Polenta

The ribs can be braised one day ahead and topped with the breadcrumb mixture shortly before serving. What to drink: Robust Pinot Noirs with firm acid (to cut the richness of this dish), such as French Burgundies from Volnay, and Oregon or California Pinots.

Karla Medina of League City, Texas, writes: "At a food festival in downtown Houston, I had a sampler plate from Carmelo's Italian Restaurant. The eggplant Parmesan and spicy meatballs were very good, but the polenta was out of this world. I'd love to know how they prepared it."

The polenta can be made a day ahead and reheated in the oven.

Tamale pie, made with a cornmeal-mush crust, dates back to 1911. In this recipe, we use ready-made polenta packaged in a roll. The spicy beef filling takes advantage of the excellent bottled salsas and canned refried beans now crowding market shelves.

To complete this meatless supper, have Italian bread and mesclun salad with pine nuts. End the meal with any type of winter fruit tart from the bakery.

Tom Colicchio My grandmother used to make a polenta gratin. She layered it with a simple tomato sauce, and we'd have it as a side dish. I make it now with a mushroom Bolognese for a heartier dish that can be the center of the meal.

Serve a nice bottle of Merlot alongside.

Begin this dish early in the day to allow the polenta to set.

Cornmeal may be either fine- or coarse-grained. Both work well in the following recipe; we used a fine-grained variety found in most supermarkets.

Here is a rustic, comforting casserole that is very easy to prepare.

A staple of Milanese cuisine, polenta is delicious here teamed with tomatoes and spinach, two other ingredients typical of the Lombardy region. The combination of Parmesan and Gruyère cheeses adds richness to the dish. If you prefer, the eggs in the center can be replaced with more spinach. Simply sauté ten ounces of fresh spinach leaves in one tablespoon olive oil, then divide the spinach among the cups. Serve these with Dolcetto d'Alba, a mild red wine from the neighboring Piedmont region.

Once the polenta is made (which, for convenience, can be done a day or two ahead of time) this dish is a snap to put together. Simply sauté the polenta pieces, grill the flank steak, place them on the plate, and spoon on the luscious roasted shallot vinaigrette and you have a quick and very satisfying plate of food. A mound of sautéed mushrooms, or for something lighter, asparagus or haricots verts, is a perfect accompaniment. Crispy potatoes are a splendid substitute for the polenta.