Melissa Roberts

This tahini-based sauce serves as the foundation for mezes like hummus and baba ghanouj throughout much of the Mediterranean, but it's also a wonderful sauce in its own right, showing its versatility by adding a nutty, lemony hit to the kùfte or to vegetables or fish.

Summery and light, this vivid salad and its tangy dressing help balance the tuna and its rich glaze. Salting the zucchini slices takes the edge off their rawness while preserving their pleasant snap.

A spin on Nobu's famous miso-glazed black cod, these tuna kebabs are uncommonly satisfying—like umami on a stick. Shiro miso—aided and abetted by mirin and lush mayonnaise—asserts itself beautifully against the meaty tuna. The sugar in the marinade caramelizes over the hot grill, giving the quickly cooked tuna some tantalizingly crisp edges.

Köfte are a street-food favorite in the Middle East. The warm, irresistible flavor of this version comes from a combination of allspice, cinnamon, clove, and Aleppo pepper, a Syrian chile with a mild kick.

No need to forsake the extra dose of sweetness that powdered sugar provides. Potato starch is a seamless substitute for cornstarch.

Ingredients of Sephardic cooking—dates, cardamom, and orange zest—bring a mosaic of Mediterranean scents and textures to the Passover table. The cake has a coarse crumb yet is incredibly moist and chewy, thanks to the dates. A sprinkle of our Passover version of powdered sugar dresses up the torte for a special occasion.

Almonds and matzo cake meal make a wonderfully textured crust for this refreshing, citrusy cheesecake. After Passover, instead of pulling out the graham crackers again, experiment with other cookie crusts such as one made with shortbread.

Rhubarb and strawberries usually meet in late-spring pies. This dessert plays on the combination's sophistication. When roasted, rhubarb becomes more intense in flavor and color while still retaining its shape. Rose water contributes a floral delicacy (use it sparingly; a little goes a long way), and strawberry sorbet imparts a cool note.

Olive oil is a perfect (and extra-flavorful) nondairy alternative to butter for these tuiles, which defy logic by being both gossamer (potato starch gives them a melt-in-your-mouth quality) and sublimely crisp.

Pasta made with matzo cake meal is extremely light in texture and is no fuss to prepare when it's rolled and cut by hand into thin strips. The vegetables, in shades of green, provide a range of spring color.

Food editor Melissa Roberts drew on the influences of her husband's Lebanese heritage when she created this dish, rich with the spices and textures of the Middle East. Each bite of chicken combines crisp skin with moist meat and is savory with a hint of sweetness. Pistachios and raisins pump up the "chew" factor.

You'll want to break out the red-checkered tablecloth when you make this spicy, briny, and superbly balanced version of the Italian-American staple at home.

Gooey Nutella has long been a guilty pleasure, and we can't think of a better way to enjoy it than as a sweet, creamy sauce spooned over the tender middle and crisp edges of this baked pancake.

We always look forward to fresh asparagus at the market. Roasting it with buttery Yukon Golds—and a handful of Parmigiano-Reggiano, of course—deepens the flavor.

The fennel bulb we've added to this Little Italy combo is a natural complement to the fennel seeds in the sausage.

Often overlooked, turkey cutlets are a great, inexpensive substitute for veal. Sandwiching a thin slice of prosciutto between two of them and frying the whole thing leaves you with a packet full of flavor and texture.

Tender and flavorful, sirloin needs little adornment. The olive sauce imparts just the right hint of spice and saltiness—and it's ready in about ten minutes.

This side dish is like the love child of a salad and a pickle. Make it ahead of time and serve it at room temperature with the Steak and Olives

The intense punch of Gorgonzola is right at home as it melts into soft, subtle polenta, while the almonds add a welcome crunch to this simple, seductive dish.

This classic Italian sauce, with its combination of balsamic vinegar and a touch of sugar, lends deep sweetness and a hit of acidity to the meaty sautéed fish.