6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon of honey

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 pound ricotta salata, cut into shards with a vegetable peeler

Cut any tough stems from the greens and trim any wilted, yellow or tough leaves. Wash and dry them. The greens can be prepared up to several hours in advance and kept, loosely covered with a clean towel, in the refrigerator.

To make the dressing, combine the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of the toasted almonds, vinegar and honey in a blender and blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place the greens in a large bowl, season them with salt and pepper and pour the dressing over them. Toss well and divide the dressed greens among 6 plates, mounding them in the center of the plate. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of toasted almonds and top with shavings of ricotta salata. Serve immediately.

Serves 6.

4 medium Idaho potatoes (about 8 ounces each), scrubbed but unpeeled

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 large garlic cloves, sliced thin

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Coarse sea salt or kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy 3-quart pot over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer registers 300 degrees.

Meanwhile, pat the potatoes dry and cut each lengthwise into 6 even wedges. When the oil reaches temperature, carefully slip about 1/3 of the potato wedges into the oil. Fry until they are lightly browned and tender, but firm when poked with a paring knife, about 10 minutes. Remove and drain. Repeat with the remaining potatoes. (Note: To prevent darkening, cut the potatoes as you fry them. I don't recommend putting cut potatoes in water to prevent darkening, as the water will splatter when you slip the potatoes into the oil.) These once-fried potatoes may be kept at room temperature for up to 8 hours.

Up to 2 hours in advance, mix together the olive oil, garlic and parsley in a large bowl. Keep covered at room temperature until needed.

Just before serving, heat the oil in the pot to 375 degrees and preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Fry the potatoes, about 1/3 at a time, until golden brown and crispy, about 4 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then place on a baking sheet and keep hot in the preheated oven. Repeat with the remaining potatoes.

Press both ends of each potato wedge till the center of the wedge "pops," but the wedge stays intact. Sprinkle the potatoes generously with salt and pepper and turn them gently in the seasoned oil until coated. Serve at once.

Makes 6 servings.

1 (2 1/2- to 3-inch-thick) rib eye steak, with a tail, trimmed of some fat, but not all

FOR THE RUB:

8 anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt, or to taste

2 fresh rosemary sprigs, stripped and coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

Combine rub ingredients well. Cook steak about 4 minutes on each side (the Tuscans like it really rare; I made it medium-rare) or longer if you prefer it medium. Remove from heat and brush with rub. Allow the meat to rest for 1 minute.

To test for doneness, check closest to the bone. Remove bone and slice in 1/4-inch slices. Arrange on platter around bone.

(PHOTO CAPTION: The Florentine rub is brushed on this rib eye steak immediately after it comes off the grill.)

(PHOTO CREDIT: Kathy Kenter)