Recipes with olive oil, extra-virgin

Striking black squid-ink spaghetti alla chitarra tossed with mussels steamed in white wine and tomato, finished with fresh mint. A dramatic, briny Italian seafood pasta.

Pasta rosa: cheese tortellini tossed with shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, cayenne, and peppery arugula in olive oil. Finished with grated Romano. Italian-style 30-minute pasta dinner.

Stuffed squid in saffron sauce: whole squid bodies filled with chopped tentacles, smoked ham, Parmesan, and breadcrumbs, then braised in a saffron-tomato-white wine sauce. Spanish-Italian dinner-party seafood.

Mexican flank steak marinated overnight in lemon, jalapeno, and cilantro, grilled alongside cheese-stuffed flour tortilla mock tamales. A complete grilled dinner with fresh homemade salsa.

Pan-fried fish fillets finished with a quick boiling sherry vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil sauce, punched up with fresh parsley, chives, and chervil. A French bistro classic that cooks in under 10 minutes.

Vegetable medley featuring brussel sprouts and strips of Nori (seaweed) (same stuff that's used to wrap sushi rolls.

Littleneck clams steamed with sliced chorizo, shiitake mushrooms, sweet vermouth, white wine, and tomato sauce. Served with garlic-thyme toasted baguette for soaking up every drop of that broth.

Shellfish stew alla Tarantina, a Southern Italian seafood feast of mussels, clams, shrimp, calamari, and oysters in a garlicky tomato-and-wine broth, ladled over bread to soak up every drop.

A delicious and hearty couscous stew that has several kinds of winter vegeta bles, chickpeas and dried apricots, raisins is tossed with cinnamon, paprika and cumin to spice up the flavor.

Sautéed mushrooms with garlic and lemon zest toss with bow-tie pasta and Parmesan for a simple Italian dinner that's elegant enough for company in 45 minutes.

Slow-braised calamari in umido with garlic, white wine, crushed chili, and tomato sauce, served with grilled ramp bruschetta and fresh marjoram.

Rack of lamb glazed with rosemary-garlic Dijon paste, seared and roasted to medium rare. A French bistro classic served over white beans, elegant enough for a dinner party.

Italian pasta with winter squash and potatoes cooked together in one pot, finished in a garlic and chile skillet with starchy pasta water for a creamy sauce.

Smoky charred tomatoes meet tender poached chicken and crisp broccoli in a bright lemon dressing with a kick of chili, creating a protein-packed salad that's light yet satisfying.

Spiced broccoli spinach spread with cumin, lime, red pepper flakes, and toasted coconut. A vegan canape that's bold, earthy, and completely unexpected.

Fried soft-shell crab sandwiches in a crispy Parmesan batter with lemon-thyme aioli, fresh arugula, and ripe tomatoes on crusty rolls.