Onion

This smooth puréed soup manages the near—impossible feat of being velvety and creamy without any cream. Ribbons of zucchini add a final soupçon of elegance.

If you've got the grill going anyway, toss your ears on before you butter them to get a quick char and even deeper flavor.

Chunks of chorizo balance the sweetness of spring onions, beans, and peas. A Sherry vinaigrette lends a slight Iberian edge.

In this side dish, the vegetables are dressed in a classic red wine vinaigrette. Chiles add smoky heat.

This Mexican take on gazpacho has a little bit of crunch, thanks to pepitas (pumpkin seeds).

You can practically live on this salad in sultry weather. It tastes bright and fresh and is satisfying without being heavy.

Food editor Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez picked up her technique for grilling pizza during a college visit to Al Forno, in Providence, Rhode Island. Here, she tops that irresistibly charred crust with ingredients that have a natural affinity for one another: sweet cooked-down onions, toasted walnuts, and the bite of Gorgonzola.

Stirring the fresh herbs into the hot rice preserves their flavor and releases their aroma.

This pasta is loaded with appealing flavors: sweet onions and tomatoes, tangy goat cheese, earthy spinach.

You can find crisp, delicate pea shoots in the spring at farmers' markets, Asian markets, and some specialty foods stores.

These versatile soufflés can be served for breakfast or lunch, or as a side dish for dinner.

While the Buffalo salmon<\a> is busy hogging all the sauce, what's the chicken left to do all by its lonesome self? Here, it cozies up with ever-so-sweet scallions for some much-needed TLC that manages to be both new and familiar.

Pretty protein-rich bites by Jarett Brodie, chef at FR.OG in New York City.

All sorts of English terms have made it into the Indian culinary lexicon. This is what's called a chicken "roast."

Can't take the heat? Then eat some raita. In India, the condiment is used to cool the palate.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Aroma: The Magic of Essential Oils in Food and Fragrance by Mandy Aftel and Daniel Patterson. This is an incredibly useful and versatile stock. It has a sweet vegetal flavor that can be used in many different ways—as a base for sauces and soups, adding richness and depth without changing the essential flavor of what it is paired with. It keeps in the refrigerator for one week, or you can freeze it indefinitely.

Wear gloves when working with super-hot chiles like habaneros.