Onion

Ask your butcher to butterfly the leg of lamb for you.

Although this turkey (or chicken) broth is time-consuming to make, it really does benefit from simmering on the stove for hours. The whole heads of garlic mellow into deep sweetness, giving the broth an authentic Italian flavor.

Start this dish at least 4 hours ahead. The chicken can also marinate overnight. What to drink: A delicate white wine with floral aromas, like Pinot Gris from Austria or Alsace.

The flavor intensity of watercress can vary, so the amount needed for this soup will vary, too, depending on whether you like a strong or mild watercress taste.

For subtle spice in this Asian-inspired soup, use half a red chile; add a whole chile for a good punch of heat.

Creton
Quebec breakfast at its best, this pâté-like spread is a treat on toast or crackers anytime.

In addition to its traditional role on the Seder plate, this charoset is delicious as a condiment for duck or roast beef.

A whole fish, representing abundance, is almost always included on the celebratory Chinese table. Ours is flavored only lightly, with ginger and scallions, so as not to overpower the fresh taste of the fish. We developed an oven-steaming method to free up space on your stovetop for soup and stir-fries.

Slices of succulent pork, a sauce made from the pan juices, sautéed onions and peppers, and cheese add up to the perfect halftime sandwich.

It's traditional to serve a whole chicken, including the head and feet, for Chinese New Year. The white meat symbolizes purity, and serving the entire bird represents unity. Plunging the chicken into ice water after poaching ensures that the meat is perfectly juicy and tender. A very simple but powerful dipping sauce tops it off. Use only a tiny amount — it's quite strong.

From the rich broth to the velvety cubes of winter melon — a gourd commonly used in Chinese cuisine for the wonderfully soft texture it takes on during cooking — this wholesome soup is immensely satisfying. Although the winter melon's delicate white flesh has no distinct taste of its own, it absorbs the broth's flavor. We recommend buying a good-quality organic free-range chicken to get the best results. Since Chinese ham is unavailable in the United States, we substitute Smithfield ham. But other cured hams, such as prosciutto, also work well.

This savory tart hails from France and features cottage cheese, sour cream, bacon slices, onion, and freshly grated Parmesan. You've never know by looking at it, but it's actually very easy to make and ready in under an hour. 

Barbara Edwards, the reader who sent us this recipe, wrote that every time she served this salad, the men in the group would "lick the platter clean." We found the women in our test kitchens were crunching on it as happily as the men. The creaminess and tang of cottage cheese and mayonnaise offset the edge of onion and the crispness of cabbage.

A boneless center-cut pork loin is incredibly versatile. Infused with the deep sweetness of prunes, it takes on the rich, robust flavors of southwestern France.

Hold the cabbage! The takeout industry has given egg rolls a bad name, but in the 1940s, Gourmet readers clamored for a genuine version of the "Chinese delicacy." Our answer was fragrant with garlic, scallions, shiitakes, shrimp, and roast pork.