Blue Cheese

At Le Gavroche, the salad is composed on individual plates and the leaves of Belgian endive are left whole. Alternatively, the endive may be sliced and tossed with the other ingredients for a more casual presentation.

Perfect for any summer party. Be sure to use the best blue cheese available, such as French Roquefort or domestic Maytag

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Look for hearts of romaine near the bagged lettuces in the produce section.

This recipe was created to accompany Romaine and Watercress Salad with Roquefort Buttermilk Dressing . Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A full-flavored Italian blue cheese adds pizzazz to this pasta. Serve the dish with a salad, bread and a glass of white wine for a lovely weekday dinner.

By mid-decade, indulgence foods were back with a vengeance-a sign that too much of a good-for-you thing was starting to get boring at the dinner table. And when the diet gurus switched their focus from complex carbohydrates to protein, steak regained some respect from nutrition buffs. Also, many specialty foods shops began catering to the most health-conscious meat eaters by offering beef raised without hormones.

Unfortunately, beets are not on the top-ten list of favorite foods for many people. Most people hate them because they've only eaten them boiled or canned, but I was fortunate enough to try the real thing at an early age. So they're on my top-ten list, and this recipe might just be a great way to get them on yours. The roasting brings out the sweetness and intensifies the depth of flavor that is lost when you boil. Once you roast a beet, you'll never go back. Don't throw away the beet greens: braise or sauté them if they are large, or add them to salad greens if they are small. The rich, thick Walnut Gorgonzola Dressing is also great on burgers or grilled portobello mushrooms or mixed into greens.

The cheese and walnut topping adds a touch of elegance to simple steak

One of the most-requested items on the lunch menu at the Chicago Chop House. The restaurant adds roasted red-skinned potatoes and sautéed mushrooms, too.

"While in Vancouver, we had a wonderful meal at Diva at the Met. The star of the show was the Stilton cheesecake. Could you persuade the chef to part with the recipe?" asks Mark Horne of Laurel, Mississippi. Editors' note: Pairing Stilton and rhubarb may sound like a joke, but we had to try it. It turns out that the joke's on us — the combination is terrific. Chef Michael Noble caramelizes the top with a blowtorch, but we think the cheesecake is also delicious without the crackly crust.