Onion

Asparagus heralds spring! It still may be a little early, but as the asparagus season moves along, the stalks will be less woody.

Guacamole con Tomatillos Use Haas avocados if available; their buttery creaminess makes for the best guacamole.

This delicate cut of meat is ideally sautéed (a quick cook in butter or oil) until lightly browned. Don't overcook!

For this warm-weather dish, a salsa cruda à la Grec — or uncooked Greek-style sauce — is combined with hot pasta and served at once. Be sure to use the ripest, juiciest tomatoes you can find, preferably from a farmers' market or your own backyard.

Halved cherry tomatoes and diced green chilies make a chunky relish for the tri-tip.

This recipe was created to accompany <epi:recipelink id="12388">Grilled Spiced Garlic Skirt Steak</epi:recipelink>. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Be sure to save a few of these buttery biscuits for mini ham sandwiches the next day.

This recipe was created to accompany <epi:recipelink id="12400">Pork Tournedos with Blackberry Gastrique and Mango Salsa</epi:recipelink>.

The glaze can be made a day ahead; it is intensely flavored, so use it sparingly. Take the roast out of the fridge one hour before cooking. What to drink: Merlot or Australian Shiraz.

Serve with: Crusty French rolls and steamed new potatoes tossed with butter and chervil. Dessert: Meringues filled with purchased lemon curd and sprinkled with blueberries.

Green chilies, cumin, and chorizo flavor this spicy southwestern rendition of the eastern seaboard classic.

Serve over steamed basmati rice. Garam masala, a spice mixture, is available at Indian markets and some supermarkets.