Vegan

An overnight pickling tames the red onions.

Preserved lemons, sold ready-made in Moroccan souks, are essential to that country's cuisine. The peel, pulp, and juice squeezed from the lemons can all be used. Sometimes, however, the juice and preserving brine, can be bitter; use fresh lemon juice in that case.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Steamed cauliflower florets, broccoli florets and carrot slices are mixed with olives and tossed with a sun-dried tomato and oregano vinaigrette in this Italian-inspired starter "from the garden."

Radicchio, snow peas and a tangy sesame oil dressing give an old-fashioned dish a delicious new flavor.

Pan-roasting the vegetables imparts an earthy sweetness to this dish.

A Dijon mustard vinaigrette brings all the flavors together. If you can't find basmati rice, white long-grain rice is fine.

Use this for the Springtime Sushi Nests or for any sushi recipe.

Whole cumin seeds and paprika add wonderful flavors to roasted potatoes.

Take these olives along on your next picnic.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

With months to go before the summer tomato season, we've found that slow-roasting brings out the flavor of winter plum tomatoes.

After making this flavorful dressing in the processor, we give it a whirl in the blender for the smoothest texture. Crisp iceberg lettuce stands up best to this thick dressing. Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 15 min

We found that using a blender to begin the emulsion process for aïoli is much faster than pounding by hand from start to finish, which is the traditional method. Once using the mortar, resist the impulse to add the oil quickly — it will cause the mixture to separate. All the slow stirring requires a strong arm, so you may want to recruit a friend to help (especially because you need to make the aïoli in two batches). Very fresh garlic is crucial to this recipe. Bulbs should have smooth, tight skin and be firm and heavy for their size, with no green shoots.

Tiny whole squash are used in this pretty accompaniment, so it is especially easy to eat at a buffet.

You can select any type of bottle you like for this citrus-scented spirit, but choosing a wide-neck one makes it a snap to place the citrus peel into the vodka. For easy gift wrapping, tie ribbons around the neck to match the colors of the peels. Tell the recipient to use the vodka in orange juice or lemonade, or shaken or stirred in a Martini, or to serve it ice-cold and straight up.

This recipe was created to accompany Grilled Chicken with Goat Cheese Stuffing, Peppers, Onions and Two Salsas. A little of this fiery sauce goes a long way. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.