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Toss aside the mashed potatoes and welcome this appealing alternative, a spirited mix of zucchini, tender sautéed bell pepper, and refreshing scallions.

Wild rice has an affinity for fish, and we think it's particularly good alongside tender pieces of smoked salmon. Crisp snow peas and wedges of hard-boiled egg round out the salad, and a refreshing dill vinaigrette brings all the flavors together.

If your pulse quickens at the suggestion of salt and vinegar potato chips, you'll be hooked on this warm potato salad after one bite. A little Old Bay seasoning gives it a modest kick.

This light chowder with a subtle note of smokiness really lets the scallops shine.

Carne de Puerco con Chile Guajillo To bring out pork's flavor, try the classic Mexican technique used in this recipe: First simmer the meat, then fry it in its own rich fat. Don't be alarmed by the amount of chiles in the sauce, as mild guajillos simply lend flavor and body.

Though this recipe owes a debt to that icon of childhood desserts, Jell-O with whipped cream, the interplay of floral passion fruit and herbal basil is nothing if not elegant.

To call this bracing pink drink a rhubarb-infused ginger ale doesn't do it justice; it's much less syrupy-sweet and more cooling. The slightly tart flavor of rhubarb pairs well with lush picnic dishes.

Almost any berry, or combination of berries, can be substituted in this recipe.

The nutty flavor and firm bite of wheat berries make them a perfect addition to salads. Paired with roasted red peppers, smoked chicken, and hazelnuts, they make for a remarkably satisfying meal.

_(Tamago Toji Udon) Editor's note: This recipe was adapted by Japanese cooking expert Elizabeth Andoh. Andoh also shared some helpful tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page.

(Mole Negro de Teotitlán) Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Zarela Martinez's book The Food and Life of Oaxaca. Martinez also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. To read more about Martinez and Oaxacan cuisine, click here. Mole Negro is the state dish of Oaxaca, the king of moles. It also happens to be the most difficult to make. People pride themselves on their own different touches, and family recipes are passed down as heirlooms. Market stands specializing in moles all proclaim that their version is the best. This recipe is an adaptation of a version made by my friend and culinary mentor Zoyla Mendoza, who has given me such insight into the cooking of the Valley Zapotecs. When she made it for me at her home in Teotitlán del Valle, she first toasted the chiles, nuts, and spices and sent them out to a nearby mill to be ground. Meanwhile, she pounded the tomatoes and other moist ingredients in her big stone mortar, to be combined later with the nut and spice paste. Less sweet than many other versions, her Mole Negro is spicy and intense — I love the sprightly taste of fresh ginger. Increase the amount of clove and thyme in the recipe if you wish. Zoyla used much more of both than I do. Though Zoyla's version of Mole Negro is less complex then some, it shows the crucial "blackening" feature of most black moles. For years I'd made versions that turned out no blacker than dark red. An offhand remark revealed what I was doing wrong. "Queman los chiles" ("They burn the chiles"), a Juchitecan woman casually told me when I asked her. My instinct said that it would turn the whole dish bitter, so I'd just been toasting the chiles lightly. But in Oaxaca it is normal to make Mole Negro by first separating the seeds from the dried chiles, then toasting the chiles to an absolute crisp and literally burning — BURNING — the seeds. Zoyla also follows this procedure. The bitterness disappears through soaking and extended cooking. Because the pungent fumes can leave you gasping and call down the wrath of neighbors in city apartment buildings, it is wise to attempt this recipe only if you can do the worst part (burning the seeds) outdoors or with a good exhaust fan going full blast. You should also work out an advance plan for the final grinding of the paste. You can either combine all the ingredients and process them in several batches in the blender or assign part of the task (the chiles, nuts, and spices that Zoyla sent out to the mill) to the food processor. Read the recipe through carefully in advance, and decide which strategy you prefer. (The processor alone will definitely give the wrong texture.) This sauce is popular with enchiladas and shows up in chicken, turkey, or pork tamales. But the age-old way of eating black mole is with boiled turkey. In this country, use turkey parts like wings or drumsticks and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes in a small amount of stock, then finish cooking in the sauce for another 30 to 40 minutes. Please note that when served in this manner with poultry or other meats, the sauce should be thinned to a fairly light consistency. When it is used as a filling, it must be dense and thick.

_Editor's note: This recipe was adapted by Japanese cooking expert Elizabeth Andoh. This recipe originally accompanied Thick White Noodles in Soup, Topped with Eggs and Scallions and Cold Noodle Salad with Ponzu Sauce._ If instructions are provided on the package you purchase, follow the guidelines printed there. If no guidelines are available, refer to the basic procedures described here.

_(Iriko Dashi) Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are adapted from Elizabeth Andoh's book_ Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen. _Andoh also shared some helpful tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. This recipe originally accompanied Thick White Noodles in Soup, Topped with Eggs and Scallions and Cold Noodle Salad with Ponzu Sauce._ In the Sanuki region of Shikoku Island, noodle soup stock is typically made from dried sardines called iriko, in combination with dried kelp (kombu), and dried black mushrooms (hoshi shiitake). Some Sanuki stocks are enriched with bonito flakes (katsuobushi) and if you prefer a smoky flavor to your broth, I suggest you add these flakes, too. All the dried foodstuffs used to make stocks are rich in naturally occurring glutamates and provide intense flavor to the soup.

Cape Malays were the first to braise lobster in spices, which resulted in this delicious curry, for which many variations exist. Earlier writers specify tamarind juice; more recently this has been replaced by lemon juice. For a simpler recipe, use lobster tails instead of whole lobsters and omit the first step in the method.

Geelrys (yellow rice) is great with bobotie and curry. Its other name, begrafnisrys (funeral rice) comes from the fact that it was always part of the meal served after funerals, a tradition of both the Dutch and the Cape Malays.

The simplicity and speed of this dish belie its deep, complex flavor — sweet, sour, spiced, and savory. Although the plums that once grew all over Epirus have been lost to more profitable crops, plums and prunes still appear in many of the region's dishes.

This drink was featured as a Cocktail of the Month.

Ca ri ga Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table by Mai Pham and are part of our story on Lunar New Year. True to the Vietnamese style of curry-making, this recipe is milder and lighter than Indian or Thai curries. You can make this with chicken stock, but the coconut milk adds body and enhances the overall flavor. Depending on my mood and the time of year, I sometimes serve this with a warmed baguette (a French influence) instead of steamed rice. Other times, I just make the curry with more broth and serve it with rice noodles. Like other curries, it's delicious the next day.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Vanilla Mousse Meringues and Fresh Berries.

Khao Neeo See Dam — Thailand Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Hot Sour Salty Sweet by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid and are part of our story on Lunar New Year. Since black rice is a big favorite of Tashi's, over time we've developed a quick version of black rice pudding, aromatic, sweet, and satisfying. You can prepare it and have it in bowls for impatient rice pudding fans in under an hour, with no presoaking of the rice. Serve it for dessert or as a snack, or even for breakfast. The rice is moist, almost soupy, when first made, but if it's left to stand in a cool place, it firms up into a pudding-cake texture and can be eaten in slices (see Note below). Eat it on its own or topped with sesame seeds, coriander leaves, or fried shallots, or a combination.