Gourmet

There's an abundance of parsley at the end of summer, so why not use some instead of basil in your pesto? The herb brings a subtle sharpness to these peas and potatoes.

It's amazing how a splash of citrus and a handful of pistachios can transform a pair of humble brassicas—kale and kohlrabi both belong to that genus—into a bright, fresh, and lively dish. Although this recipe represents the letter k, it could just as easily have been g, for green. Or great.

Watermelon and yogurt may sound like unlikely bedfellows, but this refreshing dish deliciously disproves that assumption. Flaky shards of sea salt, added just before serving, highlight both the melon's sweetness and the sauce's savory tang.

Heaps of leafy cilantro and the crumbly Mexican white cheese known as queso fresco update a classic side dish. Cornstarch thickens the cream quickly and imparts a velvety gloss.

Time to dust off that bottle of cream Sherry lurking in the back of your liquor cabinet: Its nutty, plummy nature rounds out the flavor of the melon, and its alcohol content helps produce a granita that feels smoother, less icy, on the tongue.

Cutting cauliflower into thick, meaty slices, core and all, is a neat trick. So is roasting it, which brings out the best in this vegetable, caramelizing its edges and playing up its nuttiness. A briny olive vinaigrette adds just the right sharp-savory note.

Effervescent and floral, this drink is ideal for afternoon sipping. Purée the fruit with the skin on to capture the color of September.

Risotto, the ultimate comfort food of Milan, heads south to sunny Rome in a revamp of a classic. Pecorino Romano—in place of the more traditional Parmigiano-Reggiano—brings a delectably briny tang, while crunchy radishes in a light vinaigrette provide a counterpoint to the creamy Arborio rice.

Green beans cooked crisp-tender retain their vivid color and snap, bringing garden freshness to the table no matter what the season. In this quick Asian-inspired side dish, toasted sesame seeds— along with a dose of sesameoil—:add an aromatic, nutty touch.

What you have here—sun-gold bands of decoratively arranged vegetables and clear, immediate flavors enriched with Parmigiano-Reggiano—is an absolute stunner. And, because the torte must be made ahead and weighted (to release excess liquid), it's ideal for entertaining. Serve it with anything grilled (fish, chicken, or lamb, for instance) and your guests will be over the moon.

While the restaurant serves the ultra-spicy salsa alongside hummus, tsatsiki, and baba ghanouj, chef Eric Leyden suggests it as a lively accompaniment to meats and hearty lentil or tomato soups.

Coming right up: an elegant concoction designed for warm-weather happy hour. It's pale pink in color, floral but not too sweet, and completely refreshing.

Quiche became a classic for a very good reason—its creamy, tender custard is as seductive as it is satisfying. Here, deep-colored broccoli boosts the drama quotient for brunch, lunch, or supper.

This bravura sandwich stimulates all the senses. Grilling eggplant instead of frying it adds lightness and smoky complexity.

An all-butter pastry dough is easy to handle. It's a little less flaky than a dough made with a blend of butter and shortening, but you'll love the end result—it tastes marvelous.

Plums and pluots—a hybrid that blends the color of plums with the flavor and soft texture of apricots—have a natural tartness that flatters the accompanying pound cake (which tastes even better if made a couple of days ahead).

Crisp chayote goes by a raft of different names, but its Brazilian one, xuxu, was the inspiration for this quick stir-fry. The dish's vivid good looks echo its primal shout of flavor. After the shrimp, xuxu, and hearts of palm are cooked, they're tossed with a raw sauce of garlic, onion, jalapeño, and lots of lemon juice, which keeps everything sparkling and very fresh-tasting.

Feathery carrot tops, the often discarded exclamation point to this popular vegetable, have a sprightly bitterness—almost a cross between radicchio and parsley—that makes them an intriguing accent to a crisp, cumin- scented slaw. Although it's wonderful made with regular orange carrots, you could also showcase the rainbow of offerings (in shades of scarlet, burgundy, and yellow) that beckon at farmers markets.