Spring

The spice rub that we have used in this recipe works equally well with other steaks such as sirloin.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Begin with endive spears dressed with oil and vinegar. Orzo pilaf with cherry tomatoes is a nice accompaniment. For dessert, have rhubarb compote with crème fraîche.

Navain d'Agneau Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 2 hr

An easy press-in crust of ground graham crackers and toasted almonds is topped with a fresh strawberry filling and whipped cream. Chill the pie at least two hours before serving.

Serve with: Tomato salad and crusty semolina bread. Dessert: Amaretti cookies.

In a traditional Seder meal, bitter herbs — sometimes including parsley — represent the bitter experience of slavery. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Serve with: Jasmine rice and a cucumber, red bell pepper, and sweet onion salad with rice wine dressing.

The Middle Eastern tone is part of this cake's appeal. A very nutty cake is suffused with a honey-citrus soaking syrup, much like baklava in concept but flour-free, making it suitable for Passover. A little goes a long way. For large Seder crowds, you can double the recipe and bake it in a 9-inch springform pan or a 9 by 13-inch rectangular pan. I serve this cake cut into small squares or diamonds placed in small muffin liner cups. Copeland Marks, in his book Sephardic Cooking, attributes this to Turkish cuisine. Joan Nathan calls it "Tishpishiti" in her book, Jewish Cooking in America and points to Syrian, as well as Turkish roots as does Claudia Roden in her book, Mediterranean Cookery. A nutty classic indeed! My version is inspired by a recipe simply called "Nut Cake," found in From My Grandmother's Kitchen, by Viviane Alcheck Miner with Linda Krinn. If you are interested in Sephardic recipes along with a very engaging family history, this book is a real find.

George Kelso of Edinburgh, Scotland, writes: "Although I grew up in Scotland and spent my early years as a chef here, I didn't start specializing in Scottish food until much later in my career. After working in London and at various restaurants in England, I returned to Scotland in 1988 to become chef at Ardsheal House in Argyll, where I started cooking exclusively with Scottish ingredients. We grew our own fruits, vegetables, and herbs, and even raised our own hens and ducks. That experience inspired the kind of cooking I do today at Haldanes, where I'm chef and owner. I keep the food preparation simple and use the freshest produce. That's why I use local suppliers as much as possible." This easy version of the classic egg yolk and wine sauce is made with mayonnaise and toasted peppercorns. It works well on meats, poultry, fish, and even sandwiches. Here, it ups the ante on vegetables.

Use fresh button mushrooms if wild mushrooms are hard to get; you will still have delicious results. Yukon Gold potatoes have a pale yellow color and a buttery taste that adds to the richness of this dish.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"The warm asparagus salad I had at Figs restaurant in Boston was as original as it was delicious," says Lena Madore of Los Altos, California. "They served it with a chickpea pancake. I'd love to try both recipes." This salad is great with or without the wedge of farinata, a flat savory cake of Italian origin made from chickpea flour.

Fresh rhubarb is at its peak in the spring, and this dessert makes the most of it. Use the bright red portion of the rhubarb stalks for the prettiest result. The pastry for these napoleons has a crisp caramel glaze; be sure to butter the baking sheets very well to prevent sticking.

These twice-fried artichokes, or carciofi alla giudea, are made using a technique created by Jewish cooks in Rome. The first frying is done at a lower heat and simply cooks the artichokes. The second frying, in hotter oil, causes the leaves to spring open and gives them their crisp finish. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 55 min

"I often don't have the energy to cook a big meal, but I keep my dinners from being boring by preparing interesting fresh salads," says Terry Kirts of Indianapolis Indiana. "I really like this particular recipe because the salad is so easy to make and the dressing keeps for days."