Gourmet

Kombu comes packaged in dried lengths that are most easily cut with scissors.

This recipe is from Willinger's cookbook Red, White & Greens. She was inspired by chef Fabio Picchi of the Florentine restaurant Cibréo, where creamy-yet-creamless soup is his signature first course. Picchi likes to use meat stock as the base for the soup, but Willinger thinks the flavor is nearly as rich using only water. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 35 min

Asparagus is a star of the season, as a side dish to any main course — chicken, fish, pork, beef, or lamb — or as a salad topped with a squeeze of lemon juice. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 30 min

If rice pudding is getting a little too comfortable, try our version with fresh pineapple, mango, and papaya. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 30 min

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 4 hr (includes cooling)

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min A wonderfully versatile salad that can be served with almost any main course. The vinaigrette is zesty and fresh, yet it's mild enough to work well with a variety of flavors.

Churros are a Spanish classic, usually sold in street-side shops and quickly transported home or to a local café to enjoy with thick hot chocolate. They're made with a piece of equipment called a churrera, which is a type of pastry tube.

These pistachios make an unusual but addictive cocktail snack. The recipe was inspired by some versions we tried at Restaurant Sent Sov‭, in Saratoga, California.

This pie, reminiscent of a frittata, is a great way to use up leftover pasta. Serve it with bread and a salad for lunch, brunch, or dinner.

When our executive food editor, Zanne Stewart, was growing up, her family spent summers in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. This recipe was inspired by a dish of chicken and dumplings she remembers well from those vacations.

"A friend gave me this great cookie recipe from the Netherlands," writes Marie Rizzio of Traverse City, Michigan. "The dough can be made ahead and frozen."