Creamy Tortellini with Spring Peas
Creamy Tortellini with Spring Peas

This simple dish makes for a fast and fresh spring meal. The creaminess of the mascarpone combined with the delicate pop of the peas is a fan favorite in our house.

Yields 4 servings

Penne with Warm Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette
Penne with Warm Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette

This vinaigrette is also delicious as a topping for bruschetta or pizza. And you can let it cool to room temperature and use it as a dressing on cold dishes as well as salads.

Yields 4 servings

Grilled Tuna Steaks with Salmoriglio
Grilled Tuna Steaks with Salmoriglio

With origins in Sicily, this simple yet zesty sauce is also excellent with grilled salmon, beef, poultry, or vegetables.

Yields 4 servings

Pumpkin Seed Pesto
Roast Chicken with Pumpkin Seed Pesto

This South American-inspired olive oil-rich pesto elevates simple roasted chicken and packs an herby punch.

Yields 2-3 servings

Fennel
Citrus Pork Rib Roast with Roasted Fennel

This recipe serves a large crowd. For smaller gatherings, cook just one rib roast and cut all the other ingredients in half. If you can’t get bone-in pork rib roasts locally, substitute pork loin roast or even thick pork chops—adjust the cooking times accordingly. The citrus marinade is also excellent with chicken.

Yields 10 servings

Ultimate Olive Oil-Fried Eggs
The Ultimate Olive Oil-Fried Eggs

Frying eggs in olive oil is a Spanish tradition that dates back centuries. This simplest of techniques is having a modern moment in the US as chefs extol the delicious results. When raw egg meets hot olive oil it creates a perfectly browned latticework around the edges of the white while leaving the yolk with just the right amount of runny. The key is to heat the pan first and then the oil before adding the eggs. If you have a 10" or wider skillet, you can double the recipe in the same pan. Enjoy as is or atop avocado toast or skillet potatoes.

Yields 1-2 servings

Vegetables Primavera
Vegetables Primavera

This dish gets its name from “pasta primavera,” which, as legend has it, originated not in Italy (where primavera means spring) but in the US some 40 years ago when Sirio Maccioni, owner of the famed New York restaurant Le Cirque, had the idea to throw together seasonal vegetables with pasta because he didn’t have any tomatoes at hand.

Yields 2 servings as a main dish or 4 servings as a side or over a starch

Cauliflower with Zesty Walnut Pesto
Cauliflower with Zesty Walnut Pesto

Cauliflower is an amazingly versatile vegetable, thanks to its mild taste. Think of it as a healthy base for your favorite sauces. I like to dress it up with this Southwestern-style pesto. Any leftovers make a great cold lunch the next day!

Yields 6 side servings or 4 main dishes

The Creamiest Cauliflower Soup
The Creamiest Cauliflower Soup

Roasting cauliflower adds great depth of flavor to this velvety soup enhanced with cheddar cheese and a hint of heat from cayenne.

Yields 4 servings

Quinoa with Corn and Black Beans
Quinoa with Corn and Black Beans

Protein-packed quinoa is a nutrition powerhouse, rich in manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin B1, and folate. Tossed with corn, black beans, red bell pepper and herbs, it makes for an easy, colorful, healthy main or side!

Yields 4 side dish or 2 main course servings

Marinated Fish with Salmoriglio Sauce
Marinated Fish with Salmoriglio Sauce

Nearly any kind of mild fish can be enhanced with salmoriglio, a centuries-old sauce with uncertain beginnings that is popular in southern Italy. We also love it on potatoes, chicken, and shrimp or other shellfish.

Serves 4 — Recipe from Food and Wine September 2007

Lentil Soup
Lentil Soup

You likely have everything you need in your pantry to make this hearty and filling soup. Feel free to use green French lentils or the more common (and less expensive) brown variety. Blending a portion of the soup gives it a creamy texture.

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from cookieandkate.com