Simmer

This silky puree can be made one day ahead. What to drink: That's easy — offer guests Irish ale throughout the meal.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Coffee and Turrón Ice Cream Torte with Honey-Brandy Oranges .

If you trim and blanch the green beans and turnips one day ahead of time, this dish will come together in just minutes.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Russian Walnut-Cherry Latkes with Cherry-Apple Sauce. Also delicious over Cornish game hens.

Creamy fresh cheese meets spinach in this Indian classic.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. In France many swear by cooking these carrots in the pure water of Vichy, said to best bring out the vegetable's delicate flavor, but in truth the dish is delicious made with good water of any origin.

Made with yogurt instead of cream, this pureed soup is deceptively light. The green apple peels, thinly sliced and fried, make a delicious garnish.

Purée de Carottes et Pommes de Terre Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Soupe aux Pois Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 4 1/2 hr

This recipe was developed by Houston pastry chef Pamela Manovich, with the help of Girl Scout Laura Watkins.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 4 hr

I use a small, plump, shrewdly marketed black lentil dubbed "beluga" for this soup, but you can use dark green French lentils or flat olive-green ones, or you can try other pulses such as split peas — green, orange, or gold. Just be prepared to adjust the amount of stock or water. Whole cumin and black peppercorns, crushed just before you add them to the soup, flavor it boldly. I have served this soup three different ways — straight from the pot, irregularly mashed in a mortar, and fully puréed in a blender or processor. Each method produces a different texture and character, and I like all three.

Bianco Another Corfiote fish recipe with an Italian-sounding name. Bianco is pungent with garlic and is called "white" because it is made without tomatoes.