Citrus

One for the nut-lover. A refreshing apple compote is topped with an almond (or hazelnut) sponge. Simple and delicious, it's an ideal Passover dessert.

A classic Italian topping, gremolata is usually sprinkled over osso buco.

Malouines At the restaurant, these cookies are about the size of a dime. We found them much easier to work with, however, if we made them a little bigger.

This is especially good with grilled fish.

The delicate flavors of the fish pair perfectly with the zesty dressing of the potato salad from Un Grande Café, in Chicago, Illinois.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Just a few layers of phyllo make a pretty cup for the rich-tasting lemon custard. The leftover phyllo cups and filling can be stored separately and assembled the next day for an afternoon treat.

Residents of Maghreb use semolina to make tiny pasta pellets called kesksu in Arabic. Unlike pasta made with other types of wheat flour, pasta made from semolina does not become mushy during cooking. The old-fashioned way of making these pellets is to mix semolina flour with water, roll the dough into tiny balls, sift it over a medium-meshed wire sieve to remove any excess flour, then steam the final product over boiling water or a stew. Instant couscous, available at most supermarkets, is prepared by adding boiling water. Although not as fluffy as the classic type, it is more than acceptable for seffa and easy to prepare. Israelis make a larger form of couscous, which is lightly toasted; do not substitute for the regular type. In the Maghreb, couscous is both everyday fare—served in most households, both rich and poor, several times a week—and a food for special occasions. It is most commonly used as the base for flavorful meat, poultry, fish, or vegetable stews. For special occasions, however, it is sweetened and topped with dried fruits and nuts. Seffa is also made by mounding couscous on a platter and sprinkling sugar on top instead of stirring it. Seffa with dried fruits is a traditional Moroccan Hanukkah dish. For Rosh Hashannah, it is sprinkled with pomegranate seeds or small grapes. On Tu b'Shevat and other special occasions, it is garnished with datils rellenos (stuffed dates) and dried fruit. Moroccans prefer desserts rich and sugar, and their seffa is generally sweeter than Tunisian versions.

Whipped cream, fresh lemons and sweet raspberries add homemade flavor to purchased lemon curd.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Alongside this colorful main course, offer simple side dishes like white rice mixed with black beans, and steamed chunks of zucchini. Holiday cookies from the bakery top off the meal nicely.