Lemon

Their sweetness tempered by the tang of lemon zest, these little macaroons are the ideal dessert when you're short on time and still craving a fast, fresh ending to dinner.

Chicken legs, with their moist, succulent dark meat, are ideal for many cooking methods. For a last-minute dish that's abundant with the flavors of spring, we roast them with thyme, garlic, and lemon.

Trompe L'Oeil "Egg" Talk about playing with your food. Our editors were doing double takes when they saw this dessert in the test kitchen — and we can guarantee that even your most eagle-eyed guests will do the same.

This lightly sweet, tangy bread pudding is a snap to assemble. Feel free to use any kind of white bread you like — presliced sandwich bread (cut into 1-inch pieces) will give a smoother texture, while cubes of French or Italian bread with their crusts will make the pudding chunkier.

Editor's note: This recipe was created by chef Einat Admony for an Israeli Passover menu. Carp, a common ingredient in traditional Ashkenazi Jewish cooking, has become something of a rarity in the United States as cooks have stopped making dishes such as gefilte fish from scratch. In Israel, says chef Admony, this variety is still popular, used to make everything from Tunisian fish balls to Moroccan spicy fish. In this recipe, Admony riffs on classic gefilte fish, transforming the boiled dumplings into pan-fried cakes served with a creamy, piquant sauce.

This recipe is based on one from senior food editor Sarah Tenaglia's mom.

Baby beets, which are roughly the size of a large marble, are sweeter than mature beets and cook more quickly.

This dessert has it all — a pecan crust is filled with a layer of vanilla ice cream, topped with lemon curd, and then frozen. And the finishing touch? A golden brown crown of meringue.

Editor's note: This recipe is adapted from chef Paul Flynn of The Tannery in Dungarvan, Ireland. Wild salmon, once so plentiful in Ireland that domestic servants could stipulate in their contracts that they should not have to eat it more than three times per week, has now become a luxury item on both sides of the Atlantic. However, when top-notch fish is available, this simple preparation is a great way to showcase it. The compound butter, with its use of raisins, harks back to the dried fruits popular in the Middle Ages, and the capers show the fondness of contemporary Irish cooks for Mediterranean flavors. Irish butter, with its high fat content, will add a particularly rich flavor, but regular American butter can be substituted.

Editor's note: The recipe below is from Govind Armstrong's Small Bites, Big Nights.

>Editor's note: The recipe below is from Govind Armstrong's Small Bites, Big Nights and is part of a special menu he created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

This recipe makes more than enough jam for Chef Ryan Hardy's buttermilk panna cotta . He recommends making the full amount—leftovers are delicious in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

This recipe was created by chef Ryan Hardy of the Little Nell in Aspen, Colorado. It's part of a special menu he created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

Saltimbocca, an Italian classic, traditionally calls for veal — but tastes even better with chicken.

Paired with the pea tendrils, chanterelles, and fingerling potatoes, this main makes the most of spring's best ingredients.

Meyer lemons lend a fragrant citrus note to the silky frozen cream, which needs about four hours' freezing time.

For a lighter version, wrap the fish in very large butter lettuce leaves.

This wintertime favorite, a great way to use up the leftover rice in your fridge, gets a surprise lift from lemon zest. For added crunch, sprinkle it with slivered almonds or pistachios before serving. This recipe was originally part of a feature on slow cooking. For additional recipes and tips for using a slow cooker, click here.

The Piña Colada was born in Puerto Rico in the 1950s. Give this version an extra dose of the tropics with a stylish shredded-coconut rim (see below).

The mash is named for Spanish Harlem's historic market street where Martinez's grandmother would buy malanga, a knobby tuber. Hanger steaks are sold in doubles (two steaks attached by connective tissue). Ask the butcher to separate and trim them.