"Umami Bomb" came across my desk recently and I thought it was a clever compilation of vegetarian recipes that all possessed that fifth flavor -- umami.

What is umami? It really is difficult to describe but Cambridge English Dictionary describes it as "A strong taste that is not sweet, sour, salty or bitter and that is often referred to as "the fifth taste"." Author Raquel Pelzer describes umami as "that special something that makes food better than good, more like amazing."

The book is divided into 8 chapters, each concentrating on one umami flavor: parm and other aged cheeses, soy sauce, tomatoes, mushrooms, caramelized onions, miso, smoke and nutritional yeast. In each chapter she shares recipes that have at least one of these umami bombs as she calls them. It was difficult to choose just one recipe to share with you, but I did it.

This Green Bean and Charred Radicchio Salad with Lots of Parm is a perfect example of a vegetarian recipe that is robust with flavor and contains two umami bombs -- Parmesan cheese and smoke -- creating an explosion of flavor. Charred lettuce is a double layer of texture and flavor. The outside lettuce becomes charred while the inside lettuce stays, cool, fresh and crisp. The smoke flavor blends together with the showering of aged Parmesan cheese to develop an out of this world salad.

To char the lettuce you can use the broiler or your grill, which will provide an extra smoky taste

The green beans add an earthy snap to the salad. Look for small to medium size green beans for tenderness and sweet flavor. Love the fresh vinegar and honey dressing.

Green Bean and Charred Radicchio Salad with Lots of Parm

Serves 4

1 pound green beans, ends snapped

2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon champagne or rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon honey

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 head radicchio, cored and halved lengthwise

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, stacked, rolled, and thinly sliced crosswise

1 1/2 cups (4 to 5 ounces) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (preferably grated using a rasp-style grater so it is nice and fluffy)

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and 2 teaspoons of the salt. Boil the beans until they are tender -- about 8 minutes. Drain the beans in a colander and run them under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set the green beans aside.

2. Whisk the lemon juice, vinegar, and honey together in a large bowl, and then slowly whisk in 4 tablespoons of the oil until the vinaigrette is creamy. Add the green beans and toss to combine.

3. Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the broiler to high. Place the radicchio on a rimmed sheet pan and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, then season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Broil the radicchio until the exposed leaves become dark and crisp, about 5 minutes (watch the radicchio closely, as broiler intensities vary).

4. Transfer the radicchio to a cutting board, let cool slightly, and then thinly slice into ribbons. Add it to the green beans and toss to combine. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with the mint leaves, cheese, and a few cracks of black pepper. Serve immediately

(Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including "Seriously Simple Parties," and a James Beard Award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.)