Spinach

Little dumplings that are served in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Alsace, spaetzle are usually made by pushing the batter through a strainer into boiling water. The batter in this recipe is thicker and can be shaped with a small spoon.

Fresh spinach, sauteéd in oil with garlic, is pureed with sour cream and green onions to create this delicious dip. For a picnic, transport the dip and the vegetables in a cooler, or surround them with cold packs in the picnic basket.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. If you have Arborio rice on hand, use it in place of long-grained rice.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

An inviting first course would be grilled or roasted vegetables tossed with olive oil and arranged on a platter with olives and spicy peppers. Buy some tiramisu for dessert.

The deep hollow created by emptying the bread is filled with lots of goodies, and this becomes a deep-dish pizza.

Good as the centerpiece of a meatless meal.

When Roy Yamaguchi invited me to cook at the 5th Anniversary celebration of his Oahu restaurant, I wanted to bring him something special from my neck of the woods and decided to attempt to transport soft-shelled crabs. I say "attempt" because soft-shells are very delicate and I wasn't sure they'd survive the long trip to Hawaii. Happily, of the 10 dozen live ones we packed up, about 8 dozen were still kicking when we got to our destination. I served them with simple accompaniments like wilted spinach and a crushed summer tomato vinaigrette. If you like using breaded soft-shell crabs, use panko, which will help maintain the visual character of the fish.

Barley gives this a wonderful chewy texture.

For an elegant dinner, just add a salad of Bibb lettuce and Belgian endive with walnut-oil vinaigrette, and pass a basket of warm French bread. A purchased apple tart makes a lovely finale.