped green onion, cilantro and red bell pepper.

Mary Risley, director of Tante Marie's cooking school, says, "I dreamed up this recipe years ago when I was trying to cook Thanksgiving dinner on a four-burner stove with only one oven. And I've found that this is really the only vegetable needed to go with the turkey and mashed potatoes. It has the creamed onions everyone wants, it has the corn the Pilgrims must have eaten, and it has the fresh vegetables my Northern California friends and family have come to expect."

Marinated vegetables from the supermarket salad bar and potato chips are nice with the sandwich. Chocolate cake is a great ending.

(CREPES DE NOIX AUX FRAMBOISE ET FIGUES) In Provence, crepes are often served simply, embellished with sugar, jam or liqueur. Here, they get dressed up a bit more.

Pass hot pepper sauce and warm buttered tortillas to complete this easy dish.

The following antipasto is based on an octopus and cannellini salad served at La Baraonda in Florence.