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Cicoria is a standard cooked green on menus all over Italy—it has a pleasing bitterness that's offset by the richness of the oil it's sautéed in. Sadly, it's hard to find that kind of chicory in America, but dandelion greens make a nice substitute.

If you like stuffed clams, you'll love this variation. The mussels are steamed open, then topped with garlicky herbed bread crumbs that truly complement the plump bites of briny flavor beneath.

Salads like this one are found all over Puglia, almost always with carrot, celery, and parsley (we suspect the locals like the combination as much for its gorgeous color contrast with the octopus as for its freshness and crunch) and lightly dressed with olive oil and lemon.

Find the eggs in specialty markets

This crowd-pleasing recipe was developed by Susan Baldassano, Director of Education at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in New York City. For moist, tender muffins, use finely ground yellow cornmeal, such as that made by Arrowhead Mills. You can replace the blueberries with an equal amount of cranberries and increase the sugar to 2 tablespoons, or replace the blueberries with 3/4 cup of raspberries.These muffins are delicious on their own, or try them warm with butter and jam. Cooled muffins can be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to three days or frozen for up to three weeks. Thaw and reheat muffins in 350°F oven or microwave (unlike those made with wheat, gluten-free baked goods won't get tough in the microwave). See our related story for more information and sources for gluten-free ingredients.

Carrots are gently infused with a sweet, minty flavor.

A great side, but also a nice vegetarian dinner when made with vegetable broth and served over rice.

Thick asparagus spears become an addictive appetizer when they're given a crunchy coating.

Kugel is most often made with potatoes or noodles. Here, carrots, zucchini, and two kinds of onions add color and flavor to a potato version.

Cooking the artichokes with the rice infuses the risotto with the flavor of this delicate vegetable.

For a vegetarian version, use 24 ounces extra-firm tofu instead of chicken, and increase the soy sauce to 2/3 cup and the vinegar to 1/2 cup. Serve with brown rice or soba noodles.

A bright, beautiful spring appetizer.

There are many variations of haroseth, a mixture of fruit, nuts, and honey. This version is light and fresh, with a nice crunch. Haroseth is one of the six elements of the seder plate, and is left on the table for the rest of the meal. It is traditionally served with matzo.

The softly fried eggs are a wonderful counterbalance to the rich ingredients in this Spanish take on salade lyonnaise. Migas are Spanish croutons.