Lemon

Quinoa, an excellent source of protein that counts toward your whole-grain goal, is the base for this citrusy side. Be sure to use fresh mint leaves—dried mint won’t provide the flavor boost you want for this dish.

Fresh lemon juice, capers, basil, and olive oil provide your palate with a taste from the Greek Isles.

A light cream sauce enhanced with Parmesan cheese coats fresh spinach in this side dish. Try it with pork chops, fish fillets, or turkey cutlets.

Whenever you need a basic white sauce, this recipe does the trick. It’s also a useful substitute when a casserole recipe calls for a can of condensed creamy soup, which is usually high in sodium.

Fresh lemon juice and garlic intensify the flavor of this dressing. You’ll be able to complement many different types of salad with it and its variations.

Serve this easy sauce over fish, use it as a dip for raw vegetables, or spoon it over sliced cucumbers.

After trying our healthful version of barbecue sauce, you’ll wonder why you ever bought the bottled kind.

A scoop of crunchy tuna salad on a bed of juicy mango slices makes a nice lunch entrée.

Lemon-scented muffins with plump blueberries really hit the spot for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Lentils and potato provide wholesome fiber in this hearty main-dish soup. While it simmers, bake some Corn Muffins (page 286) and toss a salad with one of the vinaigrettes on pages 96–97.

Fresh asparagus and dill turn this soup into a flavorful celebration of spring.

Terrific all by itself, this lemon cream is even more delicious with a double dose of raspberries, plus gingersnaps and lemon zest.

For a double dose of spice, serve this “scent-sational” dip with crisp gingersnaps. The combination is perfect as a slightly sweet appetizer or a bite of quick dessert.

Roasting lemons and shallots brings out their natural sugars and imparts a smoky flavor as well. Try variations, too, such as oranges and large cloves of garlic.

As soon as it’s artichoke season, I often make this dish when I’m firing the oven for making bread or pizza. It’s so very simple in both ingredients and technique, you’ll want to make it often. After you’ve baked your bread, throw this dish in the oven for a quick accompaniment to your meal. The heat from the oven slightly caramelizes the outer leaves of the artichokes and the skins of the lemons. You’ll be amazed at how flavorful and sweet artichokes taste cooked this way! The lemons and juices are used to make a dipping sauce.

This tasty roasted chicken recipe is from Cheryl and Bill Jamison and is adapted from their book, Smoke & Spice. We made this together at their home in Santa Fe and adapted it to the Big Green Egg, which works perfectly at 250 to 275°F. The birds were a beautiful tobacco color from the oak lump charcoal smoke. If you like, add any leftover rub to the mop for additional flavor.

The best way to serve this northern California specialty is on a table lined with newspapers. Here, boiled Dungeness crab is roasted in the shell in a cast-iron pan over a wood fire. It is equally wonderful roasted in a wood-fired oven. The deep, rich flavor of the roasted crab is extraordinary, especially when served with Wood Roasted Artichokes (page 105).

Tandoori chicken is easily identified by its red color and is named for the oven it’s cooked in. The tandoor is a cylindrical clay or ceramic oven heated to temperatures of 550° to 750°F or more. Meat and vegetables are skewered, then lowered into the oven. The high heat creates a crisp crust and leaves the meat moist. For the best flavor, marinate overnight. The red food coloring is optional. This recipe is adapted to a grill or Big Green egg ceramic cooker, which is the next best thing to an actual tandoor oven.