Side

"I make this dish almost once a week during high carrot season. Dill brings out carrots' earthy sweetness, and I can work on the rest of the meal while this cooks." —Eva Worden, Worden Farm, Punta Gorda, FL

This classic refreshing salad pairs perfectly with grilled lamb .

Serve half of this fresh bread with the Tunisian Vegetable Salsa as a starter and the rest with the lamb .

Skewering and grilling whole garlic cloves gives this vibrant sauce its smoky sweetness. Make the salsa as chunky or as smooth as you like.

"Add a little Parmesan to peppers and they go so quickly you can't keep them on the table." —Richard Andres, Tantré Farms, Chelsea, MI

(Chayotes Fritos) A hard, green, mild squash, the chayote is another wonderful plant native to Mexico. The beauty of the chayote is that it takes on the flavor of whatever seasoning it's cooked in. Serve on the side of your favorite meat.

I've enjoyed oats a thousand different ways in my life, and this is my favorite. A layer of fruit lines the base of a well-buttered baking dish. The fruit is then topped with a blend of rolled oats, nuts, and spices. A wet mixture of milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla is drizzled over the dry ingredients before baking to a golden-topped, fruit-scented finish. Be sure to use rolled oats and not instant oats.

SHERYL: The first time Wyatt had one of Chuck's zucchini muffins it was as if he'd died and gone to muffin heaven. I was thrilled, of course, because I knew he was actually eating zucchini without the fuss factor. Now, the first thing out of his mouth every morning is, "I want a keenie muffin!" Being the creature of habit that he is, I believe he would start every day with one of Chuck's muffins, and the nice thing about it is that Mommy can make them, too!

goat cheese, garlic, herbs Anytime I have leftover cooked quinoa, I make these little patties. They're good hot or cold and are well suited to fighting afternoon hunger pangs. It's a bit of a stretch, but they could be described as a (very) distant cousin of arancini, Italy's beloved deep-fried risotto balls. In contrast, these are pan-fried in a touch of oil, and smushed flat in the pan to get as much surface browning and crust as possible. I'm including my basic version, but often times I'll add a handful of very finely chopped this-or-that: broccoli, asparagus, or cauliflower, depending on the season. They're great on their own, slathered with ripe avocado or drizzled with hot sauce.

Matzoh can take many forms during the eight days of Passover: crushed into meal for baking or coating, topped whole with sauce and cheese for pizza, or fried with eggs for Matzoh brie. All can create Matzoh fatigue, but it can also be transformed into something a bit unexpected; that is, a riff on a holiday favorite: stuffing (minus the bread). Studded with meaty, browned mushrooms and translucent bits of celery and fennel, this is a delicious side dish perfect for soaking up gravy, or just as satisfying on its own. 

Not all potato gratins have to be creamy to be deeply satisfying. Thinly sliced boiling potatoes mixed with equally thin slices of fresh fennel and then lubricated with a little butter cook into a richly flavored side dish for your holiday roast. A little melted cheese on the top adds a lustrous touch. For more seasonal recipes, download the free Gourmet Live app and stay tuned to the Gourmet Live blog for the latest updates.

Latkes combine an ingredient and a technique that have gone together very well for centuries: potatoes and frying. This variation on a traditional crisp potato pancake is enhanced with the addition of carrots, which add a hit of earthy sweetness. For more seasonal recipes, download the free Gourmet Live app and stay tuned to the Gourmet Live blog for the latest updates.

Canned chipotles, along with tomatillos and onions charred under the broiler, give this salsa its smoky undertones.

Two seemingly disparate ingredients pair perfectly in this brightly flavored and creamy sauce.

New York City's Italian impresario Mario Batali likes to use Sun Gold tomatoes—a sweet, slightly tannic variety of cherry tomato—to make this dish. Any good cherry or grape tomatoes, or a chopped large tomato, will work, too. Be sure to cook the tomatoes down until they've released all of their juices.

Because sometimes the simplest side dishes are the best side dishes.

This vibrant sauce makes good use of an over abundance of chives. It's an ideal accompaniment to classic roasted potatoes.

A Venetian specialty of creamy rice and peas, this springtime classic should be the consistency of risotto.

Whole wheat couscous, a newcomer to supermarket shelves, gives this dish a nutty flavor—though standard couscous works just as well. Serve it with Slow-Baked Salmon or Miso-Glazed Salmon Steaks .

Tai Missoni got this recipe from the Milan restaurant Osteria La Risacca when he asked the owner what he ate at lunch. Adding white wine to the boiled potatoes keeps them moist.