Simple Cooking

These tomatoes hold up well for up to 2 days when stored in the refrigerator; serve as a sandwich filling or pasta topping.

Any combination of kale, chard, and mustard or collard greens works well.

This is a quick and delicious side dish for any season, as chicory is available year-round. Radicchio, a red-leaf chicory, adds a contrasting bitter note as well as a splash of color.

White asparagus spears are generally thicker than their green counterparts, so be sure to trim the tough ends of the stalk and cook until they are perfectly crisp-tender.

To peel cipollini onions, immerse in boiling water for a few minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon. Allow to cool slightly; slip off the skins.

If you like, snip the prickly points of the leaves with scissors before you cook the artichokes. The tender leaves and hearts are delicious dipped in Aïoli (page 305).

Flageolet, pale green kidney beans, are prevalent in French cooking. Their delicate flavor is well suited for simple preparations and is particularly good with lamb.

Don’t worry if your pan seems overcrowded with the chard; it will quickly wilt and lose most of its volume as it cooks. Cooking the stems a bit longer than the leaves will ensure they become perfectly tender. If you prefer, seed the jalapeño pepper before using.

If you can’t find fresh edamame (soybeans), frozen works just as well. Look for them in the freezer section of your grocery store.

Brussels sprouts are members of the cabbage family. They are in season from late August through March.

You will need sweet, fully ripened plantains (plátanos maduros, in Spanish) for this Cuban-inspired side dish. They are soft, with peels that are mostly brown or black, and are available in Latin-American markets and many grocery stores.

The easiest way to peel butternut squash is with a vegetable peeler; the harp-shaped variety works particularly well.