Side

Cholar Dal This dal, a sweet version served at festive occasions, is the best we've ever tasted.

The bright, tender fruit of Fuyu persimmons mellows the intensity of cranberries while lending this sauce a beautiful jewel-like hue. Using Fuyus, which can be eaten hard or soft, removes the guesswork of finding ripe fruit.

This sauce, a mix of everyday and exotic, provides a sweet and tart contrast to rich meat or poultry.

It's hard to improve upon the honest goodness of mashed potatoes, but here scallions and brown butter do the trick. The scallions provide sweetness, and the brown butter adds a beguiling nuttiness.

This vegetarian gravy is layered with bold flavors — from the onions to the roasted mushrooms and barley — each of which makes a real statement. Even our carnivorous food editors agree it's one of the best gravies they've ever tasted.

This slightly unusual side dish takes the place of your standard green beans, lending a light and crunchy contrast to the heavier, puréed dishes in this menu. (Most people don't think of cooking jicama, but we love its crisp water-chestnut-like texture, raw or sautéed.)

A touch of cream transforms this dish into a sumptuous side that exposes the luxurious character of this often homely vegetable.

Despite the fact that they require few ingredients and little effort, these beans always get raves.

Every bite of this simple, crisp salad literally bursts with flavor. With each bite, you get a splash of juice and the crunch of nuts.

We used strongly flavored wild greens because a mild salad would get lost with the rest of the menu. The dressing is a simple and classic vinaigrette.

This recipe is an adaptation of the wonderful smash of vegetable served on the sliced-pork sandwiches at Philadelphia's Tony Lukes. Liberated from the bread, the dish has a slight bitterness that makes a great foil for the richness of Broiled Duck Breasts with Orange Chipotle Sauce .

Verjus is a tart grape juice made from unripe wine grapes. Milder than vinegar, it can be used in salad dressings without competing with an accompanying wine the way vinegar does. Look for it at specialty foods stores or online at chefshop.com and terrasonoma.com. What to drink: Pour an Oregon Pinot Noir with the salad and the Herbed Lamb Chops with Pinot Noir Sauce.