Almond

Here's a terrific new version of the classic melon-and prosciutto-pairing. For added color, use a mix of different melons.

Apricots and almonds have an affinity for each other, as you'll discover in this marriage of the stone fruit and a cool semifreddo dotted with crushed almond praline.

The oat mixture makes a delicious crust for the bottom—and a tasty crumble on top. Lemon perks up the blueberry filling.

Raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries are baked between a crisp pastry crust and a crumbly streusel topping.

Supermarket roast chicken can be easily dressed up, as in this lovely salad. Look for almond oil at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

Two of summer's tastiest offerings help you spoon up more of the skin-saving antioxidant lycopene.

Quick-cooking bulgur can be found at some supermarkets and at natural foods stores.

Most chefs don't focus on salads. Maybe that's how "chef’s salad" came to mean a pile of iceberg lettuce topped with bits of cheese, strips of cold cuts, and wedges of hard-boiled eggs. But with all the fantastic American cheeses and locally produced charcuterie available today, it's time to put the "chef" back in the chef's salad. It doesn't take long to arrange the meats and cheeses atop a bed of interesting greens, then whip up our quince dressing, drizzle—and dine.

Dried berries and cherries are sold at most supermarkets in the dried-fruit aisle.

Haroseth, a thick condiment of fruit, nuts, and wine, symbolizes the mortar the Israelites used in Egypt. Roberts's particular mix of almonds, pistachios, dates, and dried apricots, reflective of the Middle East, is outstanding (note that we prefer the sweet-tart complexity of California/Pacific apricots to the bland sweetness of Turkish ones). Enjoy leftover haroseth slathered on matzos or crackers; we discovered it's great with Manchego cheese as well.

You'll be shocked at how light yet satisfying this pasta is—it's finished in a fast garlicky almond sauce, studded with peas, and topped with chopped roasted almonds.

These wafer-thin cookies may have been created with Passover in mind, but their shattering crispness and perfume of almonds and lemon make them alluring at any time of year.

The color yellow symbolized joy for medieval Arabs, who were cultivating saffron in Spain by 960 c.e. Sephardic Jews were equally inspired by the coveted spice, and golden rice became a holiday and Sabbath tradition. This version, made with basmati rice, is punctuated by caramelized onion, currants, and fried almonds.

The perfect date dessert is one that's interactive: Candied strips of orange peel, fresh raspberries, and crisp almond cookies are all flavorful enough to stand up to a silky dark-chocolate fondue spiked with a shot of warming brandy.

Crunchy toasted almonds make crisp snow peas even more fun to eat.

Ramps stand in for both basil and garlic in this new spin on pesto.

An almond-spiked crust and twice the amount of filling you'd find in most Key lime pies are the secret here.

Today's new comfort dessert is anything that combines salty and sweet. The Creamsicle-like semifreddo is delicious with the salty, nutty brittle. Keep in mind that the semifreddo needs to be frozen overnight.

B'stilla, a traditional Moroccan recipe, was the inspiration for this savory pie. The dish consists of a spiced chicken filling sandwiched between layers of crisp phyllo pastry.