Saute

Don't let the simplicity of this pasta dish fool you — it's packed with irresistable springtime flavors.

In this easy and hugely satisfying pasta dish, arugula is transformed from peppery leaf into powerhouse pesto.

Start this dish at least 4 hours ahead. The chicken can also marinate overnight. What to drink: A delicate white wine with floral aromas, like Pinot Gris from Austria or Alsace.

This dish has a livelier, fresher taste than traditional risotto because the vegetables are cooked separately from the rice and then spooned over it in a rich ragout.

Ann Gillespie of Alexandria, Virginia, writes: "Because I'm balancing graduate school and a family, I try to cook things that don't take a lot of time. But I love experimenting with ingredients, so most of my recipes are easy to make and use interesting flavor combinations. This pasta dish is reminiscent of what my husband and I would cook when we were first married."

If you can find them, large, bright pink watermelon radishes will look and taste great here.

There will be extra tamarind sauce: Drizzle it over vegetables, chicken, or fish; stir it into pilaf; or use it as a marinade.

George Hendrix of Carbondale, Colorado, writes: "My family is usually in a hurry, so dinner has to be on the table fast. The stir-fry doesn't require much preparation and the oyster sauce gives it rich flavor, which means I don't have any trouble getting my teenage boys to eat the vegetables."

If you can't find burrata, substitute fresh whole-milk mozzarella.

If you have trouble finding pea tendrils, pea sprouts (young pea tendrils) work very well with this dish; you'll find them at Asian markets and farmers' markets.

Making spaetzle at home is simple and satisfying. Serve it with buttery mushrooms or pair the naked dumplings with any saucy dish.

Coarsely chopped coriander seeds add a lovely floral note to this nutty Middle Eastern grain.

In addition to its traditional role on the Seder plate, this charoset is delicious as a condiment for duck or roast beef.

If you like chicken liver mousse, you'll definitely want to try this recipe, which uses a completely different method than most. Puréeing the chicken livers and then baking them in a hot water bath results in an extremely tender spread.

Straccetti di Manzo Generations of Roman cooks have relied on this trattoria favorite — made with classic ingredients — for dinner in a hurry.

If your child is a truly adventurous eater, the Thai chile in the pineapple sauce won't faze her and will help sneak the fish in. If she balks at spiciness, on the other hand, replace the chile with a milder pepper, such as jalapeño, and remove the seeds and membranes. Or skip the hot stuff altogether—the sweetness and saltiness of the sauce will still be delicious.