Fava Bean

"Skinning broad beans to reveal their bright green inner kernels is time-consuming, but it produces a sweeter, much more visually exciting bean," says Ferrigno. She taught us the great trick of cooking the beans in unsalted water and olive oil to retain that intense color (which looks gorgeous with the red onion). A handful of chopped mint leaves underscores the verdant flavor of this warm salad.

If your toddler doesn't want the toast part, give him a more finger food–friendly bowl of cooked, unmashed beans. Four-star chefs wait all year for the same privilege.

This recipe was created by chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill restaurant in New York City and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, New York. It's part of a special menu he created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

Halloumi, a firm mild Cypriot cheese popular in Greece, can be placed directly into a dry nonstick skillet or onto a grill and cooked. The outside will get brown and crisp; the inside will be soft and melted. Serve right away.

This recipe was created by chef Ryan Hardy of the Little Nell in Aspen, Colorado. It's part of a special menu he created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

Favas lend a fresh note here. For the most robust flavor, use tuna packed in olive oil rather than water.

Every Israeli has an opinion about falafel, the ultimate Israeli street food, which is most often served stuffed into pita bread.

With the mercury rising, who wants to feast on a winter stew? Lighten up with this dish from Sondra Bernstein, author of The Girl & the Fig Cookbook (Simon &Schuster). It features fresh herbs and veggies and a protein-packed halibut fillet. Then, instead of hitting the couch to digest, you can hit the pavement for an after-dinner stroll.

If you can find them, large, bright pink watermelon radishes will look and taste great here.

Since lima and fava beans have a shorter growing season than most local tomatoes, we've given frozen edamame, available year-round, as an alternative to make this recipe more versatile.

The quality of the ricotta made near Florence inspired cooks there to create these dumplings. Seasonal leeks add their earthiness to the gnocchi, and bright green favas sautéed in butter with sage are the edible garnish.

Vignarola You'll find this dish in trattorias all over Rome during the spring. The long, slow cooking causes the vegetables to lose their bright color, but the sweet flavor of the stew makes up for its rather bland appearance. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

Slightly sweet, fresh ricotta, which can be found in many Italian markets, makes this starter especially delicious. Regular ricotta also works well.

Farro, an old-world wheat variety, has taken today's Tuscan cooking by storm. It has been cultivated in the Garfagnana — an area of forests in northern Tuscany — for millennia. Traditionally, the grain was used to make soups and porridge; now it's a part of any number of dishes, including risotto, where it replaces the rice, and salads like this one. If you cannot find farro, use wheat berries.