Chive

This deceptively simple condiment is as addictive as pesto and as transformative as a squeeze of lemon. Spoon it onto fish, chicken, steak, roasted vegetables, or even pasta.

We make lots of things from scratch on Thanksgiving, but pumpkin purée isn't one of them.

This bright, creamy yogurt sauce is lightly flecked with herbs and is great for everything from drizzling over savory bowls of grains to spooning on top of fried rice, breakfast hash, or Buckwheat Crepes. Double the recipe for a larger group or to keep a little jar of the sauce in the refrigerator. It's season-less, really. Morning Notes: Depending on the kind of yogurt you use and how you prefer the consistency of this sauce, feel free to add a spoonful (or two) of cold water to thin it out.

Umami-loaded ingredients (tofu and miso) make this the most addictive ranch ever.

Squeeze out as much liquid from the zucchini as possible.

Gently heating chives— or almost any herb—in oil creates a concentrated, Technicolor elixir that's a favorite weapon of restaurant chefs: It's ideal for whisking into vinaigrettes and drizzling over fish, scrambled eggs, or ricotta crostini.

When cooked just right, the potatoes will be tender but should still hold their shape.

Using the best and freshest crabmeat you can get your hands on makes all the difference in these lightly battered and totally delicious fritters from La Petite Grocery, a new-school NOLA bistro.

Herbs in the dressing beg for herbs in the salad, too. We toss this vinaigrette with Bibb lettuce and lots of the tender green herbs— like mint, chervil, and parsley—that we grow in our window box.

Add the prosciutto at the last minute to preserve the pretty pink color.

Onion flavor is layered in this dish: The greens have a brightness to balance the bulbs' sweetness, the cooking liquid becomes a buttery sauce, and fresh chives deliver a high note to finish.

A plate of fresh herbs is served at most Persian meals, often taking the place of a salad. Serve this dish as an appetizer, or do as the Persians do and leave it on the table throughout the meal. Toasted spices and olive oil poured over the cheese add a warming boost of flavor.

Potatoes cooked in chicken broth are mashed with just the right amount of butter, cream, chives and bacon to make an irresistible side dish.

Spoon this spicy and acidic sauce over a steak salad, serve alongside pan-fried chicken, or try it on a taco.

Potatoes cooked in chicken broth are mashed with just the right amount of butter, cream, chives and bacon to make an irresistible side dish.

Greek yogurt gets transformed into a bright fresh cheese in this Middle Eastern-style dish. Spread it onto toast with jam for breakfast, or serve as part of a cheese platter.

Love crab cakes but want a change? These salmon cakes take fewer than 30 minutes to prepare. The recipe calls for pita pieces as a filler, but many Epicurious members subbed 3/4 cup panko flakes for a lighter cake. The salmon cakes also make a clever fish taco when crumbled and served with jalapeños, corn, and the yogurt sauce.

There’s no such thing as a bad scrambled egg, but this concoction, made creamy with fresh ricotta, comes close to the perfect scrambled egg. The eggs are partially cooked and cheese is added off the heat to impart a soft texture. Chives and fleur de sel give this breakfast a rustic feel. Substitute four egg whites for the two eggs and serve it with whole-wheat lavash to lighten up the dish, or dress it up with slices of smoked salmon, avocado, or bacon.

Editor's note: Use this chive oil to make White Bean Soup with Chive Oil from Kim Severson and Julia Moskin's cookbook, CookFight.