Citrus

Elegant but easy, this fast fish dinner is simple enough to prepare on a weeknight and special enough to serve to company.

Kebabs are not only fun to eat, they also save time: It takes less than 10 minutes for these lamb cubes to cook up medium-rare. The marinade, made with fresh thyme and rosemary, infuses both the meat and the vegetables with south-of-France flavor.

Lime cordial is a mixture of sweet limeade syrup and beer, club soda, or seltzer, in a ratio of about 3 parts syrup to 1 part beer or soda (the syrup by itself can also be properly called lime cordial). The wonderfully refreshing drink both complements and tames intense spices.

Lori Hartman of New York City, writes: "I'm looking for a good madeleine recipe similar to the delicious ones (lemony, buttery, and spongy, but crispy on the edges) I used to buy at Bouley Bakery in Manhattan's TriBeCa neighborhood. Can you get the recipe?" The crisp edge on these delightful citrus-scented cookies sets them apart from any other classic madeleines our food editors have tasted. We're never going back.

Pa-O Long Beans Finding long beans is worth the effort — the high heat of the wok is just too much for green beans, which aren't as hearty.

It's always exciting to find a cooking method that has a dramatic effect on the flavor of your food, and this technique certainly fits the bill. Black bass, liberally seasoned with garlic, olive oil, and lime, is wrapped in layers of water-soaked paper, then buried under hot coals.

Orange peel and juice can be substituted.

The chicken and vegetables are strained out for a clear soup. If you'd like, save some chicken and vegetables to serve along with the matzo balls in the soup.

Tart rhubarb pairs with the sweetness of oranges to create a tangy sauce for roasted black sea bass. Cinnamon and ginger add a lovely background flavor.

An intense Mediterranean topping really brightens the flavor of this fish.

If you are looking for a cookie that's lower in calories than your favorite chocolate chip recipe, whip up a batch of these palate-pleasing bites from pastry chef Heather Norkin. They're easy to make, and almost all of the fat is the heart-friendly unsaturated kind, from the pecans.

A filling of lemon curd folded into whipped crème fraîche gives this tart its billowy and ethereal texture.

Ask your butcher to butterfly the leg of lamb for you.

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