Spring

Baby turnips and the season's first onions are some of the BA Test Kitchen's favorite spring ingredients.

New potatoes are freshly dug and have tender skins; wash them gently so that they don't tear. If they're hard to find, any small potato or fingerling variety will work.

If using skin-on hazelnuts, rub them inside a clean kitchen towel after they've been toasted—the skins will slip right off. Serve the fish with a lightly dressed butter lettuce and herb salad.

It goes without saying, but the sweeter and riper your strawberries, the better this adult slushie will taste (and look).

If you've never made a savory custard, now's the time. Start with this minimal and delicate Japanese version, studded with fresh peas and tender shrimp.

The belly's thick layer of fat keeps the pork tender as it cooks. It's cooked low and slow to ensure the meat is tender, then crisped up over high heat.

If you've ever woken up with a hangover, you know why egg sandwiches have earned their spot in the comfort-food canon. But the day-after staple can cure your dinnertime blues, too. The necessities: a runny yolk; soft, griddled bread; and something fresh to keep the fat attack in check. Once you've nailed these basics, it's about adding a few more elements for flair. This version, from Austin's Noble Sandwich Co., uses quick-pickled onions (proof that pickles make everything taste better), Sriracha mayonnaise to bring the heat (a dash of hot sauce would also do the trick), and arugula for brightness and bite. Throw some avocado on there, or sliced ripe tomato, if you're in the mood. The point is, think savory, think seasonal, and wake up to a new reality.

Prep time: About 45 minutes
Slow cooker time: About 4 hours
Oven time: 20 to 25 minutes (can occur during the slow-cooking process)
Finishing time: About 20 minutes With this juicy, flavorful dessert (slightly spicy from the peppercorns), you get the best of all worlds: the fruit cooks slowly and develops complex flavors in the slow cooker, the lemony drop biscuits turn golden in the oven, and the juices reduce on the stovetop into a thick sauce that blankets the fruit. I loved this recipe so much that I "tested" it six times! As for my children, they coined it "rhubarb dessert" and now crave rhubarb as a result. This cobbler is especially good with vanilla ice cream.
For ease, zest the lemons before squeezing them for the juice. You can make the biscuits in advance, though the dessert is most delicious when the biscuits are served warm from the oven. Purchase the reddest rhubarb you can to yield a dessert with the most vivid color. Make sure to use the amount of fruit called for—it might seem like a large quantity, but the strawberries and rhubarb cook down a lot. If you'd like to serve the dessert family style, pour it into a 9- x 12-inch baking dish.

I didn't think it was possible to love artichokes more than I already did until I lived in Italy. There they harvest artichokes in both spring and fall, and that abundance graces their cuisine. Artichokes also enhance their health, as they stimulate the gallbladder to produce bile, which escorts toxins out of the body and also helps break down fats in the diet. Here, artichoke hearts are combined with chicken, chickpeas, and olives to create a rich, nourishing stew, seasoned with a potpourri of heady and healthful spices, including turmeric, cumin, coriander, and mint. For a wonderful pairing, serve it over Brown Rice Pilaf with Saffron and Ginger .

Ask for the smallest lamb your butcher has (like those from New Zealand), or buy a 3 1/2-4-pound piece of a leg.

Ideas for serving: When I've got my grill going, I like to make my almost-Oaxacan tlayudas: I spread out commercially made tortillas (I buy them from a local tortillería and let them cool off completely) into a single layer, brush both sides of each one lightly but thoroughly with oil, then grill them until they're crisp. Once they cool, I break them into big rustic pieces for dipping into this guacamole. Wedges of grilled pita make a delicious and unexpected vehicle for dipping. For a pass-around appetizer, slices of crispy grilled baguette topped with a dollop of bacony guacamole are always a hit.

Crisp, tender asparagus spears get friendly with hearts of palm, cherry tomatoes, scallions, and avocado in this lovely starter salad from Epicurious member Theonike. A simple mustard-and-garlic-infused vinaigrette serves as dressing, while a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts gives this dish some crunch. Use soft, ripe avocados but wait to peel and dice them until just before serving so they retain their beautiful pale green hue.

This salad is a beautiful chorus of peas and pods. Cook all the beans in the same pot so you boil the water only once.

Fava beans, asparagus, and sugar snap peas are the essence of the season in this vibrant spring dish with a citrus twist; the caramelized shallots are a sweet counterpoint to the zesty zing of the fresh lemon. While this makes a terrific side dish for roasted meats like ham, turkey, or chicken, you can also toss it with pasta or rice for a main-course meal.

Tender pork is roasted with rich, warmly spiced chutney so that the fruity condiment gets a chance to cook into the meat. The woody, sweet notes of the chutney are also great atop chicken, lamb, or duck—or just on a spoon, straight. Rhubarb is at its prime in spring so for a fall-friendly chutney, replace it with fresh apples and figs.

Potato may not be your everyday kind of pizza topping, but its tender texture and buttery flavor just work, especially when paired with goat cheese. Replacing half the fingerlings with yams adds a touch of sweetness (not to mention beta-carotene). Make sure the pizza crust is rolled thick enough to stand up to the hearty toppings. Serve with a green salad for a delicious vegetarian dinner, or cut into small wedges to make it cocktail-party perfect.

Sam Hazen, the former executive chef of New York celebrity hangout Tao, created this broiled fish dish seasoned with the Japanese trifecta of sake, mirin, and miso. A great riff on beef satay, this appetizer can be marinated up to a day ahead for a quick weeknight snack or full meal when served with rice. Avoid unsustainable Chilean sea bass; look for white sea bass from California, black cod, Pacific or Alaskan halibut, or striped bass.

Crunchy, zesty, and light: what else could one want in a warm-weather salad? Radishes are thinly sliced and mingle with shelled fresh peas, while feta cheese and honey provide a special salty sweetness. Pea sprouts can be found at natural-food stores and Asian markets.

This elegant, delicious appetizer has long been a favorite among Epicurious members. It’s important to let the blanched asparagus cool completely before assembling these spears. They can be prepared up to a day in advance.