Simmer

Here's a hearty vegetable soup that doesn't take as long to make as the classic but is much better than what you'll find in a can.

Sweet and spicy, these carrots are the perfect accompaniment to simple roast chicken, turkey, or pork loin.

Earthy mushrooms are the base for a soup that also benefits from the saltwater essence of plump oysters.

Espresso gives this gooey, sensuous sauce a very grown-up flavor. It's perfect drizzled over ice cream.

This savory soup is thickened with masa harina, a flour made from dried corn cured in limewater. Dried ancho chiles give the vegetable broth a stunning brick-red color, and epazote (a pungent wild herb native to Mexico) contributes authentic flavor. Cubed potatoes and hefty chunks of fresh corn on the cob make the soup hearty enough to serve as a main course.

As with tomatoes, the profusion of heirloom varieties of potatoes at farmers' markets has helped us rediscover them as a seasonal ingredient in a rainbow of flavors, colors, and textures. This recipe is the perfect vehicle for trying any number of them. Nutty, creamy La Ratte fingerlings are a favorite of French chefs. German Butterballs, as their name suggests, are soft and buttery. For even cooking, choose potatoes that are about the same size.

From the menu at Vongerichten's TriBeCa restaurant, 66.

Gemma Sanita Sciabica of Modesto, California, writes: "My husband's family produces olive oil, and I'm the company's recipe developer. We often hear from customers who love our oil but complain that they don't have the time to cook. Their comments inspired me to share my favorite recipes, which show just how simple great Italian food can be."

Shari Ledwidge of Greenehaven, Arizona, writes: "My husband and I spend several weeks each year traveling around the United States. Our journeys always take us to wonderful food stands and farmers' markets, which have inspired some of my favorite recipes."

Bayerischer Würsteltopf Germans like to layer meats and vegetables in a pot and leave them to cook. Not all their hot pots are all-day affairs, however. This one, a hearty main dish, is ready to serve in half an hour. Most of its liquid cooks away, so this is actually a mélange of broth-poached vegetables and sausage.

Bavarian cream is as famous as its origin is mysterious. It might have been invented by French cooks at the court of the Wittelsbacher, the powerful dynasty that ruled Bavaria for more than seven centuries until the last Bavarian king abdicated in 1918. Or possibly, it was first made by Isabeau de Bavière, daughter of a Bavarian duke who married King Charles VI of France in 1385. Whichever version you prefer, one thing is clear: Bavarian cream is deeply entrenched in history and a royal treat in the true sense of the word.

In New England, native corn made its way into many dishes that had formerly been made with English "corns" like oats, wheat, and rice. Adaptations of English porridge and rice pudding recipes were particularly well suited to maize. This particular corn dish is sweetened with sugar and enriched with milk. The variation given at the end is a more deluxe version based on 17th-century rice pudding recipes.

While 17th-century English diners had never heard of the word "appetizer," they certainly understood the idea of foods served in several large courses for formal or court dinners. For modern diners, however, this lovely 17th-century mussel recipe makes a perfect first course. After months of eating a sea diet of dried peas, oats, and salt meats, the passengers on the Mayflower were delighted to find mussels when they first made landing on Cape Cod. They were abundant and easily gathered. This recipe is adapted from Thomas Dawson, The Second Part of the Good Huswives Jewell, 1597.

(Chickpeas Cooked in a Spicy Tomato Sauce) Cholay can be served as a snack with tea or as a vegetarian side dish. Some people like to add plain yogurt on the side to balance the spices.

If you have never thought to boil a turkey, this 1623 recipe will make a believer out of you. While the original recipe calls for a whole bird, the modern recipe is adapted to use with prepackaged turkey pieces. If you would like use a small whole bird (10-12 pounds), cut it into ten pieces before boiling—it is really difficult and potentially dangerous to lift a whole steaming turkey from a pot of boiling broth. For this larger amount of turkey, you will need to double the other ingredients.

Chef-owner Shawn McClain of Custom House restaurant in Chicago created this recipe for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program. He recommends using a creamy, mild blue cheese like Fourme d'Ambert.