Vegetable

Faced with a cup of just-shucked peas, my mind runs in a million directions. Should I simmer them with soft butter lettuce leaves, pair them with pasta, or flatter their delicacy with new sage leaves and their blossoms, fresh mint, or lemon (or even all three)? Basil is lovely with peas, too. I could add them to that meager handful of fava beans that are waiting for company, or use them to make a frothy green soup. After scanning the possibilities, I end up cooking them with minced shallot, sage, and lemon, then spooning them over baked ricotta with crispy bread crumbs. This is one of my favorite dishes.

This dish has a French feel. You can enjoy it morning, afternoon or night, and you'll definitely want to. -Mendelsohn

Use this smoky, chile-based sauce to add color and heat to blanched cauliflower, green beans, or broccoli.

Add this one to the lineup for your next spring dinner party or Sunday supper.

Risotto only sounds intimidating—if you can stir, you can make it. Poaching the eggs ahead of time should quell any lingering performance anxiety.

Versatile mojo verde is especially nice with steamed artichokes or roasted red peppers.

Brining the chickens tenderizes the meat and keeps it moist. The flavorful pan juices are used to make croutons and a robust dressing for the peppery watercress.

Preserved lemon gives this mash intense pops of salty-citrusy flavor. Scoop out the flesh and pith from the lemon and use only the peel.

The yogurt helps tenderize the chicken; the garlic, ginger, and spices in the marinade infuse it with lots of flavor.

Muddled peas add a fresh twist.

With favas, you have two choices: Buy fresh, or buy frozen ones at Middle Eastern markets.

This is a far cry from army-green split pea soup. Cooking the peas briefly retains their vibrant color, and the addition of fresh herbs keeps the finished soup looking and tasting bright. Delicious warm or chilled, it's a springtime staple.

Baby turnips and the season's first onions are some of the BA Test Kitchen's favorite spring ingredients.

New potatoes are freshly dug and have tender skins; wash them gently so that they don't tear. If they're hard to find, any small potato or fingerling variety will work.

The miso marinade lightly cures the fish, which results in a pleasantly firm texture and great flavor.

If your idea of coleslaw is the pleated paper cup of shredded stuff alongside BLTs at the diner, it's time for a new rule: Slaw doesn't go with the sandwich, it goes on the sandwich.

It's not traditional, but we love the heat that fresh ginger adds to salsa.

Topped with smoked salmon or served simply on their own, these pea-studded pancakes are the ultimate springtime version of a classic blini appetizer.