Polenta

This simple one-dish vegetarian meal is hearty without being heavy.

A slice of health heaven Before you dial out for pizza, consider this: A pepperoni slice (about 6 ounces) has 500 calories and 20 grams of fat, whereas two slices of this polenta-crust pie (also 6 ounces) have only 194 calories and one third the fat. One reason: The polenta (cornmeal) crust has less fat than a made-with-oil flour crust. Even better, it's a quick-make pie.

Sous chef John D. Martin pairs crisp, tart Granny Smith apples with a rich yet fluffy cake that has a crumbly texture.

Elena slow-cooks her polenta the traditional way, which can be a soul-satisfying experience if you set aside the time. When polenta is cooked properly, each grain of cornmeal slowly absorbs the liquid until it swells, becoming perfectly tender and seeming to disappear within the whole.

This stuffing uses polenta two ways—half of it is left creamy, while the other half gets browned, for a nice contrast of texture.

Polenta stands in for flour with delicious results in this Venetian dessert.

Make the polenta a couple of days ahead, then assemble each serving an hour or so before guests arrive.

Harold J. Bigley of New York, New York, writes: "A few months ago I went to a party in The Hamptons catered by Loaves & Fishes in Sagaponack. The veal chops with polenta were outstanding. Could you get the recipe?" Ask your butcher to french (trim the fat from) the bone end of the veal rib chops.

Editor's note: This recipe is excerpted from Eric Ripert and Michael Ruhlman's book the A Return To Cooking. To read more about Ripert, click here. Here salmon is poached simply in salt water and served very rare with mushrooms and a mushroom broth, along with creamy polenta. The polenta adds a starch that the salmon needs, but it is also delicate and won't overwhelm the flavors of the fish. Mushrooms and polenta are a great classical pair, and a sturdy, satisfying match for the meaty salmon.

Charles Alfonso of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, writes: "One of my favorite local restaurants is Dish Osteria and Bar, a place I discovered a few months ago. The food is so good that I go back nearly every weekend. The best dish I've had so far is the duck with polenta and lingonberry sauce." The restaurant serves the duck with a side of rapini sautéed in garlic and olive oil.

Here, sautéed polenta triangles add another dimension to a southwestern-style stew.

Chef Suzanne Goin prepares this dish with Taylor Bay Scallops in the shell, but it's also delicious with regular bay scallops, which are more widely available. Be sure to use a good amontillado, the medium-dry Sherry that is lightly aged to give it a mellow, nutty flavor. What to drink: Condrieu, an aromatic Rhône white made with Viognier grapes.