Asparagus

Tarragon leaves and meaty morel caps shoot up all over the Jura mountains in the spring. Here, tossed with juicy green and white asparagus — Europeans are particularly mad for the latter — they're a genuine sampling of the season.

This recipe was created by chef Mark Franz of Farallon restaurant in San Francisco. It's part of a special menu he created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

These hearty cheese crisps, known as frico in Friuli, are a popular starter and snack. This recipe calls for Montasio, a hard cheese made from cow's milk. Ask to have the rind removed and the cheese grated (it's that hard). If you can't find Montasio, imported or domestic Asiago cheese is a good substitute.

This recipe was created by chef Michael Kornick of MK Restaurant in Chicago. It's part of a special menu he created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

Sautéing scallops and asparagus adds depth to their subtle flavors — and the dish only gets better with the addition of a silky beurre blanc–style sauce.

Pearl barley makes a wonderful risotto: It retains its distinct chew while easily releasing its starch to create a risotto as creamy as one made with Arborio rice — and with barely any stirring. Since I can't be bothered to make vegetable stocks ahead and I don't like canned versions, I've made the most of the asparagus in this dish. Using the stalks, tips, and even the cooking water makes the risotto sing with asparagus's springtime flavor.

Look for tender greens, such as mâche, Boston, and red leaf lettuces, which appear in farmers' markets at this time of year. Or, as an alternative, use premixed baby greens.

This pasta showcases spring produce.

Charmoula is a zesty herb and garlic sauce from the Middle East.

The chive oil would also be delicious drizzled over salmon or chicken. For very hungry guests, poach 12 eggs and serve each person two instead of one. WHAT TO DRINK: Prosecco, an Italian sparkler, is festive, delicious, and a good value.

Editor's note: The recipe below is from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. For Bittman's tips on preparing a modern Passover meal, click here.

Creamy-tangy gribiche (a fancy version of tartar sauce) and smoked salmon add richness to the asparagus in this first course.

Roasting the heads of garlic results in a less-pungent aioli — a nice quality in an appetizer, since too much raw garlic can hijack the palate for the rest of the evening.

This timeless dish is a beautiful, delicious, easy beginning to dinner. You can also think of mimosa as a nice way to add a little inexpensive protein to a vegetable side or leafy green salad.

This layered salad is definitely stacked: Michael Taus, executive chef and owner of Zealous restaurant in Chicago, has piled in all the vitamins C and B12 you need for the day, as well as 50 percent of your daily requirement for vitamin A.