Gourmet

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 45 min

Sicilian caponata is a salad or side dish composed of several vegetables cooked separately and joined together by a sauce, often of tomato. Serve it as an antipasto or with grilled meat or fish. To keep artichokes from browning as trim them, run a paring knife through a lemon before each cut. The juice on the knife acidulates the surface of the artichoke.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 6 1/4 hr (includes cooling and chilling)

Active time: 50 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Adapted from Dead Horse Ranch This unusual pâté is made with calves' testicles, also called calf fries. Despite the unique ingredient, bull butter has a milder flavor and more mousselike texture than traditional chicken liver pâté.

This dish, flavored with achiote seeds, garlic, and spices, is based on chicken pibil, from Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. Traditionally, the chicken is baked in banana leaves, but here we've used collard leaves because they are more readily available. They add moisture and a bit of flavor but do not get tender enough to eat.

Resist the temptation to halve this recipe; it would yield a very small piece of dough, which can be difficult to roll and fold. This recipe is an accompaniment for Vinegar Pie.

Although polenta is traditionally made with cornmeal, we substituted matzo meal—with great results. It's far more tender than regular polenta, and tastes especially wonderful with the sauce from the braised veal with gremolata .

It may seem odd that we use frozen green peas, but, sadly, even the best fresh ones can taste starchy by the time they make it to the supermarket. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Lombo di Maiale Ripieno di Mortadella con Patate Arrosto This dish was inspired by a truffled mortadella we tasted in Rome. Good-quality mortadella can be found at butcher shops, at Italian markets, and even in the deli section of many supermarkets. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Active time: 1 3/4 hr Start to finish: 2 3/4 hr (includes making pastry shell)

You can make this potato cake right before grilling steaks, then reheat it on a baking sheet in the 450°F oven while the steaks rest.

White asparagus has a delicate flavor that works especially well with our truffle vinaigrette, but try the dish with green asparagus, too.

An old-school ice cream scoop turns out beautiful curls of melon; the pink peppercorn and bay–infused wine syrup keeps things interesting.

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 20 min