Saffron

Serve this flavorful saffron-scented dish as either an appetizer or a main course.

Barley gives this a wonderful chewy texture.

This vegetarian version of the Spanish classic is perfect for spring. You will need a 12-inch-diameter skillet with 3-inch-high sides.

Make garlic-rubbed baguette toasts for mopping up the sauce. What to drink: Brut Champagne or a dry, aromatic white wine, like Viognier.

The name for this beautiful Bordelais dish is mouclade. Use small mussels to approximate the tiny, sweet variety cultivated just off the coast north of Bordeaux. What to drink: Baron Philippe de Rothschild 2000 Mouton Cadet Blanc.

Redolent of garlic and saffron, these tiny meatballs are a sure hit at any tapas party.

A 1980 charter signed by 11 restaurants (7 in Marseille) dictates what kinds of fish form the basis of an authentic local bouillabaisse. These are generally unavailable here, so we suggest using the freshest nonoily fish you can get, preferably three to five different kinds. As long as we were taking liberties, we also added lobster and used fennel fronds in place of pastis. And though the broth and croutons are usually served separately from the fish itself in Marseille, we enjoyed everything together. Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Although bisques tend to be thick and creamy, the following intensely flavorful version is light, with very little cream added.

An Armenian dish that's the perfect accompaniment to roast turkey, goose or ham. This version is dressed up for the holidays with golden saffron and studded with dried fruit and nuts.

This low-fat rendition of the classic dish comes from Gil Martínez Soto of Restaurante Virrey de Palafox in El Burgo de Osma, Spain.

The test kitchen used wonton wrappers instead of homemade pasta to simplify this.

Buttery, slightly sweet pumpkin is the perfect mate for the briny flavor of oysters, scallops, or other crustaceans. This soup is made with shrimp, whose shells are turned into an aromatic stock that serves as the soup's liquid. Classic shellfish bisques are thickened with rice, but here pumpkin provides body for the soup. Sage's earthy flavor complements both pumpkin and shrimp and steers the focus of flavor from sweet to savory. This is a satisfying soup to prepare throughout the fall. If you serve it as a first course for Thanksgiving dinner, you might start a tradition in your family.

A cross between brioche and challah, this bread is a lightly sweetened, egg-glazed cylinder, often baked in a coffee can to make a tall loaf. The kulich would sit proudly in the center of the family Easter basket, surrounded by meats, cheeses, butter, and eggs. It's a central part of the Easter meal, served with sweet paskha cheese or unsalted butter.

Moroccan Turkey Pie Traditionally, Moroccan b'stilla is a pie made with minced squab.

Team the fish with steamed rice and sautéed spinach, and pour a Sauvignon Blanc.