Asparagus

Bake salmon fillets next to tender spring asparagus on one sheet pan for an easy fish dinner that comes together in just 20 minutes.

This elegant stew can be made up to the point that the farro goes in; cool, then cover and chill up to 2 days.

A simple spring salad of shaved asparagus and fennel provides the fresh crunch needed to offset rich breaded pork cutlets.

Crispy-potato crust > pastry crust. (And it's gluten-free too.)

This all-green salad is studded with creamy avocado, crunchy cucumbers, and asparagus, and punctuated by tons of fresh dill and basil. The varied shades of green look like spring in a bowl.

Brown butter is easy to make and delicious over vegetables, fish and pasta. It's perfect tossed with asparagus and three cheese asparagus ravioli in this recipe.

Ravioli tossed with asparagus, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts and pancetta creates a delicious meal. The lemon juice and olive oil drizzle provide a light, fresh taste.

We think fat spears of asparagus have the best texture. White ones take a little longer to cook, so boil them separately.

Indulgent, seasonal, easy, and vegetarian—what more could you ask for?

A little bit of sweetness makes these especially appealing to pint-size palates.

Okay, so maybe you don't live across the street from a blooming locust tree—you can still make a killer butter sauce.

Chef Nemo Bolin at Cook & Brown Public House in Providence, RI, turned us on to the technique for this streamlined, no-knead gnocchi dough.

When we visited Kyoto, a few hours' ride from Tokyo on the famous Bullet train, we found a little restaurant in the heart of town that won us over with the names of dishes listed on the menu: Firecracker Tofu, Pickled Mixed Radish Salad, and the mysterious sounding Okonomiyaki. The chefs were clearly having fun at this place, and we were blown away by the depth of flavor they achieved with such simple preparations. We threw back some sake and tore through plate after plate of food. This salad is inspired by that meal, featuring quirky sea beans (a seaweed-like swamp/beach vegetable) and the haunting flavor of shiso (Japanese mint). You can find fresh sea beans at a gourmet market. If they're not available, substitute pencil-thin asparagus. Look for shiso in Asian markets, but substitute fresh cilantro if you can't find it.

This is a winning-contestant recipe from Season Four of FOX's MasterChef. After you remove the breasts for cooking, you can use what remains of the pheasant to make stock to cook the risotto in. Or, feel free to use chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth.

This is a winning-contestant recipe from Season Four of FOX's MasterChef.

This is a winning-contestant recipe from Season Four of FOX's MasterChef.

This pasta salad is a clever take on a well-loved soup. Because it's served at room temperature, it makes a great side dish at a picnic or barbecue. It's colorful and extremely flavorful, with pesto, beans, and vegetables.

This is a great technique if you want to serve a mixture of vegetables, like a stir-fry, with your grilled meat or fish. Start the vegetables 10 to 15 minutes before you grill your main course, so that they can get a head start. Move them to a cooler part of the grill to keep warm once they’re done. Grill baskets of all shapes and sizes are available in grocery stores or cooking shops.

A stunning, veggie-packed bowl of spring goodness.