Dill

The flaky dill biscuit crusts that top these creamy pies look impressive, but they're surprisingly easy to make.

A quick dip in egg and matzo meal creates a light, crisp crust for this boastworthy fried chicken. The perfect foil? A refreshing salad of mesclun greens, baby artichokes, and asparagus enlivened with a smooth, dill-flecked vinaigrette.

If your child is a truly adventurous eater, the Thai chile in the pineapple sauce won't faze her and will help sneak the fish in. If she balks at spiciness, on the other hand, replace the chile with a milder pepper, such as jalapeño, and remove the seeds and membranes. Or skip the hot stuff altogether—the sweetness and saltiness of the sauce will still be delicious.

Hard-boiled eggs, sour cream, and onion are traditional accompaniments for caviar. In this longtime staple of community cookbooks, they are turned into a shallow cake and spread with caviar. We used supermarket lumpfish caviar, but if you're feeling flush, use the good stuff, or even Japanese tobiko (flying-fish roe).

his delicious vegetarian soup is a take on the Persian dish ash-e reshteh.

Kristi Parnell of San Marcos, California, writes: "Whether I'm cooking for my family or for company, I like to keep my recipes healthy by using lots of fresh fish and vegetables. The salmon salad is one of my favorite dishes for entertaining. The ginger-lime dressing is always a hit.

When dinner needs to be on the table fast, you can rely on this colorful and flavorful dish. You have the option of spooning the shrimp onto a bed of rice or orzo, or just using crusty bread to soak up the juice.

Improv: Try other meaty fish fillets such as halibut, swordfish, or tuna. Replace mixed herbs with mesclun.

Gravlaks — fish cured with salt, sugar, and dill — is usually made with salmon, but we like the milder flavor of arctic char for this particular dish. Keep in mind before starting to cure your fish that you will need to turn it every 12 hours for a total of 36 hours.

Be sure to buy the salmon with the skin on, which makes it much easier to handle as it grills. Keep in mind this is a special cut that your fish market or supermarket seafood counter may have to order. What to drink: Tom Douglas likes to pair this with a Washington State Chardonnay. Try: Columbia Crest 2002 Grand Estates Chardonnay ($11).

The salmon is equally good served hot or cold. What to drink: Chardonnay or white Burgundy, such as Saint-Véran.