Parsley

It's worth the extra effort to make this rich stock; the slow-simmered taste produces a sauce that far exceeds any made with canned beef broth. This recipe is an accompaniment for Standing Rib Roast with Rosemary-Thyme Crust .

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A cup or so of the linguine cooking water is the secret to a properly made pasta with pesto.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 4 hr

When selecting fresh herbs for use as salad greens, choose those with tender, young leaves. Can be prepared in 45 minutes of less.

Halibut is the largest member of the flatfish family, which also includes flounder. It should be cooked with some liquid, such as wine or broth, so the fish stays moist.

For centuries, the French have been braising duck as a way to tenderize it, whether the duck was wild or tame (use only farm-raised duck in the recipe below). The slight bitterness of turnips nicely offsets the flavorful meat rich but simple sauce. The appropriate wine choice here would be French-splurge a bit for the season and pour a good Burgundy or Chablis with this.

This recipe originally accompanied Roast Turkey with Bourbon Glaze . Here are two southern favorites in one colorful stuffing. Prepare the corn bread one day ahead so that it can dry out overnight. (This lends a nice texture to the stuffing.)

Rather than making herbs part of a green salad, why not make these fresh, flavorful greens the salad. The idea comes from Paris chef Alain Passard, who years ago served me an all-tarragon salad at his Left Bank restaurant, Arpège. When tarragon is fresh in the market or your garden overflows with this extraordinarily powerful herb, why not serve it with honor as a salad on its own? Years later Passard expanded what I call "the tarragon tangle" to a full-scale mixed herb salad—just a few well-dressed bites on a small salad plate—as an accompaniment. The idea really is to mix and match judiciously. Just don't use so many herbs that they lose their personality. Good combinations include parsley, mint, and tarragon. Or consider an all-mint salad to accompany grilled lamb, an all-tarragon salad to accompany grilled chicken, a sage-heavy salad to accompany roast pork. Other herbs that can be added to the following salad mix include a very judicious addition of hyssop, sage, chervil, and marjoram. Just be sure to include leaves only—no cheating—leaving all stems behind!

(Egg, Pickle, and Caper Mayonnaise) Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe was created to accompany Roasted Salmon with Salsa Verde .

Straight from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. This is one of mom's specialties for a summer lunch or dinner.