Starter

A mandoline or V-slicer makes quick work of slicing the radishes.

It's not Easter dinner without the eggs. In this recipe, they are boiled just until the yolks are set, then sliced and topped with a fresh herb sauce.

These classic pleated Chinese dumplings are delicious either steamed or fried. When fried, they're called "pot stickers." Though the dough is easy to make, if you're short on time you can use premade round gyoza wrappers (also called dumpling or pot sticker wrappers) instead. Look for them in Asian markets and the refrigerated section of many grocery stores.

Simple to prepare but impressive when served, this is spring elegance at its best. The salad is shown with purple watercress, a beautiful, rare variety you might find at farmers' markets. Green watercress works great, too.

Savoy cabbage would work well here, too.

Orange slices add a juicy, sweet touch to this simple salad, which is made even easier by drizzling the lettuce with oil and vinegar (rather than making a proper vinaigrette).

Be sure to buy a colorful assortment of baby vegetables. Serve as a side for roasted meat or fish, as an antipasto with salumi and breadsticks, or as an appetizer with crusty bread and goat cheese.

The slaw should be chilled at least 4 hours before serving. Ginger can be sliced thinly and chopped in a mini-chopper.

With sustainability in mind, we taste-tested a variety of domestic caviars. Trout roe had the pop and brininess we were looking for—and it was especially pretty.

The secret ingredient in this dish is a surprisingly modest one: grapefruit. Its tartness balances the unashamed, almost swaggering richness of scallops bathed in a butter sauce.

Something green and crisp is in order, and this simple salad is just the thing. A tangy from-scratch honey-mustard dressing will make salad eaters out of even the youngest at the table.

This potato soup recipe was brought over from Poland by test kitchen director Ruth Cousineau's grandmother.

Crunchy, salty, and fried. Who knew turnips could taste this good? These can be fun appetizers or the perfect side for sesame-oil-seared black cod with a rice-vinegar soy glaze.

In this soupy, risotto-like side dish or starter, pureed parsnips and blanched carrots, parsnips, and turnips are stirred into cooked basmati rice. The parsnip puree adds luxurious richness without any cream, butter, or cheese. Serve alongside pan-grilled steaks or pork chops.

Here's a great new way to roast beets: in a salt crust. The horseradish, thyme, and orange in the crust infuse the beets with bright flavor as they're cooking. Leftover beets make a great addition to salads. Lightly coat torn butter lettuce with a Sherry wine vinaigrette, top with the sliced beets and some sliced red onion, and drizzle with a bit of the horseradish crème fraîche.

A dish to convert all the Brussels sprout haters. By cooking the sprouts only briefly, you preserve their great nutty flavor. This side pairs nicely with roasted rack of lamb or whole chicken. For a Middle Eastern-flavored meal, rub either meat with olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper before cooking.

Look for squash that are heavy for their size.

You don't often see turnips served raw, but they're crisp, sweet, and surprisingly tasty. At the market, look for small fennel bulbs and small turnips. They'll be tender and have a mild flavor.

The chicken calls for oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes from a jar, and this dip cleverly makes use of some of that oil.