Parmesan

This delicate salad, combining crisp celery and tender fresh porcini, grew out of the memories of two food editors — Zanne Stewart and Alexis Touchet — of similar ones they had enjoyed at restaurants in Italy. (Surprisingly, they were in different regions and traveling 20 years apart.)

Surprise! A heavyweight makes a lightweight pizza. This healthy pizza comes from boxing champ George Foreman, the master behind the Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine (don't tell us you haven't seen the infomercials!) and author of the new George Foreman's Big Book of Grilling, Barbecue & Rotisserie (Simon & Schuster). Why grill? "It produces great-tasting healthy food, and it's easy," Foreman says.

This traditional southern Italian pasta recipe, with its base of aglio e olio, garlic and oil, is one of those rustic foods that presents like a gourmet dish. It’s made entirely with pantry items, so it’s a perfect last-minute supper.

La Merenda di Victor When my husband was a schoolboy in Bologna, his favorite afternoon merenda was a crusty slice of grilled bread that his grandmother would top with Parmesan cheese and olive oil. It doesn't need a recipe, just a description.

This version of the classic salad shows why it is a favorite across America.

Fried with a parmesan coating, humble cauliflower takes on a whole new appeal in this salad; lots of parsley makes it aromatic and refreshing.

Editor's note: This recipe is excerpted from Harumi's Japanese Cooking , by Harumi Kurihara. Hotate no Sauté Miso Sauce These scallops make a good starter or they can be served as part of larger Japanese-style meal. I think that the combination of Japanese flavors, such as miso, and the western flavor of Parmesan cheese makes for a delicious and exciting dish.

No other vegetable signals spring like asparagus. In this recipe, it makes for a rich, creamy side dish that's beyond delicious. We love it with a simple roast chicken.

In Lynne Rossetto Kasper's opinion, fennel and Parmigiano-Reggiano ("the celestial eating cheese of all time") rank as one of the most underrated combinations in Italy. After tasting this quick hors d'oeuvre, we have to agree.

This dish has a livelier, fresher taste than traditional risotto because the vegetables are cooked separately from the rice and then spooned over it in a rich ragout.

These little appetizer pizzas are perfect finger food.

The eggplant and garlic in this recipe are roasted until they are so soft, they create a spread that nearly melts into the crisp slices of baguette.

Parmigiano-Reggiano enriches canned broth for a quick, hot, and truly delicious meal in a bowl.