Spring

We adapted this dish from a recipe in La Cuisine Spontanée by Swiss chef Frédy Girardet. Braising the chicken breasts over the leeks keeps them satisfyingly moist and tender. Crusty bread is a good accompaniment.

These special sweet buns, marked with a symbolic cross, are a fixture on many Easter tables. They are delicious plain; with fresh fruit (we loved them with the first strawberries of the season); or split, toasted, and spread with butter and jam.

The recipe calls for a pastry bag, but the meringue disks can also be formed with a spatula. If made ahead, the meringue will soften slightly from contact with the buttercream.

For an elegant touch, serve the cobbler in oversize goblets and top with ice cream.

Most people are familiar with confit duck legs, but the French confit the gizzards, too. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This simple sauté is a perfect complement to roast chicken, pork or duck.

(Carciofi Ritti) The best artichokes in Tuscany are the small purple ones that come from the area around Grosseto, a southern city near the sea. But the variety is endless: big ones, little ones, violet ones; served boiled, steamed, even raw. In this dish, which is an interpretation of a classic Florentine recipe, artichokes are filled with a savory mixture of pancetta and parsley, drizzled with olive oil, and braised.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less, but requires additional unattended time.

Cover the potatoes in plenty of dressing. Save extra, as the potatoes absorb it quickly and may need a retoss.

Sliced raw fennel, roasted baby artichokes, and bright green edamame make one fabulous, Italian-inspired salad.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.